Rainy Days and Droopy

[degringolade]

 

https://www.wikiart.org/en/nicolae-vermont/the-way-home-1919

Still raining.  Not at all pleased about it.  Nothing I can do about it but bitch.  Consider this first paragraph bitching…..I’ll move on now.

Lately I have been having a discussion concerning the way that humans purportedly think (I don’t know why this seems important, as a species we really don’t spent a lot of time actually thinking).  As I dig deeper and deeper into pondering the problem, I find myself trying to simplify my views, to make them clean and elegant and “transferable” to another mind.

Today is one of those days where I start to question this approach.  

I spend a lot of time (lately I am beginning to believe that the proper phrase is “too much time” reading and thinking about this kind of stuff.  But on days like today and I look back on my ponderings and see just how far I have gotten and the state of my current understanding and I despair.  Truth be told, on days like today, I tend strongly toward the idea that we cannot know.  That it is a mystery.  I realize that my reading tends toward trashy fiction on a too-frequent basis but I am reminded today of a passage from one of my trashy novel series that I enjoyed immensely.

“while my own opinion on the Trinity is that of the five councils of the orthodox tradition, I also believe that there can never be a final solution to the problem. And thus I feel that any attempt to impose such a solution is, from the social and political standpoint, unwise. And, from the theological standpoint, downright impious."

"Impious?" asked Hermogenes. "Impious?"

Cassian's nod was vigorous. "Yes, young man—you heard me aright. Impious."

Hermogenes groped for words. "I've never heard anyone say—" He fell silent, taking a thoughtful sip of his wine.

Cassian smiled. "Mine is not, I admit, the common approach. But let me ask you this, Hermogenes—why is the subject of the Trinity so difficult to fathom? Why is it such an enigma?"

Hermogenes hesitated. "Well, it—I'm not a theologian, you know. But it's very complicated, everyone knows that."

"Why?"

Hermogenes frowned. "I don't understand."

"Why is it so complicated? Did it never strike you as bizarre that the Almighty should have chosen to manifest himself in such a tortuous fashion?"

Hermogenes opened his mouth, closed it; then, took a much deeper sip of wine—almost a gulp, actually. As a matter of fact, he had—now and then—puzzled over the matter. Privately. Very privately.

Cassian smiled again. "So I see. It is my belief, my dear Hermogenes, that the Lord chose to do so for the good and simple reason that He does not want men to understand the Trinity. It is a mystery, and there's the plain and simple truth of it. There is no harm, of course, in anyone who so chooses to speculate on the problem. I do so myself. But to go further, to pronounce oneself right—to go so far as to enforce your pronouncement with religious and secular authority—seems to me utterly impious. It is the sin of pride. Satan's sin."

An Oblique Approach

by David Drake and Eric Flint

I’m not certain where I will go on this, probably go back to trying to figure it out.  But not today.  

Comments

shades of Sister Colette

[chefxh]

The unfailing answer to any questions the nuns didn't care to address (of which, go figure, I asked MANY): "It's a mystery."

Re: shades of Sister Colette

[degringolade]

Yep, doesn't mean that they were wrong though. There are a lot of mysteries. We just don't like to think about them.

How are you doing?

Re: shades of Sister Colette

[chefxh]

I'm okay. Had the arterial and venous mapping done Friday and everybody from the cardiologist to the surgeon to the vascular tech agree that I am an excellent candidate for this. I fear the period of inactivity, I think, and strict rules for what I am forbidden, more than anything. I am hoping rehab gives me lot of good strategies for things like turning over in bed.

Not listening to anxiety's stories today.