- Jul 11, 2017
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I will introduce two matters here: one, is the concept of 'making yourself blind so you can see'. And the other is the concept of 'end times' viewpoints or maps as being "theoretical frameworks".
The 'making yourself blind so you can see' concept is certainly meant most specifically towards 'end times' observations.
If you already know both, maybe in different words, that is not unexpected as I often meet and know those who are ahead of me or caught up.
If not, and you have an open mind, and are more interested in truth then, well, anything, willing to forego whatever your people or peer group believe and are cynical towards yourself as we all have a propensity of bias, then:
'Making yourself blind, so you can see' - this should be a simple thing to understand, but often is not. There are many viewpoints on Revelation, but these usually boil down to interpretations. One group believes one thing, another something else. Where one is static in belief, one might see how other groups are in error... but fail to apply the same insight and humility to one's own self.
We are all biased. Solomon pointed out vanity effects us all. Each of us wants to have a good seat at the table. We are each tending to believe what we want to believe by our own preferences. This blinds us to truth.
We are saying, "I see, I see", and then, the door to revelation - even Revelation - is closed to us.
So, like prophecies from the Prophets, we might find it wise not to take the best seat in the house and assume we are seeing properly, but to take the least seat, and assume we are blind... with a terrible condition of conceit. One which assumes we can see.
You can meditate and apply every day the teachings of Christ, and meditate everyday on Revelation - as every best Christian does because they believe the promise in it - and still end up by your own bias stagnated in one belief system about the end times. Because this is the way of the flesh, stagnation. Slow. Bodies of light are fast, bodies of flesh are slow.
We should therefore 'not believe what we see, nor what we hear', but listen to God, within.
"Theoretical Frameworks" -- a term coined from modern "science". The wise of this world we are told do have things we can learn from. And, pretty much, all end times theoretical frameworks operate on the principles used in the world: they are interpretations which attempt to use reasoning, and they are heavy on research and investigation via books and such.
Reasoning is good, we know, from the Prophets and Jesus. But, the major problem with most theoretical frameworks of the end times is they are static. No reasoning is really involved, just rote memorization. The appearance of reasoning can be there, but it is not true.
The appearance of reasoning is just recycling inside what one has been told by dubious sources. Where pretty much all sources are dubious.
The meaning of the term is simple, and not expecting anyone to adopt it.
As end times viewpoints are very complicated, they can well be called "frameworks". (A term more from computer programming then just "science", per se.)
As end times viewpoints should be treated without bias, they should be considered "theoretical".
Everyone here knows the end is near, very literally. Some to greater and some to lesser degrees. But, we also all know it is not yet, as everyone on the planet will know then.
Some very few truths we can feel safe taking stock in. Though the wise will want to consider if even that is not true, at times. Perhaps.
There is nothing wrong with considering and holding in your mind all the major theoretical frameworks. It is due diligence.
Refusing to consider such a critically important problem from as many angles as possible... is that really the wise way to go?
Noting that those in error just believe what they are told, while not realizing you your own self is doing the very same thing... that is using a double standard, is it not? Which is exactly against the Gospels.
And when you need interpretations to read Revelation, is that not possible of adding to the book what is not there? One ends up reading a different Revelation entirely.
"Interpretations" are fine is they are treated as theories, possibilities. But, if they are treated as equal to the words of the Book, should you not be entirely sure? There is no error in considering theory. But literally adding and taking away from the Book is dangerous. I would point out.
I would especially point out that dismissing the curse at the end of it in order to do such work on the Book is, its' self, a good sign that something is very wrong.
But, theory, is just possibilities, and adds nothing. It is settling on something without adequate evidence, where there is a problem.
As most theoretical frameworks, by far, pretend to be matters derived from conjecture, why not hold the model of theory and critical thinking to it as well? Why join conjecture with prophecy, making conjecture equivalent with prophecy?
We are told even prophets themselves can not subject their prophecies to their own interpretations... but effective scribes of the church can?
Finally, it is noteworthy to say, people can believe their own theoretical frameworks because their church does. So, it can be they love the members of their church, and their beliefs get tied into that.
That kind of faith I am all about. But, when you look at other churches and consider them condemned, and just consider your own group as saved, then you are damning those others. We are called to love greater then that.
If you can love even those of differing viewpoints on the end times, surely you can seriously consider the possibility of their theoretical framework and so consider your theoretical framework as potentially equal?
Until proven otherwise?
The 'making yourself blind so you can see' concept is certainly meant most specifically towards 'end times' observations.
If you already know both, maybe in different words, that is not unexpected as I often meet and know those who are ahead of me or caught up.
If not, and you have an open mind, and are more interested in truth then, well, anything, willing to forego whatever your people or peer group believe and are cynical towards yourself as we all have a propensity of bias, then:
'Making yourself blind, so you can see' - this should be a simple thing to understand, but often is not. There are many viewpoints on Revelation, but these usually boil down to interpretations. One group believes one thing, another something else. Where one is static in belief, one might see how other groups are in error... but fail to apply the same insight and humility to one's own self.
We are all biased. Solomon pointed out vanity effects us all. Each of us wants to have a good seat at the table. We are each tending to believe what we want to believe by our own preferences. This blinds us to truth.
We are saying, "I see, I see", and then, the door to revelation - even Revelation - is closed to us.
So, like prophecies from the Prophets, we might find it wise not to take the best seat in the house and assume we are seeing properly, but to take the least seat, and assume we are blind... with a terrible condition of conceit. One which assumes we can see.
You can meditate and apply every day the teachings of Christ, and meditate everyday on Revelation - as every best Christian does because they believe the promise in it - and still end up by your own bias stagnated in one belief system about the end times. Because this is the way of the flesh, stagnation. Slow. Bodies of light are fast, bodies of flesh are slow.
We should therefore 'not believe what we see, nor what we hear', but listen to God, within.
"Theoretical Frameworks" -- a term coined from modern "science". The wise of this world we are told do have things we can learn from. And, pretty much, all end times theoretical frameworks operate on the principles used in the world: they are interpretations which attempt to use reasoning, and they are heavy on research and investigation via books and such.
Reasoning is good, we know, from the Prophets and Jesus. But, the major problem with most theoretical frameworks of the end times is they are static. No reasoning is really involved, just rote memorization. The appearance of reasoning can be there, but it is not true.
The appearance of reasoning is just recycling inside what one has been told by dubious sources. Where pretty much all sources are dubious.
The meaning of the term is simple, and not expecting anyone to adopt it.
As end times viewpoints are very complicated, they can well be called "frameworks". (A term more from computer programming then just "science", per se.)
As end times viewpoints should be treated without bias, they should be considered "theoretical".
Everyone here knows the end is near, very literally. Some to greater and some to lesser degrees. But, we also all know it is not yet, as everyone on the planet will know then.
Some very few truths we can feel safe taking stock in. Though the wise will want to consider if even that is not true, at times. Perhaps.
There is nothing wrong with considering and holding in your mind all the major theoretical frameworks. It is due diligence.
Refusing to consider such a critically important problem from as many angles as possible... is that really the wise way to go?
Noting that those in error just believe what they are told, while not realizing you your own self is doing the very same thing... that is using a double standard, is it not? Which is exactly against the Gospels.
And when you need interpretations to read Revelation, is that not possible of adding to the book what is not there? One ends up reading a different Revelation entirely.
"Interpretations" are fine is they are treated as theories, possibilities. But, if they are treated as equal to the words of the Book, should you not be entirely sure? There is no error in considering theory. But literally adding and taking away from the Book is dangerous. I would point out.
I would especially point out that dismissing the curse at the end of it in order to do such work on the Book is, its' self, a good sign that something is very wrong.
But, theory, is just possibilities, and adds nothing. It is settling on something without adequate evidence, where there is a problem.
As most theoretical frameworks, by far, pretend to be matters derived from conjecture, why not hold the model of theory and critical thinking to it as well? Why join conjecture with prophecy, making conjecture equivalent with prophecy?
We are told even prophets themselves can not subject their prophecies to their own interpretations... but effective scribes of the church can?
Finally, it is noteworthy to say, people can believe their own theoretical frameworks because their church does. So, it can be they love the members of their church, and their beliefs get tied into that.
That kind of faith I am all about. But, when you look at other churches and consider them condemned, and just consider your own group as saved, then you are damning those others. We are called to love greater then that.
If you can love even those of differing viewpoints on the end times, surely you can seriously consider the possibility of their theoretical framework and so consider your theoretical framework as potentially equal?
Until proven otherwise?
