ChnMind 1.1 The God Who is Personal

Introduction

We are seeking to sketch out the fundamental structures and truths that literally shape all reality.

If we do not get these right, as it were, everything else will be “queered” thereafter. But, let us be clear, these fundamental things are denied by the entire non-christian world. More than denied, they are rejected, ridiculed, or hated amongst unbelievers. So right away, when speaking of The Christian Mind, we must concede—nay, we must insist—that the way a Christian thinks (that is, ought to think) of reality is fundamentally different from the non-Christian.

There is, in principle, no common ground with the unbeliever. In principle, we disagree about everything. We call this “the antithesis.” Therefore, when we take up any subject—let’s say, mathematics or physics—we can speak meaningfully of Christian mathematics or Christian physics, and unbelieving mathematics or physics.

But we can go further—because of “the fundamental truths that shape all reality” we will believe and argue that only Christian mathematics is true; that unbelieving mathematics is in principle wrong and ultimately wrong—that is, it does not accord with reality. It is erroneous. It is a mirage. It does not reflect what actually is!

This may seem strange—even extreme. But I propose that by the time we have worked through the heads below, you will agree with me.

The God Revealed in Scripture

The Book of Genesis sets out the framework which constitutes all of reality, all that exists. We mean by this that all material and immaterial reality is encompassed, prescribed and proscribed. Every human being that has ever lived, or will ever live, is shaped, constituted, and utterly conditioned by the what is revealed in the book of Genesis.

The divine revelation contained in Genesis is presuppositional to all human thought, existence, and endeavour. As such, it cannot be "proven" because there is nothing more fundamental than its truths.

The Fallacy of False Cause Writ Large

The Maori Party has publicly acknowledged that Maori are grossly over represented in criminal activity and violence. Now, party leader Tariana Turia has gone one step further--she has given us an explanation as to why this is so. It is because the Maori were taught to beat their children. And who taught them to do this? It was the missionaries.

So, Maori are lawless and violent today, and they beat their children today, because the missionaries taught them to do so. Before the missionaries came, says Mrs Turia, Maori loved their children, never beat them, and were indulgent toward them. They treasured them. So you can put the blame for Maori criminal behaviour right at the feet of the missionaries--and by implication--right at the feet of the Saviour they served--the Lord Jesus Christ.

I have a better theory. Maori never stopped being indulgent towards their children. They successfully retained that part of their pagan culture. So the kids, never corrected, trained, disciplined, or controlled grew up unconstrained. When they became adults they continued to live self-indulged, ill disciplined lives. When things did not go their way, when life did not indulge them the way it was when they were kids, they lashed out, became violent, beat up on their own kids, committed crimes, and acted totally irresponsibly.