| Topic: |
Religions > Atheism |
| User: |
"words of truth" |
| Date: |
18 Nov 2005 11:04:39 PM |
| Object: |
The Coming Paradigm Shift Away From Secularism |
http://catholicanalysis.blogspot.com/2005/10/paradigm-shifts.html
Paradigm Shifts
Ever since philosopher Thomas Kuhn published years ago his landmark
book on the structure of scientific revolutions, speakers and writers
have loved to speak of "paradigm shifts." I recently heard an audio
tape in which best-selling author Stephen Covey of the book Seven
Habits of Highly Effective People predictably spoke about changing
paradigms. The paradigm motif reminds me of how Jesus in his parables
referred to cultural realities that his audience was familiar with in
that time and place. Some parables speak of the shrewdness of a
merchant or of a steward about to be fired--references that remind us
of the plethora of books and tapes on business leadership, like those
of Stephen Covey, in our own time. In a way, we can use the talk of
"paradigm shifts" that is so embedded in our American culture to speak
to our culture and to ourselves about the import of the Catholic
paradigm.
The examples and applications are profuse. For example, I recently
reviewed a book on the charismatic renewal by the preacher to the papal
household. This particular book in effect calls for a paradigm shift in
how many Catholics view their faith experience. The book calls for the
unleashing of the grace granted in the sacraments through a process of
again invoking the Holy Spirit in deeper conversion. This call is a
paradigm shift for many Catholics who may focus instead on discrete
acts of piety or devotion apart from such a deeper conversion in the
Holy Spirit.
Another example takes place in the always controversial arena of sexual
morality. Recently, I became aware of an incident at a public state
university where female college students on campus were handing out
condoms to anyone walking on campus as part of "Sex Awareness Week"--as
if anyone in modern America needed to become, somehow, more "aware" of
sex! What paradigm were these young women operating from in their
actions? We can call it the paradigm of recreational sex. Under this
very common paradigm, sexual acts are seen as having no effect on
character. Instead, sexual acts are seen as mere biological functions
that just need certain precautionary measures to ensure "safety."
Of course, in great contrast, the Catholic paradigm sees sexual acts as
highly definitive, highly momentous, and dramatically defining moments
for a person's character, integrity, and future. The Catholic paradigm
would be to have a "Character Awareness Week" in which people were
challenged to see how all acts, and especially sexual acts, can have a
dramatic effect on character. The girls should have been handing out
the Gospel, instead of condoms. The Gospel parables and sayings would
have challenged and provoked true awareness and thinking, instead of
deceiving the public that recreational sex was "character-safe."
We can also see the significance of these two just described,
conflicting paradigms in a wider context. For example, some people,
including Catholic Americans, just can't seem to spot the reality of
scandal anymore. Let's be clear and define scandal as the presentation
of serious sin as if it were not serious or significant and thus making
it appear acceptable and innocuous to others. We see it all the time in
our culture: the family invites the sexually cohabitating partner of
one of their children over for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner thus
legitimizing what is not legitimate. Some even expect spouses to
socialize with the former sexual partners of their current spouse, as
if they were socializing with mere friends from the past. Again, as in
the case of the incident at the state university, the paradigm we see
is one in which sexual activity has no moral significance. The Catholic
paradigm is extremely different: what is momentous must not be
trivialized. I suggest that human nature, whether Catholic nor not,
whether Christian or not, offers the same paradigm for the importance
of sexual activity as the Catholic paradigm does.
Finally, let me speak of a paradigm that is even more prevalent than
the recreational sex paradigm and is in my view a pillar of the
recreational sex paradigm: the American paradigm of materialism. The
materialism paradigm says that we are our income. The most important
thing is not a chaste daughter or son, but a "successful" daughter or
son who gets a high income job, preferably by the route of prestigious
academic achievement. When income and social prestige become the single
most important things about a person, then we can see why things like
sex become trivial in the culture. The culture will fight tooth and
nail for a tax deduction or a capital gains break, but cares not a whit
about virginity. Again, the Catholic paradigm is, in contrast, that
one's character is the single most important thing about a person
because it is the person and is the key to the person's destiny.
When you see so many strange things happening around you or accepted by
so many, even some who claim to be Catholic, ask the paradigm question:
what is the paradigm behind the activity or the custom or the
assumptions involved? Once you define the paradigm, then you can decide
if you want a paradigm shift, if, as Covey also says, you want to
rewrite the script--or, to use the old-fashioned word, a conversion.
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| User: "Yournameheres personal Cthulhu" |
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| Title: Re: The Coming Paradigm Shift Away From Secularism |
20 Nov 2005 12:46:50 AM |
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"words of truth" <wordsoftruth@hoshmail.com> suddenly spluttered:
http://catholicanalysis.blogspot.com/2005/10/paradigm-shifts.html
Paradigm Shifts
If you can say 'Sobrino' without giggling, you have no soul.
------------------------------------------------
Conflict over the exact will/purpose/nature of God cannot ever be
resolved, since there are no facts to go on.
D Silverman FLAHN, SMLAHN
AA #2208
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| User: "Mark K. Bilbo" |
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| Title: Re: The Coming Paradigm Shift Away From Secularism |
19 Nov 2005 12:23:51 AM |
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In <1132355079.038380.177240@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>, "words of
truth" <wordsoftruth@hoshmail.com> wrote:
Paradigm Shifts
Yes, Christianity is dying out.
--
Mark K. Bilbo
--------------------------------------------------
Forgotten Already
http://makeashorterlink.com/?H1233272C
Feds are treating Louisiana like enemy
"...it may be that they may have written us off."
http://makeashorterlink.com/?O21E51C1C
http://www.nola.com
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| User: "Viking" |
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| Title: Re: The Coming Paradigm Shift Away From Secularism |
19 Nov 2005 05:01:11 AM |
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On Fri, 18 Nov 2005 18:23:51 -0600, "Mark K. Bilbo"
<alt-atheism@org.webmaster> wrote:
In <1132355079.038380.177240@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>, "words of
truth" <wordsoftruth@hoshmail.com> wrote:
Paradigm Shifts
Yes, Christianity is dying out.
Not if people start feeling seriously threatened by Islam.
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| User: "catfish" |
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| Title: Re: The Coming Paradigm Shift Away From Secularism |
20 Nov 2005 03:53:09 PM |
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Yes, Christianity is dying out.
Not if people start feeling seriously threatened by Islam.
Maybe we can get the christians and the muslims to slaughter each other
- IN ISRAEL - and the rest of us peaceful pagans can live in peace!
I was in a war once - it sucked.
Catfish
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| User: "Hyerdahl" |
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| Title: Re: The Coming Paradigm Shift Away From Secularism |
19 Nov 2005 05:23:21 PM |
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Viking wrote:
On Fri, 18 Nov 2005 18:23:51 -0600, "Mark K. Bilbo"
<alt-atheism@org.webmaster> wrote:
In <1132355079.038380.177240@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>, "words of
truth" <wordsoftruth@hoshmail.com> wrote:
Paradigm Shifts
Yes, Christianity is dying out.
Not if people start feeling seriously threatened by Islam.
Threatened by people who ride camels and have no zippers? :-)
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| User: "Deborah Terreson" |
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| Title: Re: The Coming Paradigm Shift Away From Secularism |
19 Nov 2005 10:56:57 PM |
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In article <1132421001.471488.185110@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> ,
"Hyerdahl" <Hyerdahl3@aol.com> wrote:
Viking wrote:
On Fri, 18 Nov 2005 18:23:51 -0600, "Mark K. Bilbo"
<alt-atheism@org.webmaster> wrote:
In <1132355079.038380.177240@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>, "words of
truth" <wordsoftruth@hoshmail.com> wrote:
Paradigm Shifts
Yes, Christianity is dying out.
Not if people start feeling seriously threatened by Islam.
Threatened by people who ride camels and have no zippers? :-)
And who fly airplanes into our tallest materialistic temples!
Nope, nothing to be afraid of there... And as soon as Dubya and friends
hitch their skirts and pack it up out of Iraq, we'll leave a nice chaotic
training ground for them to come after us from.
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| User: "catfish" |
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| Title: Re: The Coming Paradigm Shift Away From Secularism |
20 Nov 2005 03:49:16 PM |
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Nope, nothing to be afraid of there... And as soon as Dubya and friends
hitch their skirts and pack it up out of Iraq, we'll leave a nice chaotic
training ground for them to come after us from.
Do you mean the one we created by invading them without justification?
Catfish
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| User: "Deborah Terreson" |
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| Title: Re: The Coming Paradigm Shift Away From Secularism |
20 Nov 2005 06:21:47 PM |
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In article <1132501756.111668.16030@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> ,
"catfish" <beauregard_t_catfish@yahoo.com> wrote:
Nope, nothing to be afraid of there... And as soon as Dubya and friends
hitch their skirts and pack it up out of Iraq, we'll leave a nice chaotic
training ground for them to come after us from.
Do you mean the one we created by invading them without justification?
Eeeeyup!
Deb.
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| User: "Hyerdahl" |
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| Title: Re: The Coming Paradigm Shift Away From Secularism |
19 Nov 2005 11:15:19 PM |
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Deborah Terreson wrote:
In article <1132421001.471488.185110@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> ,
"Hyerdahl" <Hyerdahl3@aol.com> wrote:
Viking wrote:
On Fri, 18 Nov 2005 18:23:51 -0600, "Mark K. Bilbo"
<alt-atheism@org.webmaster> wrote:
In <1132355079.038380.177240@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>, "words of
truth" <wordsoftruth@hoshmail.com> wrote:
Paradigm Shifts
Yes, Christianity is dying out.
Not if people start feeling seriously threatened by Islam.
Threatened by people who ride camels and have no zippers? :-)
And who fly airplanes into our tallest materialistic temples!
Yes, how many were there? A few camel jockies supported by wealth who
learned to fly (over here). To end that, we need not go to war but
simply to stop educating the derelict sons of George Bushes FRIENDS.
:-) After all, Bin Laden was a friend of Bush at one time, and
certainly Bush has many, many rich Saudi friends as well. We didn't
need to go to war, dear, but rather put an end to this kind of
'friendship'.
Nope, nothing to be afraid of there... And as soon as Dubya and friends
hitch their skirts and pack it up out of Iraq, we'll leave a nice chaotic
training ground for them to come after us from.
Duby and those who constantly bail him out of trouble are his daddy's
friends, dear, and yes, they can train pilots here in America, to blow
up buildings. I'd like to suggest that it's simply time to end that.
:-) As to hitching skirts, when you hitch yours theres a missile in
there, albiet the size of a pencil.
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| User: "Deborah Terreson" |
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| Title: Re: The Coming Paradigm Shift Away From Secularism |
19 Nov 2005 11:27:38 PM |
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In article <1132442119.594605.67380@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> ,
"Hyerdahl" <Hyerdahl3@aol.com> wrote:
Deborah Terreson wrote:
In article <1132421001.471488.185110@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> ,
"Hyerdahl" <Hyerdahl3@aol.com> wrote:
Viking wrote:
On Fri, 18 Nov 2005 18:23:51 -0600, "Mark K. Bilbo"
<alt-atheism@org.webmaster> wrote:
In <1132355079.038380.177240@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>, "words of
truth" <wordsoftruth@hoshmail.com> wrote:
Paradigm Shifts
Yes, Christianity is dying out.
Not if people start feeling seriously threatened by Islam.
Threatened by people who ride camels and have no zippers? :-)
And who fly airplanes into our tallest materialistic temples!
Yes, how many were there? A few camel jockies supported by wealth who
learned to fly (over here). To end that, we need not go to war but
simply to stop educating the derelict sons of George Bushes FRIENDS.
:-) After all, Bin Laden was a friend of Bush at one time, and
certainly Bush has many, many rich Saudi friends as well. We didn't
need to go to war, dear, but rather put an end to this kind of
'friendship'.
Nope, nothing to be afraid of there... And as soon as Dubya and friends
hitch their skirts and pack it up out of Iraq, we'll leave a nice chaotic
training ground for them to come after us from.
Duby and those who constantly bail him out of trouble are his daddy's
friends, dear, and yes, they can train pilots here in America, to blow
up buildings. I'd like to suggest that it's simply time to end that.
:-) As to hitching skirts, when you hitch yours theres a missile in
there, albiet the size of a pencil.
Is that the best you can do?
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| User: "Eris" |
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| Title: Re: The Coming Paradigm Shift Away From Secularism |
19 Nov 2005 11:01:28 PM |
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On 18 Nov 2005 15:04:39 -0800, "words of truth"
<wordsoftruth@hoshmail.com> wrote:
http://catholicanalysis.blogspot.com/2005/10/paradigm-shifts.html
Paradigm Shifts
Ever since philosopher Thomas Kuhn published years ago his landmark
book on the structure of scientific revolutions, speakers and writers
have loved to speak of "paradigm shifts." I recently heard an audio
tape in which best-selling author Stephen Covey of the book Seven
Habits of Highly Effective People predictably spoke about changing
paradigms. The paradigm motif reminds me of how Jesus in his parables
referred to cultural realities that his audience was familiar with in
that time and place. Some parables speak of the shrewdness of a
merchant or of a steward about to be fired--references that remind us
of the plethora of books and tapes on business leadership, like those
of Stephen Covey, in our own time. In a way, we can use the talk of
"paradigm shifts" that is so embedded in our American culture to speak
to our culture and to ourselves about the import of the Catholic
paradigm.
Does anyone have a clue to who this person is? Is he/she/it a single
person or an organization?
.
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| User: "Yournameheres personal Cthulhu" |
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| Title: Re: Re: The Coming Paradigm Shift Away From Secularism |
20 Nov 2005 12:49:26 AM |
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Eris <vithant@nospamgmail.com> suddenly spluttered:
Does anyone have a clue to who this person is? Is he/she/it a single
person or an organization?
http://www.blogger.com/profile/1071351
<giggle>
------------------------------------------------
Conflict over the exact will/purpose/nature of God cannot ever be
resolved, since there are no facts to go on.
D Silverman FLAHN, SMLAHN
AA #2208
.
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| User: "Hyerdahl" |
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| Title: Re: The Coming Paradigm Shift Away From Secularism |
18 Nov 2005 11:33:53 PM |
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words of truth wrote:
http://catholicanalysis.blogspot.com/2005/10/paradigm-shifts.html
Paradigm Shifts
(edit)>
Of course, in great contrast, the Catholic paradigm sees sexual acts as
highly definitive, highly momentous, and dramatically defining moments
for a person's character, integrity, and future. The Catholic paradigm
would be to have a "Character Awareness Week" in which people were
challenged to see how all acts, and especially sexual acts, can have a
dramatic effect on character. The girls should have been handing out
the Gospel, instead of condoms. The Gospel parables and sayings would
have challenged and provoked true awareness and thinking, instead of
deceiving the public that recreational sex was "character-safe."
[Gee, is THAT why all those priests raped all those alter boys? I just
knew there must have been a "momentouse" and "dramatically defining
moment" involved in all that. And when all those other priests covered
it up, that must have really "provoked true awareness and thinking"
Now I see why so many of you riteous bitter boys feel so very secure in
telling women what to do or not do with their own bodies. Good to
know.]
(edit)
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