Beyond Relativism and Fundamentalism
This won’t be very long. I just thought that it needed to be said:
There is a here-and-now that is beyond our control, more than what we decide or will for there to be—infinitely more. Since the here-and-now is always beyond our grasp, we can never have pure knowledge or certainty of the here-and-now. In both cases, there is always more.
Everything is here-and-now and to-come. Here-and-now, because regardless of our whim, God is with us, in temporality. To-come, because God is always more than the here-and-now, more than time and space, always beyond it all.
For renewal, we will need to let go of relativism and fundamentalism and return to God. This begins by letting relativism and fundamentalism die a quick death as a distracting dualism—and since we made them up, we might have to kill them both.
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Thanks, David!
Sam, YES. Just a quick thought-Isn’t fundamentalism also relativism because it is lived within the limited understanding of God and therefore, in its limitations of certainty it is actually relativity.
Ronald, I have thought of that possibility and it very well may be the case. But, in my experience, I find that fundamentalism and relativism are two different ontologies that share a certain extremism and potential for nihilism and despotism, but they do have real differences, I think. But the more I ponder, I think you right too in the aspect you mention. Thanks for reading.
Ronald King, by the same logic, relativism is fundamentalism too, which really makes your head spin.
Because relativism rests on the absolute premise that all is relative without exception. The difference is, relativists slip this absolute principle into the syllabus “under the table,” it doesn’t even make the “recommended reading” section. The rigid, binding premise that all is relative has to be swallowed implicitly, blindly and unquestioned by each student.
Which is sad.
Saint Peter the first Pope was a fundamentalist.
What happens to fundamentalism and relativism when absolute love is experienced internally as a union with God which goes beyond expression? What happens to our view of faith and the structure of religion. What happens to our view of society and human relationships when that love is known?
Jeff, I agree. The problem with both of them is that they are ontologically impossible.
Ronald, these expressions saturate our ability to grasp it.
Andy, St. Peter was a fundamentalist? How so?
Andy, What is a fundamentalist?
Sam, I am saturated with this every moment. I asked the above questions when I experienced God’s Love for a brief moment during Christmas of ’04 and I returned to Catholicism Easter of ’05 because of experiencing His Love. I was away 40 years. I naively thought every Catholic experienced transformation through God’s Love. Sadly, I was wrong.
I am saturated with knowing that God’s Love requires letting go of everything which we have learned thus far and risking ourselves on a pilgrimage across the states in silent prayer for all of the suffering in the world. However, this will not work with small numbers. Faith must be lived in the present state of nothingness with others who are willing to go into that void of the dark night. By doing this we join in a conscious connection of love to all of those suffering due to our desire to remain comfortable and safe.
This is a speck of what I am saturated with.
Sam, I read that next to last line. Ooops
I meant to say that by doing this we join in a conscious connection of love to all of those suffering. If we do not do this we remain comfortable and safe which results in living our faith in relativism.