Philosophy Archives - Page 13 of 22

Veritables: All Truth Is God’s Truth Wherever Found

December 5, 2013 by EnnisP Leave a Comment

The Bible Focuses On Eternal Truth

It was many years ago but I remember the statement like it was yesterday. I was in Bible college and sitting in the class of one of my favorite teachers.

I loved his nature. He was a straight shooter, never mincing words. If he believed something was true there was no flinching. Everything was absolutely right or wrong and I identified with that mindset. I wanted a clear line demarcating all the good from the bad.

But don’t get the wrong idea. Though adamant, he was gracious. And in his usual quiet but straightforward way, he made the following remark, which made a lasting impression on me.

All the Bible is true and all truth is in the Bible

I love words, especially when used to make a point rhythmically so his remark stuck. But that wasn’t the only reason it resonated. I was emotionally in tune with this statement. It was a very bold line drawn between everything in the Bible and everything else. It was a buy-in for me.

All of that happened a very long time ago – I won’t say how long. Since then I’ve grown, matured, learned a few things, and done a lot of thinking so I’m not so sure about the accuracy of that statement anymore.

Don’t get me wrong. I still believe everything in the Bible is true but I realize now that not every truth can fit in the Bible. All the most important truths are there, the ones that influence eternity, but there isn’t enough room in any one book to include every possible truth.

Not All Types Of Truth Are Equally Important

Just a quick glance at the many kinds of truth and you realize they aren’t all equal. Each type is important, yes, but they aren’t all equal. For example:

Individual truth (I have blue eyes)
Temporary truth (It’s a sunny day)
Moral truth (Its wrong to gossip, lie or steal)
Psychological truth (people prefer short reading lines but read longer
lines faster)
Medical truth (diet effects your health)
Mathematical truth (2 plus 2 is 4)
Physical truth (law of gravity)
Historical truth (Israel inhabited Canaan after the Exodus)
Eternal truth (God is love, heaven is real)

The Bible does make statements that broadly relate to each type of truth, and what it says about each issue is true, but that is very different to saying it records every truth.

It talks about the remarkable way each person is created – we are individually distinct – but it says nothing about my blue eyes.
The Bible records variations in weather patterns (Noah’s flood) but says nothing about today’s forecast.
The Old Testament is filled with laws that imply an understanding of medical issues but it says nothing about open-heart surgery or different blood types.
The Bible includes a lot of ancient history and influenced the way modern history unfolded but provides no historical details following the first century AD.

If you’re curious and would like to read further, Dr. S. I. McMillen has written a great book, None of These Diseases, which shows how Old Testament law reflected a very advanced understanding of many medical issues without actually stating every individual truth associated with each condition. The book can be purchased very inexpensively at Amazon.

God has paid humanity a great compliment by not giving us every piece of truth and every answer to every question. Realizing that, leads us to another truth implied in the Bible but not clearly stated. The truth that God created us with an insatiable desire to understand more truth and the tools to pursue it.

It may feel disloyal to say “not every truth is in the Bible” but once you realize that every truth is God’s truth wherever you find it and that God has gifted us with the art of discovery, it begins to make a lot of sense. And remember. Finding a truth is much more rewarding than having it handed to you on a platter.

THINK!AboutIt

Earn The Right To Win by Tom Coughlin, Chapter 2 – Scheduling

August 18, 2013 by EnnisP Leave a Comment

Life Can Be Unpredictable
But Preparing To Win
Requires A Schedule

In the mid-1960s The Rolling Stones recorded a song titled “Time Is On My Side.” It was one of their first recordings and it was a big hit.

In the song, Mick is philosophizing about a wayward girlfriend. She’s running around instead of staying faithfully by his side but instead of expressing hurt feelings Mick patiently waits claiming that “time is on my side.” And he confidently asserts that “She’ll come running back to me.”

Now, you might be wondering what a song about wayward girls sung by one of Rock N Roll’s most prominent bad boys has to do with winning. Well, the context of the song isn’t important but the refrain is.

The main issue in the song is “Time” and Mick repeatedly says it is on his side. In fact, at the end of the song, he builds to a crescendo with: Time, Time, Time is on my side.

But there is good reason to think Mick may not be correct. Time can be on your side but there is no guarantee.

And that brings us to Tom Coughlin and the book he wrote. The title of Tom’s book is:

Earn The Right To Win

And it’s worth reading because it makes some universally valid points about winning. [Read more…] about Earn The Right To Win by Tom Coughlin, Chapter 2 – Scheduling

Earn The Right To Win by Tom Coughlin, Chapter 1 – The Basics

July 31, 2013 by EnnisP Leave a Comment

Preparation’s First Step
Build The Structure

It’s no surprise that Tom Coughlin has written a book but you might be surprised that it’s not the usual co-written scrabble to make money off celebrity status. Nothing promotional about it.

In this book Tom is making his point not the publisher’s. It’s not a bio of any person or organization. It’s about winning and how Tom managed to do that consistently over his entire career.

No, Tom is not a writer, he’s a coach, but the book shows that he’s cerebral about his job and there are many points in the book that are universally useful for any person in any kind of work.

This post covers chapter one. The previous post covered the introduction in which Tom emphasized his primary point, preparation and in chapter one he begins with “Build The Structure.” Following are the main points of the chapter.

Set A Goal

Tom begins in the usual place, goal setting, but what he says about it challenges traditional thinking. Most of us are trained not to bite off more than we can chew and there is a place for that type of caution but Tom says set a goal and make it a big one. He quotes Michelangelo to make his point. [Read more…] about Earn The Right To Win by Tom Coughlin, Chapter 1 – The Basics

Book Review: Earn The Right To Win by Tom Coughlin

July 29, 2013 by EnnisP 1 Comment

Preparation Is Winning

I just read Tom Coughlin’s book, Earn the Right to Win, and gleaned some valuable insights. Insights anyone can appreciate. This isn’t just another book written by a popular icon to entertain the masses and make a few bucks.

Although the book includes plenty of anecdotal material it isn’t a bio of the NY Giants or of Tom. This is Tom telling us how he won the most coveted prize in football, the Super Bowl, and he assures us, even in the title, that the principles he used can be applied to any field of work. Tom is very intentional in his coaching, his book tells us how he does it and it illustrates the point that a lot of thinking went into his approach to football.

If that’s true for one of the most physical sports around then it is probably true for anything else one might do.

Tom does have impressive credentials. He began his coaching career at Rochester Institute of Technology, starting the school’s football program from scratch. He also served in several assistant coaching positions before taking the head coaching job at Boston College and was eventually hired as the head coach for the new NFL franchise in Jacksonville. At every level and in every position he established himself as a no-nonsense leader who won games. How he accomplished this winning tradition is what his book is about.

I was impressed enough with the book to think it deserved more than just one short review. Since Tom is the kind of man who can start with nothing and eventually reach some lofty goals, He’s also a man to whom we should listen. If you’re looking for inspiration and how-to advice, Tom’s your man.

This post is just the beginning and will be followed by more.

It becomes very clear in the book that Tom is very deliberate. I was actually surprised at how much of a thinker he is and the overall theme of the book, preparation, illustrates the point. Everything Tom led his teams to do was his way of preparing them to win. Every detail of the preparation was well thought out. Winning was the goal and detailed preparation was his way of getting there. He introduces the “preparation” theme in the subtitle:

How Success in Any Field Starts with Superior Preparation

He elaborates on preparation in his introduction and then expands on it in every chapter that follows. He uses sports to illustrate his points but his illustrations can easily transfer to any other sphere of endeavor. He argues his points well. [Read more…] about Book Review: Earn The Right To Win by Tom Coughlin

SACRP In The 2013 Tour Durban

April 30, 2013 by EnnisP 1 Comment

Empower Grannies
It’s A Concept

I completed my first Tour Durban this year (2013) and it was a great pleasure for several reasons:

One, it was my fastest race ever at 3h 54m. Since I have never finished a race in under five hours that represented monumental improvement.

I knew at the finish I had done well but was stoked to discover it was sub 4 hours!

Two, it was in Durban. What’s not to like? The weather is mostly good year round and on this particular day it was perfect. Not too cold. Not too hot. No rain at all and very little wind.

What makes this race unique is the roads are mostly wide and fairly smooth so you don’t feel cramped or shaken like a can of paint. And with just over 1100 meters of vertical ascent – most of it occurring in the first 30 kilometers – it is a great test of cycling skill.

Three, it was another great opportunity to feature the new riding jerseys for the South African Children’s Resiliency Project (SACRP) and these jerseys can’t be missed. They stand up and shout.

The colors are bright (reddish-orange and yellow) and the design is simple. There is nothing busy about it. One glance and you know exactly what you’re looking at. Your brain is tattooed with SACRP for life.

It was designed to draw people in and make them curious enough to ask what it’s about.

And it’s working. I was approached by a cameraman collecting footage for SuperSport and he asked me to explain what I was riding for.

Could I say a few words for the camera?

Mistake! I don’t have any problems with verbal responses – other than saying too much – and I’ve had a lot of time to think about the SACRP and therefore have a lot of formulated thought to spew.

The cameraman did two takes and he seemed to be pleased.

Hopefully, the footage will make it into the program but even if it doesn’t, the idea is working.

The SACRP is getting noticed and I am privileged to ride for the cause.

This won’t be the last time the jersey is worn in a race and we are looking for others to wear the colors also. If you would like to join the cause please let me know.

New jerseys are being organized as I write. The next race to feature the jerseys is the Amashova.

Stay fit and ride for a cause.

THINK!AboutIt

Many Thanks to Rika at Cycle Nation

Big thanks goes out to Rika at Cycle Nation. She was kind enough to take my picture at the start line and email me a copy following the race. You can see all of her Tour Durban pics in the Cycle Nation gallery and you’ll find many more pics of other races there also.