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Saturday, May 19, 2018

Why Don't We Give It a Shot?

5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit[b] gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You[c] must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”[d] (John 3:3-8  NIV)

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It is my opinion that the determinants of a world view belief system are not individualistically susceptible to free choice.  Clearly there is a huge difference in my feeling of control when making a typical transient purchase decision--Coke or Pepsi?--compared to long-term often open-ended commitments such as to the nature and legitimacy of major social institutions.  We see in (the wind) passage above regarding a watershed perceptual phenomenon that Jesus punted with a descriptive answer rather than a mapped-out causative one.  (We can find some assurance is His remark that in the future “even greater things” will be done by believers. (John 14:12).)

At this point in history we are to influence basic beliefs in my view with connection, intimacy, honesty, commitment, and respect--goodwill.  (Argument and debate have little or no persuasive effect via mass media unless respect, warmth, and kinship are authentically representative of what we already know about the speaker.)  Even so, Fireside Chats when done with absolute respect--no degree whatever of patronizing or manipulation--are by far the best approach to win personal commitment to public policy.





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