Prose – Page 15 – Poetry, Short Prose and Walking

Double Double—Six Sentence Story

Brian opened his eyes to the realization that reality wasn’t rational. True premises prophesying his doom like a curse of double double toil and trouble ran into the miraculous which flooded him with undeserved blessings that falsified the dreadful, but supposedly necessary, conclusions.

Although fond of a rational-enough universe that he could manipulate, what bothered Brian was that he didn’t know Whom to thank for the unexpected change of outcome. Who kept evil from winning when it held all the tarot cards in its hand as Brian failed to find solid ground in karma’s quicksand?

The problem may simply have been that Brian hadn’t completely awaken from his dreams which undermined a rational reality. But the miracle did occur and the prophesies over his life were voided and that left Brian overwhelmed with rejoicing.

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Denise offers the prompt word “double” for this week’s Six Sentence Stories.

Grain—Six Sentence Story

Like most of us Jerry believed in neither gods nor demons. Nonetheless, he had no more than a grain of sanity planted in that noodle of his since he kept insisting we were computer simulations. I’d ask him, what did he think we were simulations OF anyway, to smack some sense into him, but it didn’t work.

Eventually something did happen to Jerry (not my doing, mind you), that caused him to start following Jesus, of all people, especially since just the day before he was talking that simulation nonsense.

Jerry spent the last year blooming like a goofy, exotic flower which truly amused us. I’d remind him, though, on occasion, that by his own assessment he wasted most of his life since he “repented” of nearly all of it (including the simulation stuff), but all he could say was that he wondered when I would stop wasting mine.

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Denise offers the prompt word “grain” to be used in this week’s Six Sentence Stories.

Fancy flower next to the cathedral in St. Augustine, Florida.

Level—Six Sentence Story

As he prepared a nasty response to some nonsense, Steve heard the Voice.

Don’t let demons run your mouth for you.

“Yeah, but the level of this nonsense is really nonsensical,” Steve thought so only the Voice could hear him.

You were worse than he is now a few years ago.

“Yeah, but this guy really annoys me,” Steve thought.

When Steve’s heart remembered that, indeed, he was worse, he smiled and then laughed and then, because kindness is a blessing even the nonsensical understand, there were soon two mouths laughing.

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Denise offers the prompt “level” for this week’s Six Sentence Stories.

Tonic—Six Sentence Story

Steve’s faith was the only tonic he needed.

When times were peaceful, he harvested peace. When times were less than peaceful, he sowed the choicest seeds of peace he had hoping for a hundred-fold harvest. When times were joyful he laughed with gratitude. Indeed, some thought he laughed too much, because—face it—nothing was all that good.

When all hell broke loose, as most everyone believed it would sooner or later, Steve didn’t notice.

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Denise offers the prompt word “tonic” to be used in this week’s Six Sentence Stories.

Core—Six Sentence Story

As Bret walked to the beach to photograph the sunrise he saw the moon near the horizon and imagined the sun’s approach for the upcoming solar eclipse. His interests had less to do with astronomy, which he knew little about, than the flowing colors of the dawns and dusks across the sky.

As sea birds and tourists came to watch the sun rise seemingly right out of the core of the ocean, Bret saw a very young woman approach along the water’s edge from the south and a very young man come from the north. He figured they would pass each other by, but they stopped and hugged lingering almost directly in front of him.

Not wanting to photograph their display of affection Bret moved a few feet to the side to give his camera a people-free view of the horizon. Just before the sun rose, and likely oblivious to it, they walked on the wave caressed beach to the north while the sun rose from beyond the curve of the earth to brighten his day as it darkened the other side thousands of miles below him with night.

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Denise offers the prompt word “core” to be used in this week’s Six Sentence Story.

The moon approaching the sun still beneath the horizon setting themselves up for the new moon which would look like an eclipse to those in its shadow

Outlet—Six Sentence Story

Neither my brother, Stephen, nor I liked Miss Walters, his old 3rd grade teacher at St. Joseph’s and my new one this year. No one liked the lady not even Mom and Dad who talked about her after they thought we went to sleep.

When Stephen walked up to Communion last Sunday behind Miss Walters and in front of us, he heard Jesus tell him that He loved the way Miss Walters’ heart moves when she sings, whatever that meant. Then Stephen whispered to me back in our pew that he and I had to give that message to Miss Walters because she wouldn’t believe anyone else.

I was hoping we might wait until next Sunday, but Stephen rushed me through the outlet of our pew to hers after Mass and quickly said, “Miss Walters, Jesus told us to tell you that He loves the way your heart moves when you sing.”

Miss Walters looked at us and then her eyes filled with tears and then Stephen’s eyes filled with tears and then Mom and Dad were there and then their eyes filled with tears when they heard the whole story (which I still don’t know) and then we all hugged and then I felt my own heart move and then I felt Miss Walters wipe away my tears.

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Denise offers the prompt word “outlet” to be used in this week’s Six Sentence Stories.

Song of Solomon 5:8
I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my beloved, that ye tell him, that I am sick of love.

Sunrise at Techny Park, Northbrook, Illinois

The Trinity and First Order Logic with Identity

In Logic: A God-Centered Approach to the Foundation of Western Thought Vern Poythress attempted to write a textbook on western logic from a Christian perspective. Although he discussed other logics, his main focus was on justifying first order logic with identity (FOL⁼) as a platonic reflection of “God’s logic” and, because of that, personal and loving.

This reflection bridges the Creator-creature distinction. However, when he sets up this reflection between FOL⁼ and “God’s logic” he assumes that FOL⁼ is not just another example of man’s desire for autonomy from God. This is where he makes a mistake.

To see why this characterization of FOL⁼ is problematic, consider that Poythress would not want to describe the Tower of Babel as a reflection of “God’s tower”. Because the Tower of Babel is an example of man’s desire for autonomy from God, it should not reflect anything from God.

Poythress knows that almost no one, Christian and non-Christian alike, thinks FOL⁼ is personal in any way. To counter this anticipated objection, he accuses those who might reject his argument as being “massively guilty” of “idolatry”. For example, consider this comment about guilt and idolatry on page 84:

Christians too have become massively guilty by being captive to the idolatry in which logic is regarded as impersonal. Within this captivity we take for granted the benefits and beauties of rationality for which we should be filled with gratitude and praise to God.

By committing to FOL⁼ Poythress blinds himself to seeing it as another attempt by man to gain autonomy from God. Given that commitment, perhaps better described as compromise, he now has to defend FOL⁼ even when it attacks the Trinity. We will see how that attack goes next.

FOL⁼ is Non-Trinitarian

If I assume the Trinity in FOL⁼, I can derive a contradiction using rules for manipulating equality. Here is how such a proof might look:

(1) Assume the Father is God.
(2) Assume the Son is God.
(3) Assume the Father is not the Son.
(4) Derive from (2) that God is the Son using symmetry.
(5) Derive from (1) and (4) that the Father is the Son using transitivity.
(6) Derive a contradiction from (3) and (5).

Note that the above is a presuppositional argument that could be used by an atheist to undermine belief in the Trinitarian God. The atheist assumes the Trinity since it would be my admitted presupposition. Then he uses FOL⁼ to derive a contradiction. Finally, the atheist insists that I reject my belief because it is irrational.

Since FOL⁼ forces me to reject the Trinity (or else reject parts of FOL⁼ itself), I can characterize any mathematical formalization of this logic as non-Trinitarian. A non-Trinitarian logic does not “reflect” the Trinitarian God.

Poythress is aware of the contradiction, but he tries to get around it by invoking “mystery”. He writes on page 67:

The Bible also teaches that God is one God, in three persons. How do we understand how these things can be? Do these mysteries violate the laws of logic? Though there is mystery here for us as creatures, there is no mystery for God the Creator. If logic is ultimately an aspect of God’s mind; what for us is a mystery is in full harmony with the logic that is in God.

Call it what you like, a “mystery” is nothing more than a contradiction in FOL⁼. In the context of FOL⁼, the laws of logic are the laws of derivation in FOL⁼. Accepting a contradiction as true would violate the laws of FOL⁼, hence the laws of logic.

How does one get around this? Easy. Don’t take FOL⁼ so seriously. Don’t commit yourself to it the way Poythress does. Don’t think it is neutral ground upon which you can safely compromise. Recall that FOL⁼ is a work of man. It is not a work of God. It can change just as any other man-made philosophy or scientific theory can change when there is something wrong with it.

And, besides, as I will point out next, theologians seeking to rationalize the Trinity are not the only ones who have problems with FOL⁼.

There Are Alternatives to FOL⁼

CONSTRUCTIVIST LOGICS

Although FOL⁼ cannot derive the Trinity it can derive the existence of sets whose cardinalities represent ever increasing transfinite numbers. The logical rules used to derive these sets are the same as those used to reject the Trinity: (1) assume the contrary to what you want to show, (2) derive a contradiction, and (3) given that contradiction, reject the unwelcome assumption as false.

Poythress approves of these set theoretic proofs in part E2. They derive a “ladder” or sequence of sets with each set having a strictly greater infinite cardinality than the one below it. He remarks on page 630,

The ladders reflect the glory of God, who is transcendent. They reflect the original imaging and creativity in the Father eternally begetting the Son.

Rather than seeing these sets as representing an “imitative transcendence” (page 630), Poythress should have warned the reader that such derivations can also be viewed as a red flag that something is wrong with FOL⁼ especially given that FOL⁼ rejects the Trinity.

Constructivists are mathematicians who want nothing to do with these ladders. They see the red flags waving. One of the logics they have created is intuitionistic logic. This logic modifies FOL⁼ to prevent the derivation of such infinite sets.

Although constructivist logics won’t help us rationalize the Trinity they do demonstrate that FOL⁼ is not the only game in town.

QUANTUM LOGICS

FOL⁼ doesn’t handle quantum particles any better than it handles the Trinity. Absolute identity in FOL⁼ requires that we can tell the difference between individual members of a domain, the set of elements which FOL⁼ will range over.

Absolute identity is defined as A = B if and only if all properties of A are also properties of B and all properties of B are also properties of A. A and B are identical because they are indiscernible based on checking all of their properties. Such discernment can’t be done with quantum particles. To get around that some have proposed quantum logics as a modification of FOL⁼.

Although the statistical solutions quantum logics provide don’t help rationalize the Trinity they do point to absolute identity as the problem with FOL⁼ that those attempting to rationalize the Trinity have to face. They also help us see that rationalizing physical reality in FOL⁼ is as problematic as rationalizing the Trinity.

RELATIVE IDENTITY LOGICS

P.T. Geach offered relative identity as an alternative to absolute identity to correct the problem of the falsification of the Trinity in FOL⁼.

Daniel Molto, who continues Geach’s work in support of the consistency of the doctrine of the Trinity, drew the following conclusion in “Relativizing identity” (page 9):

Most actual languages can express no universally reﬂexive relation that satisﬁes the Indiscernibility of Identity without contradiction.

We now have the possibility of a logic that can rationalize the Trinity. This blocks the atheist’s objection to Christianity.

Taking FOL⁼ Too Seriously

One of the dangers of taking FOL⁼ too seriously is that it leads people to think it holds the essence of intelligence. Proof assistants mechanize the search for and validation of FOL⁼ derivations. If we can mechanize the derivations of proofs and intelligence can be reduced to FOL⁼, then we should be able to mechanize intelligence. But if we were able to do that (which we are not), that would reduce us, who have been made in the image of God, to machines.

The use of the term “artificial intelligence” exposes the real “idolatry” with regard to logic that Poythress warned about. He thinks this idolatry has to do with us not seeing FOL⁼ as personal and loving. Just the opposite is the case.

FOL⁼ is an impersonal, even unintelligent, tool that can be mechanized. It gives the atheist hope that he can reduce men and women, made in the image of God, to machines. It also gives the atheist a means of expressing his autonomy from God.

Why Bother Rationalizing the Trinity?

The benefit of rationalizing the Trinity is not to learn anything about God. We already know God is Trinitarian from Scripture. The benefit comes from deflecting presuppositional arguments coming from atheists that Trinitarian theism is irrational because one can derive a contradiction from it in FOL⁼.

It also helps us see the difference that a logic offers, even one that can rationalize the Trinity, from what we have as born-again Christians. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit makes truth very personal for the Christian. Logic by itself does not. As John 14:6 reveals, Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. Christians after Pentecost follow a truth-filled way of life by obeying the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.

Conclusion

Since FOL⁼ has decided against the Trinity, I am faced with a choice: Do I accept the Trinity or do I accept FOL⁼ which rejects the Trinity? Let me make sure my decision is clear:

I choose the Trinity over FOL⁼.

Choosing the Trinity means I will not attempt to view FOL⁼ as reflecting the Trinitarian God. It also means I need to be aware of the limitations of FOL⁼ so I am not deceived by any presuppositional argument coming from atheists.

Because I do not want to encourage fantasies that we can be reduced to machines, I will also not characterize FOL⁼ as loving or personal. I will not create an idol out of it. Atheists have done enough damage already with their promotion of “artificial intelligence”.

If you are a born again Christian, remind anyone who speaks massive guilt over you that you have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus.

Slide—Six Sentence Story

George picked up the couple near the entrance to the interstate knowing there would not likely be many cars going north at this hour of the evening. Clearly, the woman was pregnant, but when he found out they needed to go a hundred miles out of his way, George hesitated, but it was getting darker and she was pregnant.

Over two hours later George dropped them off at their apartment in a small town in the timberlands of Maine. As George started his truck to leave noting the fuel gauge with confidence that he had enough gas to return and getting ready to slide back into his normal routine that had been going nowhere, the man offered him the only thing he had besides his thanks: “May the Lord bless you.”

Decades later when George and his wife were hosting an Easter dinner with their children’s families and their children’s children’s families including their new great granddaughter, he remembered that young couple and told all of them the story.

When George said, “Their child would be more than sixty years old by now,” he realized, with the love of his family all around him, that, indeed, he had received over all those years blessing upon blessing with overflows of blessings to share.

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Denise offers the prompt word “slide” to be used in this week’s Six Sentence Stories.

Matthew 25:40
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Does the Lord Know Everything?

Hebrews 8:10-12
¹⁰For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
¹¹And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
¹²For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

For those in His new covenant, the Lord remembers our sins and our iniquities no more.

The important questions are Whom do we know? Has His laws been written in our hearts? Are they in our minds? Are we in His new covenant?

Bank—Six Sentence Story

Anticipating the eventual manifestation of his healing Sam began singing a happy song which he made up as he went along mainly repeating the words, “Hallelujah”, “Thank you, Jesus” and “I am healed” over and over and over again.

Sensing an opportunity to get a word in edgewise and expecting Sam to know the difference between the play money of an “eventual manifestation of healing” and an actual testimony one could take to the bank, the devil said, “You’re not.”

When Sam’s wife heard him suddenly stop singing, she asked, “Did the devil say you weren’t healed?”

“Yes.”

“That devil’s a doofus.”

HA ha ha ha—HA ha ha—HA ha ha ha—HA ha ha—which offended their high maintenance devil so much that it threatened to leave and when it finally did even the bankers recognized Sam’s testimony as golden.

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Denise offers the prompt word “bank” to be used in this week’s Six Sentence Stories.