Became or Not Became - Interpreting 1Cor 15:45

[OBW]

zeek,

As a even more funny aside, there was a brother in Dallas (among other places, and likely still in Central Louisiana — maybe Alexandria), that would say "you do and you'll have to clean it up" every time anyone said anything in any language but English.

And that is what I think of when I read "Ein begriffener Gott ist kein Gott." I only think I know English. I am sure I don't know German (and will only laugh if it turns out to not even be German).

[zeek]

Originally Posted by OBW

zeek,

As a even more funny aside, there was a brother in Dallas (among other places, and likely still in Central Louisiana — maybe Alexandria), that would say "you do and you'll have to clean it up" every time anyone said anything in any language but English.

And that is what I think of when I read "Ein begriffener Gott ist kein Gott." I only think I know English. I am sure I don't know German (and will only laugh if it turns out to not even be German).

Americans generally are notoriously resistant to learning foreign languages. It is a quote of Tersteegen from The Idea of the Holy: An Inquiry into the non-rational factor in the idea of the divine and its relation to the rational by Rudolf Otto (September 25, 1869 – March 6, 1937) eminent German Lutheran theologian and scholar of comparative religion. It means "A God comprehended is no God". But, as in the case of "ο εσχατος αδαμ εις πνευμα ζωοποιουν", something is lost in the translation.

[OBW]

Originally Posted by zeek

Americans generally are notoriously resistant to learning foreign languages. It is a quote of Tersteegen from The Idea of the Holy: An Inquiry into the non-rational factor in the idea of the divine and its relation to the rational by Rudolf Otto (September 25, 1869 – March 6, 1937) eminent German Lutheran theologian and scholar of comparative religion. It means "A God comprehended is no God". But, as in the case of "ο εσχατος αδαμ εις πνευμα ζωοποιουν", something is lost in the translation.

I think they say that learning a foreign language is fairly easy until about aige 4 or 5. I actually learned some French while I was 2. But it was never used after returning to the US before I was 3 and is long lost. My experiences with learning Spanish and Latin (yes, the dead language — Latina est mortus lingua) were attempts to memorize.

And memorization has always been a tough thing for me. Give me a logical framework in which to put something and I can learn it. But even if language has such a framework, until I discover that framework, it is really difficult. Even plain topics in English. I learn quickly what "makes sense" and struggle to memorize what is true but not structured according to some kind of logic (at least that I can discern).

So I do taxes for a living. Illogic at its worst. Yet there is a framework of logic to be found in it. The tough parts are when the logic is not visible. But the logic does not have to be as I would have it. As long as a few assumptions can be accepted and the rest flows, I can deal with it. I could give you a lot of discussion on the problems with the assumptions, but once you take them, the rest follows.

But I'm not sure that "A God comprehended is no God" is such a difficult or problematic phrase. Of course, I doubt he meant it in the ultimate because he would not have engaged in theology otherwise. But I think there is something profound and important in that little phrase. We may comprehend things about God. But if we think we have comprehended him enough to have it all figured out, then we have elevated ourselves to the level of God and he is no longer superior. At that point, either we have also become God, or the one we thought of as God is not so God-like.

At some level, it is that kind of thought that keeps me from getting too involved in some of the more esoteric discussions about the Trinity, or so many things of the end times. I would rather put down the Bible and back away slowly. I just don't see where many of those discussions go as being beneficial to life. This life or the one to come.