 |
| The School of Athens by Raphael The Apostolic Palace, Vatican City 1511 |
Philosophy is to empirical knowledge as axiom is to theorem and poetry is to prose.
Our technology has advanced sufficiently that we are now able to test the veracity of much of our surviving mythology but faith and religion are much more than just a collection of stories. They are a collection of philosophical ideals wrapped in allegory. In our science biased world, we want to treat religion as a form of empirical knowledge; something to be proven before it is accepted. This, in our current stage of intellectual evolution, misses the point entirely.
By its very nature, philosophy is magnificently adaptable. It is an intricate weave of logic and reason, fiction and fact whose resulting complexity lends itself to near infinite range of interpretation and perspective. It can broaden the mind and lift the soul. In essence, it can add meaning and dimension to every day living... all without requiring fiduciary evidence.
I don't need to be a believing devotee of the faith to find Conference useful. I do, however. need to be a respecter of the artist to fully appreciate his work. This is how I head into Conference.
By its very nature, philosophy is magnificently adaptable. It is an intricate weave of logic and reason, fiction and fact whose resulting complexity lends itself to near infinite range of interpretation and perspective. It can broaden the mind and lift the soul. In essence, it can add meaning and dimension to every day living... all without requiring fiduciary evidence.
I don't need to be a believing devotee of the faith to find Conference useful. I do, however. need to be a respecter of the artist to fully appreciate his work. This is how I head into Conference.
“Artists use lies to tell the truth. Yes, I created a lie. But because you believed it, you found something true about yourself.”
~ Alan Moore, V for Vendetta
The idea of respecting the artist is very interesting. Which ones do you respect?
ReplyDeleteMy hands down favorite is Dieter Uchtdorf. I must admit, I am slowly reacquainting myself with LDS theologians after a long and sometimes bitter separation. I look at it as an exercise in forgiveness. It seems to be working out well.
ReplyDeleteYou really should learn how to properly address a General Authority. Using just his first and last name sounds disrespectful.
ReplyDeleteSeriously?!
ReplyDeleteNow I get "artist of the faith!" Clever! And I'm pretty sure Elder Uchtdorf prefers to go by Dieter when ever possible. He's not your typical GA.
ReplyDelete