I feel like every blog of mine so far has dealt with some cliché or
concern I have with Unity-ism’s and while I don’t want to come off persnickety,
I have a really good one this week! Ladies and gentlemen, the cliché
of the week to be debunked is: “I know that I know.This week in Metaphysical
Theology, I learned a new word, Epistemology.
Don’t know what that means, join the club. I'm still trying to understand it completely. But here is what I have gathered so far; Epistemology means the study of how we know
what we know.
” Unlike last week, I would like to defend,
somewhat, this idea and understand why people use a phrase that they often do not
understand.
"I know that I know." Up until about a week ago, I would
have debated with anyone that this phrase, possibly my least favorite of the
group of Unity clichés that I have such a hard time with, made no sense and was
nothing more than redundancy to sound profound.
I always resorted to the argument that centered on some plain-and-simple
fact, usually involving mathematics, saying, “I know that 2 + 2 = 4. Why, then, would I say that ‘I know that I
know’ it? How would that make a
difference?”
The difference that I feel now,
after an inspiring week of class is that it should not be enough to just say
that I know something, theologically. For me and my spiritual growth, I want to
know how and why I know that. So I start by asking myself some questions about my basic beliefs: How can I be
certain that what I believe is really Truth?
Is it because the people who originally stated these Truths are enlightened? Do I believe that these people have
authority? If it is an original thought,
does that mean then that I am enlightened or that I have the authority of a Charles
Fillmore? *Disclaimer: In the Absolute Realm I know
the Truth is that I am enlightened and do have the authority which Charles and
many other ground-breaking thinkers had/have, but that is not enough for me
anymore.
Oh Dave, I wasn't going to leave any more comments today, and your clever little post just messed that plan up.
ReplyDeleteI followed the thoughts right along with you - knowing that I don't know either. Then I got to that last line and laughed out loud. Thank you for your humor. Without the ability to laugh, we could get completely sucked into the spiral!
Lol, it does seem like a spiral at times. But for me there are times when I know that I know is the only answer my heart can give. Good work my friend.
ReplyDeleteI'm right where you're at, Dave, I just beginning to realize that I don't KNOW much but I think in the realization of that we don't know can crack us open to a whole new world.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you're OK with the knowledge that you're not sure that you REALLY know anything because if you are like me you will spend a lot of time there. "We work in the dark," said Henry James. "Our doubt is our passion, and our passion is our task."
ReplyDeleteSounds to me like you are on the right track. I realized many years ago that often, " I simply don't know". It's a liberating feeling to not have to be so smart and have all the answers. I also feel God does have all the answers and my job is to be in touch with His Power and Understanding.
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