Love and Hate, Thomas Aquinas

I have been reading "Summa of the Summa," edited and annotated by Peter Kreeft. It is a very good read. I'll be posting a book review on it when I finish. Presently, I would like to focus on a very small portion of this work.

"Augustine says that all emotions are caused by love. Therefore hatred also, since it is an emotion of the soul, is caused by love... Nothing is hated, save through being contrary to a suitable thing which is loved. And hence it is that every hatred is caused by love." (pg 445)

When I read this statement, I about fell out of my chair. (I have fallen out of my chair from reading such good stuff written by Thomas.) I had never thought of this before, that the existence of hatred stems from love. It made me think a possible reason Satan fell from his status of an angel of God. He began to love himself. Once Satan began to love himself, consequentially he began to hate God. So the first hater became a hater because he was a lover.

Thomas defined love as Aristotle did (no surprise there.), "to love is to wish good to someone." I won't dwell on this definition. One point of clarification, Thomas intended "someone" to be able to mean oneself or anyone else.

The essence of Thomas' point is that love is a cause of hate. When we hate something or someone it naturally follows "what are we then loving?" For instance, I hate it when people talk or make unnecessary noises in the library. What causes this hate is my love for a quiet place where I can work in peace.

In application, one can see how this can help us discover what we really love. When you find yourself hating something or someone, it is good to begin exploring back to find what it is that is causing this hate, what exactly are you loving that is contrary to this hated object. By looking at what we hate, we're able to search back to find out what fuels our passion which love "preserves and perfects." (pg 443)

What is the Issue of Building a Mosque in NYC

Plenty many say. Now, it is important to realize that if Muslims wanted to build a mosque in Indianapolis, San Francisco or Kansas City there wouldn't be a problem. They have the right to build a religious institution on private property. No one with any sense of the constitution would argue against that.

The Issue
So the issue with NYC is different. It's not the fact that they want to build a religious institution rather it is where they want to build it and what religion this building will represent. It will represent the religion that several well-educated men died for when they murdered thousands of people on 9/11. People don't want a mosque to be build near the site of the Twin Towers because they believe that it will be defamation to that site. So they want the government to prohibit it.

Now, if the government prohibits building this mosque, they will be breaking the constitution so they can't prohibit the building of a mosque based on its religion. Anyone who argues that the government should prohibit a mosque being built in NYC needs to rethink their argument. The government simply cannot do that. Mayor Michael Bloomberg sums it up nicely:

“The simple fact is, this building is private property, and the owners have a right to use the building as a house of worship, and the government has no right whatsoever to deny that right. And if it were tried, the courts would almost certainly strike it down as a violation of the U.S. Constitution."

Another Argument
A better argument I have heard for denying the right to build a mosque in NYC is that it creates a national security issue. Yet, I don't know what the basis for this is. The closest piece of evidence I can find in the 10 minutes of research I have committed to this project is that the leader of the project to build the mosque is Feisal Abdul Rauf. He is a moderate Muslim who is attempting to bridge peace between the West and Islam. Yet, he doesn't thing HAMAS is a terrorist group. He condemned 9/11. Yet, he said that the United States had this "crime" coming to her since we have done a poor job in our relation with the Islamic world.

This doesn't make Feisal Abdul Rauf a terrorist. Rather, he views HAMAS differently then the U.S. government and sees that the crime of 9/11 is a consequence of our behavior with Islam. This does not mean he is a terrorist or has connections with terrorists.

Besides lacking evidence, this argument also lacks coherency. How will building a mosque be a threat in NYC? That doesn't make very much sense to me. Why would a terrorist organization use a mosque as a base of operation when any building will do? Furthermore, using a mosque only puts them in a more prominent position, the opposite of what you want to do when you're attempting to avoid detection.

Lastly, the United States has had poor relationships with Islam. Will allowing the building of the mosque improve relationships? Possibly, but not allowing it to be built will certainly hurt it.

Summary
The United State government cannot prohibit the building of a mosque in downtown Manhatten because it would be breaching the constitution. Arguing that building a mosque would present a national security risk lacks evidence to support its claim and lacks coherency.

Movie Review, Inception (Spoiler Alert!)

Christopher Nolan introduces another mind-altering yet action-filled movie. I was pleasantly surprised by the philosophical depth to the movie though I was disappointed with the lack of plot and character development.

Two Criticisms
First there were many parts of the plot that were rather thin. For instance, the reason the team was attempting to plant an idea into the subject's mind was to destroy a highly competitive company. Okay, what type of company were they attempting to break up, could we get a couple more details besides the fact that it was a really good company? Second, Leonardo DiCaprio's character was well developed, and he did a great job yet this was especially noticeably when the other characters lacked development. Ellen Page's character, Ariadne, was especially noticeable. She was a student of Cobb's father in Paris. She's really smart, is wise but we don't know much else.

The Philosophy of Inception
That being said, let's go on to the more interesting parts of the film. I was left pondering a very important concept. It is an epistemic issue dealing with metaphysics. The movie argued that there is an ultimate reality. (metaphysical belief) The problem that it presented was how do we know if we are in reality. (epistemic issue) The characters used "tokens" as reference points to tell them when they were in reality or not. The key: reference points. This made me think of the famous statement by the French Existentialist Jean-Paul Satre “No finite point has meaning without an infinite reference point."

I don't want to pull any theistic interpreation into Inception because I can't find any evidence that Nolan intended to argue that because there is ultimate reality God must exist, but what I found interesting was: 1. There is an ultimate reality (there is "absolute" truth, truth that is the same no matter which way you look at it and you can't change it.). 2. We are cognitively capable of knowing ultimate reality. In Inception, knowledge came through the tokens, (reference points) which would communicate to the knower (a finite point) whether he was in a dream or reality.

Personal Note
I also enjoyed Nolan's point on letting go and coming to the conclusion that our dreams are not as good as reality. This is found in only one scene of the movie, but it is the climax and focal point of Codd's development. Here, he acknowledges that his wife has died and is ready to move on. Furthermore, he realizes that continuing to imagine her existence is not as good as who she really was. You can dream of someone but it is not as good as actually being with them. Essentially, reality trumps dreams.

Finally, the last scene of the movie shows Cobb seeing his children again. Just before he does, he checks his token (a spinning top that never stops spinning unless it is in reality.) but before the top stops spinning, he sees the faces of his children and runs to them with joy. The camera focuses on the spinning top and the curtain closes before the viewer can tell if its going to stop or not. Great ending: when you are in reality and in relationship with others, your reference point is no longer a material thing (a finite object) but other people.

Psalm 15, Calvin's Thought

In a week from today, I will be giving the Psalm explanation at church over Psalm 15. I have been reading through Calvin's commentary on the Psalm. In verses 1 and 2, David says "LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart" Calvin makes an interesting point on the last phrase of this verse "who speaks the truth from his heart."

David doesn't say "who speaks the truth in his heart" rather David expresses the harmony between our speech and heart, that the two are intricately connected. As tree branches stem from the roots so do our speech stem from our hearts. Furthermore, the one who may live on God's holy hill is the one who speaks the truth from "the hidden affection or feeling within." God's people don't utter the truth. It flows from their hearts as a natural fruit.

Poop on Shoe

I took the dogs out this afternoon so that they could do their duty. While they were trotting around in the muggy weather, I noticed a leaf on the patio. This leaf had imprinted on it a small piece of dog feeces. On the pancake shape smelly stuff there was an word pressed in by someone's shoe.

My immediate thought was "poor guy who got poop on his shoe." As I looked closer I noticed that the poop word actually spelled "Chaco" on it and in a moment I realized a shoe had not stepped on this piece of poop but a sandal. I know only one person with Chacos who regularly walks through the yard and on the patio. "Oh well," I thought, "it is not the last or the first time my room has smelled like poop." My pity turned to indifference, and I called the dogs back into the house. I'm working my school again, work before smells I always say. Maybe I should check my sandels...

Irrational Protest

In Oakland, Cal. riots occurred because of a jury's decision to not convict an officer of murder for killing an unarmed African American. The officer claimed that he accidentally pulled his gun instead of his taser, shooting the man. The jury convicted him of involuntary manslaughter. (Basically saying that his "mistake" was so bad that it counts as a crime.)

In response, many rioted in Oakland, breaking the law themselves, as a protest to the jury's decision. I find this irrational on a couple of levels.

First, a jury, a group of citizens and the rioters equals, gave the sentence. There were groups who peacefully protested this decision yet I'm not sure why they would want to protest what a jury decided because that jury, I assume, was made up of people of them.

Second, those who rioted acted in the name of the victim. They broke the law as a way of protesting against one who they believe broke the law. If they are in favor of the law being handed out, why go break what you're trying to uphold?

Lastly, what good is going to come of this? I don't know many riots that have resulted in better governments, better societies or a happy people. I know approximately 50 people were arrested. They're probably not very happy.

Though it may appear from our view that the officer should be convicted of murder, we need to be careful to weigh our opinions carefully. A carefully weighed opinion means you spend careful time looking at the matter (perhaps six hours like the jury did), and when you come to a conclusion, don't act in a way that warrants arrest. (Like that officer.)

"How was ECHO?

"ECHO was great," has been my general response to that question. The work was hard and co-leading 16 students for two weeks was no easy task, especially if they enjoy arguing. ( I mentioned it a couple times, and they tried to argue about it...) I learned a lot about leadership, agriculture and myself.

I also learned that it is important to not get eight blisters on the first day of work.

Helping lead 16 students for two weeks was different from any other ministry work that I've done. I did have two week kampers as a Kamp Counselor, but working for two weeks with students was different. At Kamp, we had a good time. At ECHO, we didn't always have a good time. I learned a lot about leading a group when you're under a lot of pressure. By far it was fun group to be with. I enjoyed hanging out with everyone, even if I did get kicked in the face with a soccer ball when I sleeping. I'm surprised no one pulled the plug on my air mattress on the last night. I noticed at the end of the trip that relationships (good relationships!) had started between people in the groups. You know that a friendship is formed when you stay in contact with each other over long distances. I sensed that with this group. I'm looking forward to seeing a bunch of them at Covfamikoi and then at the International Conference. (I also see a couple of them at church each week.)

This was my third time at ECHO. One way I changed from my last two trips was that I paid closer attention to what ECHO is doing. I also paid attention to names of plants and how agriculture works. I loved planting Lablab seeds, partially because I saw them begin to sprout while I was there. (I have pictures!) I now have a vendetta against bamboo even though everyone seems to like it. I don't, 50 lb. tubs full of bamboo is not fun to carry. It's heavy and more scratchy then corn leaves!

Whenever we're put under stressful situations, we learn a little bit more about ourselves. Near the end of the trip I started to notice that I didn't work as hard when I was alone or without someone "important." (One of the ECHO stafff, an intern or Mr. Hanson and Mr. Stuart.) I am a performance driven person, the more people who are watching me, the better I usually perform. I started to apply a part of theology that I'm reading in Aquinas right now: that God is everywhere and in everything. Because he is everywhere, he can see all that I do. It is deceptive for me to believe that I am ever truly alone.

Now you know a little bit about my trip to ECHO. I'm glad I went, it was a great experience, the students were a lot of fun and it was great to work with Mr. Hanson and Mr. Stuart.