Comments on The Power of Words, Hubris and The Truth

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Interesting post...

I loved the bean up the nose analogy

Mike's Goddess

posted by mikes_goddess on April 10, 2005 at 8:24 AM | link to this | reply

Hi, Jeremy! You've put your finger right on the very reason that I repeat

every now and then that what I am saying in this place is, first of all, a model, and second, it is my model, and that it may not work as well for anyone else as it does for me-- but there may be useful elements for others to take and apply in their own models.

Reading between the lines isn't quite what I'm suggesting, so much as realizing that words and things made of words are necessarily part of the packaging of the Thing they are trying to contain or define. To seek to understand what the words are trying to get at... instead of confining that thing to the limitations of the words themselves...

posted by Ciel on April 9, 2005 at 8:28 PM | link to this | reply

Hi there, Oceandancer! Always nice to see you here!

I agree that due caution is a necessity no matter how experienced or educated an expert is in the ways of the mind... there is just so much we don't yet know!

posted by Ciel on April 9, 2005 at 8:21 PM | link to this | reply

Carolynmoe, thanks for reading and commenting!

I've read one of the books you refer to, but not the other...

In reference to the Bible, words are especially tricksey, because we are dealing with not only the cultural idiom of several other ages and peoples, we also have to sort the influence of translators and interpreters through the entire time that the books of the Bible have been available. I wrote about this briefly a while back... Have you had access to a parallel Bible? I have found that very useful in understanding where those words come from, and how and why some were chosen rather than others in the attempt to deliver the Biblical messages.

I note from your profile that you have studied both religion and anthropology, so I know you have an interest in some of the same things I do, though we have elected different paths through the Christian Experience...

posted by Ciel on April 9, 2005 at 8:19 PM | link to this | reply

Mary-x, I agree-- the key is in self-knowledge, as in knowing what makes

your own buttons go off, as well as having the knowledge of how the mind works, and is inclined to work and learn and process... It is quite a challenging task, to sort one's own belief systems, but until we do that, we can't know even our own Truths...

posted by Ciel on April 9, 2005 at 8:09 PM | link to this | reply

HI, Justsouno! Thanks for visiting here!

The more we understand the power of words, the less power they have over us, for making or breaking!

posted by Ciel on April 9, 2005 at 8:05 PM | link to this | reply

Sannhet, I'm not sure I said that exactly, but I will say that I believe

our state of being-- as human beings-- limits to some degree at least how close to Truth we can get. On the other hand, I don't believe that we, as spirit, will always be experiencing the Universe as human beings. I am pretty sure we will grow on past this level of capacity for understanding, and keep right on growing...

Some philosophies say that there is, in truth, nothing absolute, and that Absolute Truth does not exist; that all truths are relative to other truths, to perspective, to the limits of comprehension.

I have my own suspicions about what truths apply to all human beings, but I would be the very Poster Child of Hubris to claim that I know Truth!

Thanks for your comment here, Sannhet, you always bring up great issues!

posted by Ciel on April 9, 2005 at 8:02 PM | link to this | reply

hi Ciel

these influences seem to me as all self created,symbols/words mean different things to different people,what harms you may create strength in me.So to say that it isnt the thing itself or symbol it really is like the saying "read between the lines"and that is also identifying.A real interesting post that keeps me a thinkin,I have a lot of information in my head that I wish was gone,but this information may be valuable as I dont know the difference of not having it available.

thankyou,Jeremy

posted by appleworks7 on April 8, 2005 at 12:47 PM | link to this | reply

I love the comparison of amateur surgery for the

bean up the nose.

Hmm. So right. Hard to know where to tread sometimes. I try to go cautiously and carefully, choosing the least invasive and harmful methods.

posted by Oceandancer on April 8, 2005 at 9:17 AM | link to this | reply

"In the beginning was the word, and the word was God and the word was with God."

- Gospel of John 1:1

In reference to the Christ... in the Bible it also refers to "knowledge as having the power to create

fortresses to the true knowledge of God." Joyce Meyer wrote a very popular book called The

Battlefield of the Mind. Excellant, though many scholars would consider it mindless tripe..."

posted by cmoe on April 8, 2005 at 8:31 AM | link to this | reply

Ciel,

You are so right. It's scary how powerful words are, it's so easy to blow things off as "just talk', but words create self-image, negative self-talk limits us, creates depression and despair, kills love. On the bright side, if we could really understand our own motivations and use words in an honest, real but loving, responsible way, it could unleash a whole new power. It's kay to survival.