Get To The Point Already: What's This Blog Doing Here

What's it about?

This blog occupies so much cyberspace in order to help Christians homeschool their children, and to see to it that schools can get many really cool edu-freebies for children and adults. The materials will here range from short funny quips to philosophical analysis and a wide range of academic studies in brief. I try (the Lord knows), oh how I try -- to keep it short so people do not get hit by the boredom truck while reading.

This is a no holds barred website for thinkers of all ages, and people with better than average imaginative ability. Seatbelts are required. Here we study everything. Humor studies are on the list, as are economics, finance, history, the physical sciences (astronomy, chemistry, physics, yada, yada, yada) and maybe even sociology now and again because you can learn really interesting things by studying statistical cross sections of different societies to learn about people (though most of what passes for sociology is only so much voodoo -- you cannot mathematize people. The fact that I even have to say this shows how far afield some "scientific" ideas wander. And yes, we will do politics. I politick. I also like the pet sciences -- the study of bugs and animals. I dislike the word "entomology" and will not be using it much. Just say "bugs," or "creepy crawlers."

Please keep in mind that this website is new, and will be updated from time to time, as the html makeover will continue for some time -- along with the new posts.

Todays small help comes from a comedic illustration about ethics (biblical ethics). In the bible, God commands men to do justly -- sometimes what it call (here comes the "R" word) -- righteousness. People today only mention this word in a cynical tone for the most part (excluding Christians). This in itself is a very powerful commentary on our society. Deliberate omissions and words used to mean their opposites speak volumes.

Nevertheless, onto the point. In the bible, to do a good deed, one must have the proper: 1. Goal 2. Motive and 3. Standard

The only acceptable motive in the Bible is faith expressing itself through love (Christian charity). The only acceptable Goal in the Bible is the glory of God and the benefit of men (meaning people). This sums up the two greatest commandments. The only acceptable standard is all and only the Word of God and whatever is thereby warranted.

A warrant from Scripture may be either by explicit command (i.e. You must pay tithes), explicit permission (i.e. you may buy and eat any food you like, even cranberry sauce), implicit command or permission (what is implied by the bible's commands or allowances from several bible passages put together), and the good and necessary implicates of any other standard warranted by Scripture (i.e. if the Bible teaches that you can trust what your eyes tell you, and your taste buds tell you that chinese food is delicious, then it is justified to say so).

By way of example, Christians know their lawn is green not because the Bible says "Alex's lawn is green today," but because it warrants the general reliability of the human senses, and these (your vision) can tell you that your lawn is green. The Bible says "The seeing eye and the hearing ear, the Lord has made them both." Genesis tells us that God made all things "very good" originally and even after the fall the Bible calls them (the creation) "good." So if your eyes are working okay, and they tell you your lawn is green, then your claim "my lawn is green" is in fact justified.

Now, back to ethics. Knowledge claims and their justifications usually get labeled "epistemology." (your Greek word for today is "Epistemai" -- say "ep - ISS - tuh -my" -- it means "I know.") If one has the right goal, but not the right motive, he has not done a "good deed" on the biblical view of ethics.

An example might be the comedian who said:

"I am not a vegetarian because I love animals. I am a vegetarian because I hate plants." Here, his hypothetical actions (alleged vegetarianism) are certainly permitted in the Bible (though they are not required), and they may indeed help him live longer. But he seems to have the wrong idea about vegetation generally, and probably enjoys mowing his lawn far too much.

So today's lesson encourages people to ask, "Am I doing this for the right reason (motive)? Is it biblical? (right standard). And, "Does it glorify God?" I have started here because men smarter than I am started here, and I am following their lead.

They asked, "What is the chief end of man?" right out the gate. Smart people don't waste time. And a fine start of things they made indeed. Much of life consists in asking the right questions. So go ahead, ask. This is where education begins.

So this blog is about educating people, to help them glorify God. And that's the point today.

Fun questions for homeschoolers:

1. What is the branch of philosophy called that investigates how we know the things we know?

2. To do a good deed what three things does the Bible require of your actions?

3. What is a vegetarian?

4. How can a claim be "warranted" or justified according to the Bible?

5. What is "entomology" and how is this related to education? (Does the Bible say you can learn from bugs?)