Socialized synapses

When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner

The response given by the landowner is:

(a) Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or (b) are you envious because I am generous?'

Now isn't this a classic case of Lewis-ism? Ie, providing two possible solutions to a question where there are more than two solutions.

The workers are grumbling because they wished they had only worked a short time rather than the whole day. Why did they wish this? Perhaps during that time they could have done other work, thus being paid net more for the day? Or enjoyed some leisure time with their friends?

Perhaps they are also grumbling because -- being creatures formed through natural selection -- they are compelled to try to obtain some advantage over their fellow man, and in this case they have done the opposite, their fellow men - who worked only a little - got an advantage over them.

I think the answer given in this parable is strongly suggesting (to me anyway) that we deny those feelings of "get one up on our fellow man" -- that answer leads to an excellent lesson for all of us. It's in total harmony with the Golden Rule and the second commandment of the New Covenant. I constantly get the feeling that Jesus is trying to tell us to use the socialized mind to override the body, in some sense.

We already have instinctual synapses from birth but our education forms new synapses, pathways in the brain. Do you feel that Jesus is recommending to us that we follow the impulses from the socialized synapses rather than the instinctual ones? I get that feeling a lot of the time. It's a balance, some complex interplay going on in the brain.

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Because what I'm finding is that for all the intellectual fun I might have debating some theological point, the truth is I'm not coming closer to Christ himself in the process.

This is a "spiritual" (whatever that is) process. It's emotional in root and in my opinion for this journey you either need hard evidence (like I feel I have) or many years of conditioning your synapses so that absolute belief becomes the norm. My only advice is to look for the evidence, pray and keep an open mind.

For me, there's something else ... some other calling for me. One that doesn't draw me close to the as-yet-untransformed parts of my heart that is ruled by pride, arrogance, fear and insecurity.

These parts of your heart are parts of your brain in reality as you know. And the emotions there are shaped by structures in the brain that can be reshaped through exercising your brain in other directions. This has been shown in pictures taken of the synapses in the brain. Brainwashing will work, it's close to proven through direct observation of the brain.

So have you had any revelation about your other calling? At one point you were considering Pastor-hood?

You can't imagine -- you simply can't imagine -- how much I yearn to drop my sword and shield and really come unto Him to find rest.

This will happen upon your death - I hope that you don't want to die .. be careful for what you wish for pal!

Life is good. We have been given this precious, fleeting ... gift. I have seen people in the cancer ward die early. It's sad. Life should be prolonged as long as possible in my opinion.

If you want to 100% believe in Christ in this life then I believe that you need to do some serious brain reprogramming, which is possible, or go find The Living Christ, He is there, and I really don't think you'll find him in a Church, but that doesn't mean He is not there in The Church, just my warped view of religions probably.

Who was it that said "God is spirit and religion is politics"? I can't find it on Google but I didn't make it up either.