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Thu 3 May, 2012 12:33 am
Plus, what does "this" refer to?
Context:
Again from Lewis: "We want, in fact, not so much a father in
Heaven as a grandfather in Heaven—a senile benevolence who,
as they say, 'likes to see young people enjoying themselves,' and
whose plan for the universe was simply that it might be truly
said at the end of each day, 'a good time was had by all.' "
Judging by human experience, if one is to accept God's
loving-kindness, He apparently desires more of us than this. Is
that not, in fact, your own experience? Have you learned more
about yourself when things were going well, or when you were
faced with challenges, frustrations, and suffering? "God whis-
pers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but
shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf
world."" As much as we would like to avoid those experiences,
without them would we not be shallow, self-centered creatures
who would ultimately lose all sense of nobility or striving for
the betterment of others?
MOre context:
The language of God by Collins
Grandfather--senile means have the quality or attributes of an old man (there is often an implication of a feeble old man).
(Anile means have the quality or attributes of an old woman, but in my experience, most people are not even aware the word exists, and so use senile without regard to gender.)
@Setanta,
Setanta wrote:
Grandfather--senile means have the quality or attributes of an old man (there is often an implication of a feeble old man).
(Anile means have the quality or attributes of an old woman, but in my experience, most people are not even aware the word exists, and so use senile without regard to gender.)
Thank you Set.
But what I was eager to understand is what "a senile benevolence" points to - "father" or "grandfather" there?
In addition, what does "this" in the context refer to?
@oristarA,
For Christ's sake, i answered immediately. You see, this is why i have not wanted to reply to your posts for a long time.
Quote:Grandfather--senile means have the quality or attributes of an old man (there is often an implication of a feeble old man).
Figure the "this" out for yourself. If you are getting paid to be a translator, you damned well need to have a better command of the language in which you claim to be expert than you display here. I'll not waste any time on you in future.
@Setanta,
Setanta wrote:
For Christ's sake, i answered immediately. You see, this is why i have not wanted to reply to your posts for a long time.
Quote:Grandfather--senile means have the quality or attributes of an old man (there is often an implication of a feeble old man).
Figure the "this" out for yourself. If you are getting paid to be a translator, you damned well need to have a better command of the language in which you claim to be expert than you display here. I'll not waste any time on you in future.
Of course you will not waste any time on replying my questions, but you will fight along to defend American faith in democracy, which has been rock in a raging sea, will you not? Keeping the identity of the veteran is enough.
@oristarA,
"This" refers to the idea of humans just being here to have a good time.
@dlowan,
dlowan wrote:
"This" refers to the idea of humans just being here to have a good time.
Thank you Dlowan.
Still I don't get the meaning of "He apparently desires more of us than this". Does it mean "God obviously hopes more of us than this good time?" If so, what does "more of us" mean? Does it mean "more people among us"? If so, can two different kinds (number and good time) can be put together to compare?
@oristarA,
It's a metaphysical question and assumes the existence of God. It's saying that because life is not all fun and games God wants something else from us, what that something else is, is not made clear.
@oristarA,
"More of us" in this context means "more FROM us."
Thank you both.
What does "desire" mean there?
@dlowan,
God apparently wants more (good times) from us than this good time that He gave us in the process of creating our Universe?
@oristarA,
Um....no.
The author is complaining that at least some more recent forms of Christianity (I am not sure when the piece was written, but people are always complaining that standards are declining) have watered down the message of Christianity and are ignoring the sterner and more difficult parts of what the writer believes the Christian god demands from his human creation.
Instead of imagining a father figure who demands standards and discipline, as it were, the writer believes that Christians are imagining an indulgent, senile and permissive grandfather figure who allows the grandkids to get away with too much and Gives them too many toys.
@dlowan,
dlowan wrote:
Um....no.
The author is complaining that at least some more recent forms of Christianity (I am not sure when the piece was written, but people are always complaining that standards are declining) have watered down the message of Christianity and are ignoring the sterner and more difficult parts of what the writer believes the Christian god demands from his human creation.
Instead of imagining a father figure who demands standards and discipline, as it were, the writer believes that Christians are imagining an indulgent, senile and permissive grandfather figure who allows the grandkids to get away with too much and Gives them too many toys.
Thanks.
I understood your idea as "God wants us to have more good times." Am I on the right track?
@oristarA,
No. You are stating the opposite of what I mean.
@dlowan,
dlowan wrote:
No. You are stating the opposite of what I mean.
Please directly rewrite the original sentence (clause) for me.
@oristarA,
It's not about what God wants as such, but more about how humanity interprets that. It's saying that if God were the benevolent old grandfather some people think he is, there wouldn't be all the suffering in the world. The writer has interpreted this suffering as having some spiritual purpose, that we need to suffer in order to progress. God has a purpose, and suffering is part of this purpose.
@izzythepush,
izzythepush wrote:
It's not about what God wants as such, but more about how humanity interprets that. It's saying that if God were the benevolent old grandfather some people think he is, there wouldn't be all the suffering in the world. The writer has interpreted this suffering as having some spiritual purpose, that we need to suffer in order to progress. God has a purpose, and suffering is part of this purpose.
I got it clearer.
But please rewrite "He apparently desires more of us than this".
@oristarA,
He wants us to have more than a happy care-free life, he wants us to develop spiritually.
I've not rewritten it, but clarified its meaning. Hope this helps.
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