Forgiveness
or
Resentment Remitted
June 21, 2017
Apprentice Osif
Easy livin' and I've been forgiven ...
Demons and Wizards
Demons and Wizards
1
Potential Apprentice Osif is desirous of studying under a Master of the Occult Arts and Sciences and, until that long hoped for opportunity presents itself, he will be apprenticing under Yours Truly.
2
Plato taught, or desired that the reader believe, that Socrates earnestly searched for the nature of justice throughout his life. Although Socrates was unable to find justice in Nature, he discovered it in the “city in speech”. This revelation of justice in the imagined city is an example of Plato’ caution; he is as forward as he can be regarding the man made concept of justice and the absolute rule of the wise. As justice is not found in Nature, justice can, and will, be assigned almost any value and subject to any definition by various individuals.
While Socrates wasted our time throughout the Republic seeking justice, we will spare the Gentle Reader a pointless exercise in futility and omit searching Nature for a creature called “forgiveness”, and we will rely on the assumption that it is a man-made construct. Therefore, it is possible that “forgiveness” may not touch upon reality.
When in doubt, we philologists cum scientists turn to the dictionary for clarification:
While Socrates wasted our time throughout the Republic seeking justice, we will spare the Gentle Reader a pointless exercise in futility and omit searching Nature for a creature called “forgiveness”, and we will rely on the assumption that it is a man-made construct. Therefore, it is possible that “forgiveness” may not touch upon reality.
When in doubt, we philologists cum scientists turn to the dictionary for clarification:
Forgive- “to grant pardon for, or remission of, an offense, debt, et cetera.”
Nietzsche, "Fred" to his friends, observed that to be forgetful is to be human. From the dictionary's definition and Fred’s proposition, we are tempted to conclude that forgiveness is either another word for forgetfulness or it describes the phenomena of realizing that any past injustice has been relegated to the file labeled “Transgressions that are no longer Important”.
“Forgive” occurs twenty seven times in the New Testament:
“Forgive” occurs twenty seven times in the New Testament:
Matthew
Mark Luke Fourth Gospel Saint Paul |
9 occurrences
6 occurrences 8 occurrences No occurrences 4 occurrences |
Strong’s number G5483 (chaizomai) is found twenty four times and is translated as “forgive” (11 times total, 8 times in Saint Paul), “give” (6 times), “freely give” (twice), and “deliver” (twice).
Strong’s number G5485 (charis) is found 156 times and is translated as “grace” 130 times.
Strong’s number G863 (aphiemi), means “to send away”, is found 174 times, and is translated as “leave” (52 times) and “forgive” (47 times).
From the Fourth Gospel:
Strong’s number G5485 (charis) is found 156 times and is translated as “grace” 130 times.
Strong’s number G863 (aphiemi), means “to send away”, is found 174 times, and is translated as “leave” (52 times) and “forgive” (47 times).
From the Fourth Gospel:
4:3
4:28 4:32 8:29 10:32 11:44 11:48 12:7 14:18 14:27 15:8 16:32 17:8 20:23 |
left
left left left leaveth let go let alone (twice) let alone (twice) leave (twice) leave leave leave left sin remit (twice) |
Of the eighteen examples of the word G863 found in the Fourth Gospel, sixteen are translated by a word associated with “leaving”. Clearly, there is more “departing” than “forgiving” in the Fourth Gospel. Therefore, “forgive” is, more often than not, arbitrarily translated by the editors of the King James Bible. It seems odd, even to our cosmopolitan sensibilities, that one Greek word can be translated into English by two words that have unrelated meanings, that is, “leave” and “forgive”.
When “Thy sins are forgiven” is translated literally,“Thy missing the marks are sent away,” it seems like a poor attempt at the esoteric writing technique of technical jargon. As Fred astutely noted, difficulties lurk behind every word of the Greek New Testament.
We may say that the “sending away” of sins is active, not passive, that is, the Roman, if not the Greek, priests send away or remit sins; it is an act of the will. The protestants assume their sins are sent away by either their belief in their salvation or the power of Christ; this assumption is not certain. The opinion that the theology of the Roman Church is fundamentally flawed cannot be the result of an attempt to understand the Roman Church on its own terms, that is, without presumptions, the teaching of the Roman Church may be found to be internally consistent.
After many centuries of development, we would be surprised if the Roman and Greek theological teachings were not consistent with their respective traditions. Therefore, the fundamental issue for the Gentle Researcher is to either accept the claim that Christian revelation is ongoing, per the Roman Church, or that there is no further revelation of Christian dogma, per the Greek Church. If the Gentle Reader concludes that neither ancient church offers either a legitimate or a reasoned theology, he must conclude that Protestantism is the correct teaching of Christianity, and we may say that the Gentle Reader would not be alone in his assessment.
On at least one occasion, Master hinted that there is a single and fundamental issue at the core of protestant beliefs. In the spirit of Modernism, this potential Apprentice will forgo prudence and proclaim what Master has cautiously hidden in corners.
Let us digress and state that capitalism will thrive because not every consumer needs be informed about every aspect of a product or service; availability and a stated price are the only necessities. Consumers may be very knowledgeable or profoundly ignorant of economics and economic theory, and anywhere in between, and the market will continue to operate. Therefore, there is a connection between individualism and capitalism. The owners of a hamburger stand are indifferent if their customers are knowledgeable and have rational expectations, or whether their customers are mediocre and have irrational expectations.
The modern claim that everyone can correctly interpret scripture is an innovation based on the presumption that all readers are rational, possess identical maturity, and are intellectually capable of understanding the written word. Upon reflection, these presumptions regarding the ability of the typical reader or average person are without merit. However, the claim that all believers are “forgiven” and “saved”, and as result of their salvation, they are “saints” and “prophets” cannot be verified, otherwise said, these claims cannot be refuted intellectually, only historically. The result of modern Christianity is that the mediocre and decadent believers know the “truth” about the most important matter: the “salvation” of their “immortal souls”. Saint Paul noted that the elect will judge angels (“Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life.”) and the typical protestant “believes” that they are “forgiven”, that they are “saved”, that they are “saints”, that they are the “elect”, and that they will judge angels.
When “Thy sins are forgiven” is translated literally,“Thy missing the marks are sent away,” it seems like a poor attempt at the esoteric writing technique of technical jargon. As Fred astutely noted, difficulties lurk behind every word of the Greek New Testament.
We may say that the “sending away” of sins is active, not passive, that is, the Roman, if not the Greek, priests send away or remit sins; it is an act of the will. The protestants assume their sins are sent away by either their belief in their salvation or the power of Christ; this assumption is not certain. The opinion that the theology of the Roman Church is fundamentally flawed cannot be the result of an attempt to understand the Roman Church on its own terms, that is, without presumptions, the teaching of the Roman Church may be found to be internally consistent.
After many centuries of development, we would be surprised if the Roman and Greek theological teachings were not consistent with their respective traditions. Therefore, the fundamental issue for the Gentle Researcher is to either accept the claim that Christian revelation is ongoing, per the Roman Church, or that there is no further revelation of Christian dogma, per the Greek Church. If the Gentle Reader concludes that neither ancient church offers either a legitimate or a reasoned theology, he must conclude that Protestantism is the correct teaching of Christianity, and we may say that the Gentle Reader would not be alone in his assessment.
On at least one occasion, Master hinted that there is a single and fundamental issue at the core of protestant beliefs. In the spirit of Modernism, this potential Apprentice will forgo prudence and proclaim what Master has cautiously hidden in corners.
Let us digress and state that capitalism will thrive because not every consumer needs be informed about every aspect of a product or service; availability and a stated price are the only necessities. Consumers may be very knowledgeable or profoundly ignorant of economics and economic theory, and anywhere in between, and the market will continue to operate. Therefore, there is a connection between individualism and capitalism. The owners of a hamburger stand are indifferent if their customers are knowledgeable and have rational expectations, or whether their customers are mediocre and have irrational expectations.
The modern claim that everyone can correctly interpret scripture is an innovation based on the presumption that all readers are rational, possess identical maturity, and are intellectually capable of understanding the written word. Upon reflection, these presumptions regarding the ability of the typical reader or average person are without merit. However, the claim that all believers are “forgiven” and “saved”, and as result of their salvation, they are “saints” and “prophets” cannot be verified, otherwise said, these claims cannot be refuted intellectually, only historically. The result of modern Christianity is that the mediocre and decadent believers know the “truth” about the most important matter: the “salvation” of their “immortal souls”. Saint Paul noted that the elect will judge angels (“Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life.”) and the typical protestant “believes” that they are “forgiven”, that they are “saved”, that they are “saints”, that they are the “elect”, and that they will judge angels.
3
It is claimed that the selfsame Holy Spirit that dwells in the Roman and Greek Churches also inspires individual protestants. We cannot refute the claim that certain individuals, and perhaps all protestants, have received revelations from the Holy Spirit. However, this potential Apprentice must conclude that whatever the intended purpose of the Holy Spirit is, it cannot be the consistent teaching of the Good News, where “consistent” is to be understood as without contradictions. The Apostle clearly teaches that “God is not the author of confusion” and although we agree with this statement, we must also conclude that the animating spirit of protestantism creates divisions in “Christendom”. Unless we were to declare that the Holy Spirit is not God, as the “Holy Spirit” of protestantism causes confusion among “believers”, and thereby deny the Trinity, we can only conclude that the animating spirit of protestantism that creates confusion is neither identical nor similar to the Holy Spirit as revealed to the ancient Church.
Once again, there is considerable evidence that protestants accept various assumptions based not on their scripture, but upon a traditional understanding of their scripture. This “traditional understanding” cannot be supported or defended by the plain meaning of their scripture.
With over 40,000 denominations, it seems either protestant assumptions are in error regarding the forgiveness of their sins or protestant theology attracts naturally divisive people. Alternately, protestant theology itself may cause divisions. Afterall, when one knows that one is “saved”, and when one knows that the world is conspiring against “true” Christians, and one knows that “false” Christians are the majority, then the formation of new denominations is an expected consequence of protestant teachings. In fact, we may suggest that the purpose of protestantism is to create differences of opinions regarding various subjects. As always, the Gentle Researcher will reach his own conclusion regarding the reason, or reasons, protestant theology is accurately described as “confused”.
With over 40,000 denominations, it seems either protestant assumptions are in error regarding the forgiveness of their sins or protestant theology attracts naturally divisive people. Alternately, protestant theology itself may cause divisions. Afterall, when one knows that one is “saved”, and when one knows that the world is conspiring against “true” Christians, and one knows that “false” Christians are the majority, then the formation of new denominations is an expected consequence of protestant teachings. In fact, we may suggest that the purpose of protestantism is to create differences of opinions regarding various subjects. As always, the Gentle Researcher will reach his own conclusion regarding the reason, or reasons, protestant theology is accurately described as “confused”.
As G863 is found 52 times and G5483 is found eleven times (a total of 63 occurrences), we can reasonably conclude that whatever the intended purpose the New Testament is, it cannot be the teaching of the Christian belief regarding forgiveness. This conclusion should not be surprising, as Hell is only mentioned thirteen times.
G1067, geena
G5020. tartaroo |
12 occurrences
One Occurrence |
We must conclude that whatever the intended purpose of the New Testament is, it cannot be the teaching of the Christian concept regarding Hell.
Since the concept of “forgiveness” is not found in Nature and forgiveness, at least in the New Testament of the Bible, is best understood as “leaving”, we suggest that “forgiveness” is simply another word to describe the phenomenon of being mature human beings, that is, we move on, or leave, and do not dwell upon the “feelings” of the past.
Since the concept of “forgiveness” is not found in Nature and forgiveness, at least in the New Testament of the Bible, is best understood as “leaving”, we suggest that “forgiveness” is simply another word to describe the phenomenon of being mature human beings, that is, we move on, or leave, and do not dwell upon the “feelings” of the past.
addendum
We enjoyed potential Apprentice Osif’s initial effort in The Wonderful World of Occult Research™. Since Yours Truly promoted potential Apprentice RJ for a burrito, it is clear that Yours Truly can do no less for potential Apprentice Osif.
We recall that potential Apprentice Osif recently offered, and I greedily accepted, a plastic bag (in Hauten, a “plastic baggie”) filled with what I assumed were homemade sugar cookies. Interestingly, these cookies left Yours Truly with an intense feeling of euphoria that remained for many hours. Therefore-
We recall that potential Apprentice Osif recently offered, and I greedily accepted, a plastic bag (in Hauten, a “plastic baggie”) filled with what I assumed were homemade sugar cookies. Interestingly, these cookies left Yours Truly with an intense feeling of euphoria that remained for many hours. Therefore-
By the plenitude of power authorized and granted by the Ancient and Esteemed Order of Hierophants, it is duly proclaimed, declared, and exclaimed that potential Apprentice Osif is hereby elevated to the exalted and sublime position of Apprentice and shall henceforth be recognized as Apprentice Osif to a Master of the Occult Arts and Sciences.
All rights, privileges, and benefits associated with said position, current and future, are hereby solemnly bestowed and conferred upon Apprentice Osif this twenty first day of June in the year of our Lord and Master two thousand seventeen. So mote it be. G.D.O’Bradovich III |