What is written below is an excerpt from a book written by a Dutch Theologian named Herman Bavinck, titled, “The Doctrine of God”:
"Mystery is the vital element of Dogmatics. It is true that the term "mystery" in Scripture does not indicate abstract-supernatural truth in Romish sense; nevertheless, the idea that the believer would be able to understand and comprehend intellectually the revealed mysteries is equally unscriptural. On the contrary, the truth which God has revealed concerning himself in nature and in Scripture far surpasses human conception and comprehension. In that sense Dogmatics is concerned with nothing but mystery, for it does not deal with finite creatures, but from beginning to end raises itself above every creature to the Eternal and Endless One himself." p. 13What was written above is a prime example of illogical gobblydegook written by, and promoted by many so-called “respected theologians.” So, what does it REALLY mean? Let's look at it logically to find out.
P1. If a mystery is revealed, then it would be understood.
P2 According to Bavinck, God's mysteries are “revealed.”
C. Therefore, God's mysteries are understood.
But that is not what Bavinck said. He said that what has been “revealed” surpasses human conception and comprehension, i.e., they CANNOT be understood. This then begs the question as to how a Christian can know ANYTHING about any so-called “mysteries,” if these mysteries surpasses their conception and comprehension. Again, let's look at it logically.
P1 If something surpasses human conception and comprehension, then it cannot be revealed to humans.
P2. God's mysteries surpass human conception and comprehension.
P3. Therefore, God's mysteries cannot be revealed to humans.
P4. If God's “mysteries” cannot be revealed to humans, then humans have no method of verifying God's “mysteries” as being true.
P5. God's mysteries cannot be revealed to humans.
C. Therefore, Christians have no justification for saying God's “mysteries” are true.”
Furthermore, if God's mysteries cannot be revealed to humans, as they surpass our conception and comprehension, then we have no way of knowing anything about this god. We have no way of knowing if he is what Christians claim he is, i.e., whether or not he is an all-loving, all-knowing, all-good god, or whether he is a sadistic tyrant, because the Bible indicates that the Christian god is capable of being all of these things.
So much for "revealing" the "mysteries" of God. Instead, what I have "revealed" is just another Christian theologian spreading illogical gobbledygook as his own version of "truth."
6 comments:
"Dogmatics is concerned with nothing but mystery": meaning, here is a set of metaphysical beliefs (the Deity of Christ, the Trinity, etc.) which makes no sense but which you must believe or go to hell.
It probably should be noted that mysteries are a Pauline subject that doesn't exist in the synoptics or the Old Testament. Therefore, you'd be unlikely to find "Red Letter Christians" talking about mysteries.
Well should i be so surprised, its a Dutch theologian involved in the subject dogmatics.Wasnt it also a dutchman, who evidently use his finger to try and plug up ,a hole in the dam.
PS. not that i have any personal dislike of dutch folk.
Gandolf
Lol Gandolf--my parents were Dutch..;)
I don't like everything about the Dutch either. In fact, I grew up learning this type of theology.
Whew !!. So lucky i thought to also remember to add that little wee "PS" comment note then. Burst dams might have become the least of my worries :)
Ive known quite a few dutch folk in my time. Ive always found them to be very hard workers. And real craftsmen at anything they may try to turn their hands to.
Cant say i have anything bad to say about any Dutchfolk.My last comment was only made in jest
Gandolf
Gobbledygook is used to cover up anything that could sow the smallest seed of doubt in a believer's mind.
Assuming Jesus existed as a historical character (very little evidence, however) the death of the "Son of God" (God made flesh!) on a cross is explained away with the clichéd phrase ... "He died to save us from our sins". What ever that means.
Of course common sense tells us that if "God" wanted to found a new religion or show the Jews the errors of their ways, a much better way would have been to launch the cross, with Jesus still attached, into the blue yonder rather than relying on Paul of Tarsus or stories of the 'walking dead'.
And now Jesus is supposedly in 'heaven' (wherever that is) and is supposedly still 'alive' this can only explained by more gobbledygook of the 'holy trinity'.
Dave C
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