“Hell is a democracy but Heaven is a Kingdom” St. John of Kronstadt. There is no area of human life which is outside of the governing principles of Truth revealed by God. Humanity may reject Truth but this does not nullify its potency. Truth remains, believed in or not. When men attempt to construct a …
Category: Philosophical Reflection
The Thorns of Apostasy
“And that which fell into the thorns, these are the ones who heard, and while they are going on their way, they being choked by the cares and wealth and pleasures of life, and do not bring forth fruit to perfection” (Lk. 8:14). In another place our Lord says a similar thing, “Where your treasure …
The Inverted Commandments
“Thou shalt love the Lord your God with all thy heart, and with all they soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (Matt. 22:37-40). The …
The Age of the man-god
“… You will be like gods ...” (cf. Gen. 3:7). As in the beginning, humanity was led away to its own self-imposed degradation through a desire to transcend – through its own power – the state in which God had created it, so this same primal temptation will also be a primary factor in our …
It is Better to be Outside of Heaven with God than to be in Heaven without Him
The futile search for a “happiness” that is found only in the material world leads in the long run to unhappiness. Even at current the frenzied rush to purportedly “keep people safe and healthy” reveals the tragedy of fallen existence. All we have, all of humanity's “well-being” and “happiness” is found in that which is …
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Government, Social Justice, and the Hearts of Men
“From what place comes wars and fights among you? They are from this place, from your desires after pleasure which war in your members, are they not?” (James 4:1). Modern ideological systems have convinced humanity that the “problems” of the world are located “outside” of a person: a political system, an economic system, racism, poverty, …
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Mankind: God-Created Being of Reason or Biological Computer?
“In the beginning was the Logos ...” (Jn 1:1). An aspect of the nuanced meaning of logos is reason. Ultimately, Christ is the governing principle, the source, the reason, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, of all meaning and purpose. Thus, humanity is created a rational, reasoning being. We have been given logoi. …
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A Man Above Harm, Freedom that Enslaves, and the Power of Phroneo
“Let this mind be in you ...” (Phil. 2:5). Mind, in the above instance in the Greek, phroneo. When applied to the Christian life it means, basically, to have understanding, to be wise. To think as to think soberly. It is in some sense a governing principle. One's phroneo will indicate one's state. Phroneo can …
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The Battle for the Mind
There is indeed a battle for the mind. From the Christian perspective this may be summed up in “acquire the mind of Christ” (cf. 1 Cor. 2:16; Phil. 2:5). Humanity may have various “minds.” The importance of the mind and its function in human life have even been acknowledged by the secular world. Thus, there …
Mind Control, Standardized Masses, and Conditioned Reflexes
“How can human behavior be controlled?” Such a question was posed by Vladimir Lenin to Ivan Pavlov in 1919. I've spent numerous years reading and studying the tactics of the Soviets in Russia before and after the 1917 Revolution. My interest focuses on the anti-religious methods and propaganda used by the Soviets. Over time, I …
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