I've been reflecting much on the fact that there are objective moral sympathies or affections, which are right and to be cultivated, as over against the relativistic and Romantic view of the same. In other words, I think Plato was right, in his Republic that our moral sympathies should be trained in the right direction, because there is a right direction.
Along these lines, I just sent the following e-mail to someone:
As for Matt. 6:22,23: This is a puzzling passage. First, note the context: spiritual focus (pun?); we are to have God and His kingdom foremost in our hearts.
Now, notice how Jesus proceeds. First, he’s just talking physiology. The eye is the organ of sight and thus the only organ which grants us perception of light. It is through the eye that light comes into the body, so to speak. He then adds a moral quality to our sight, “if your eye is good.” Thus, he is using light as a metaphor for moral goodness. If our moral sense is healthy, having the right sympathy and direction, then moral goodness comes into our lives. If we seek moral goodness, then we will have it (see 5:6). But, if we think darkness is good because our moral sense is twisted with wrong sympathies and ill direction, then we allow moral darkness in our lives. If our moral sense itself is dark, we will be filled with what is dark. Being perverse, we will be filled with the perverse. We thus should have such love for the good and control over ourselves that the attention of our lives, the focus of our moral eyes, is on that which is true, good and beautiful – light (the Medievals considered light – being a blending of colors – to be the right image for the summary of the transcendental goods – the true, the good and the beautiful. That’s why they altered their church buildings to have more light in them. Interesting).
It is critical that our discipling, especially of children, affirms that there are things in this world which we are to love and be drawn to and to appreciate, and there are also things which we are to reject because they are, objectively, unworthy of, and harmful to, the sons of God.
Along these lines, I just sent the following e-mail to someone:
As for Matt. 6:22,23: This is a puzzling passage. First, note the context: spiritual focus (pun?); we are to have God and His kingdom foremost in our hearts.
Now, notice how Jesus proceeds. First, he’s just talking physiology. The eye is the organ of sight and thus the only organ which grants us perception of light. It is through the eye that light comes into the body, so to speak. He then adds a moral quality to our sight, “if your eye is good.” Thus, he is using light as a metaphor for moral goodness. If our moral sense is healthy, having the right sympathy and direction, then moral goodness comes into our lives. If we seek moral goodness, then we will have it (see 5:6). But, if we think darkness is good because our moral sense is twisted with wrong sympathies and ill direction, then we allow moral darkness in our lives. If our moral sense itself is dark, we will be filled with what is dark. Being perverse, we will be filled with the perverse. We thus should have such love for the good and control over ourselves that the attention of our lives, the focus of our moral eyes, is on that which is true, good and beautiful – light (the Medievals considered light – being a blending of colors – to be the right image for the summary of the transcendental goods – the true, the good and the beautiful. That’s why they altered their church buildings to have more light in them. Interesting).
It is critical that our discipling, especially of children, affirms that there are things in this world which we are to love and be drawn to and to appreciate, and there are also things which we are to reject because they are, objectively, unworthy of, and harmful to, the sons of God.
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