[MD] Experience, essentialism, physicalism

[kgt83dr at yahoo.com]

Hello Matt,
  
You wrote, "[...] saying that there will always be mystery doesn't seem to me
to give us a reason to worship it or praise it.  It's something to stare in wide-
eyed wonder about, and in that sense I agree with Aristotle, but I don't know
how we move from there to full on worship."
  
When I worship and praise God I am primarily doing two things.  I am
expressing thankfulness and gratitude for what's good about me, my life, the
lives of others and the world.  And I'm acknowledging that I am the beneficiary
of this Grace and goodness, not the source of it.  Like love, forgivness and
faith itself, this too takes effort.  And that makes sense to me.  Without the
effort it's all vanity.  That is, the effort helps to put my own ego in check.
  
51 years of life and 30 years of marriage to the same beautiful woman has
taught me that the greatest love is a self-sacrificing love for another person,
which is to say it's all about the relationship.  This greatest love is not about
me or my wife.  It's about our relationship; a sacred relationship blessed by
God.  Sometimes that means I sacrifice what I want or what I think I need so
that her needs or wants are satisfied.  And sometimes it's the other way
round.
  
And yes.  It's a mystery.  The above is only a description.  I really don't know
how it works.  I suppose I never will.
  
And of course, YMMV.
  
Hope this helps.
   
  
Kevin Perez
   

		
---------------------------------
Talk is cheap. Use Yahoo! Messenger to make PC-to-Phone calls.  Great rates starting at 1¢/min.