John Wayne Gacy, Jr. - Sufjan Stevens
This man has made my life difficult through no fault of his own. Read the post (especially number four) to understand the prompting behind this entry.
"How sad is the poet who should have been a king." What of the king who desires the poet's gift? Is he sentenced to an unfulfilling life because his passion and his genius do not lie together? Emerson would say our individual genius cannot be altered, so it remains to change one's passion. How can this be done? Is it even possible? If I discover my genius in housekeeping, can I really conceive and nuture a passion for it?
Moreover, where does one discover their genius? I can say with no arrogance that I have excelled in school, receiving high marks in every subject I studied. I don't believe this indicates my genius is so widespread, but that I simply understand how the academic system works and can use it to my advantage. I've been counselled to "find the one thing I cannot live without and pursue it," but Holstein would argue against it. We cannot live without our passion, not our genius. If my genius were in mathematics, I could live without majoring in math. But then I would be condemned to a mediocre existence in any other field. Yes, I could get high marks in English and graduate with the honors noose around my neck, but "[my] poetry will all turn to dust, [I] will be forgotten where others are remembered." Moreover, I would have missed my destiny in the field of mathematics, leaving a void where my contributions should have been.
I don't hold quite so Calvinistic a viewpoint as I did five years ago, but I still believe we are created with certain gifts meant to be used toward a purpose. Are we then required to cast aside happiness in favor of this duty should the two conflict? Would God create such a rift in His children, or is this bitter fork of our own making?
Enough questions.
"How sad is the poet who should have been a king." What of the king who desires the poet's gift? Is he sentenced to an unfulfilling life because his passion and his genius do not lie together? Emerson would say our individual genius cannot be altered, so it remains to change one's passion. How can this be done? Is it even possible? If I discover my genius in housekeeping, can I really conceive and nuture a passion for it?
Moreover, where does one discover their genius? I can say with no arrogance that I have excelled in school, receiving high marks in every subject I studied. I don't believe this indicates my genius is so widespread, but that I simply understand how the academic system works and can use it to my advantage. I've been counselled to "find the one thing I cannot live without and pursue it," but Holstein would argue against it. We cannot live without our passion, not our genius. If my genius were in mathematics, I could live without majoring in math. But then I would be condemned to a mediocre existence in any other field. Yes, I could get high marks in English and graduate with the honors noose around my neck, but "[my] poetry will all turn to dust, [I] will be forgotten where others are remembered." Moreover, I would have missed my destiny in the field of mathematics, leaving a void where my contributions should have been.
I don't hold quite so Calvinistic a viewpoint as I did five years ago, but I still believe we are created with certain gifts meant to be used toward a purpose. Are we then required to cast aside happiness in favor of this duty should the two conflict? Would God create such a rift in His children, or is this bitter fork of our own making?
Enough questions.
7 Comments:
Yeah, it's a pretty disturbing idea.
Unfortunately, life often isn't as simple as John Stocker would have us believe.
Nor should you make assumptions about friends of mine you have never met.
You assumed a few things about him, actually.
-"He is trying to make this decision without consulting God in anyway."
-"If he really wants to know God's plan and purpose for his life, why doesn't he just ask Him?"
You're assuming he isn't and never has before. Sometimes God doesn't send crystal clear answers back. Additionally, if we're meant to find our purpose in things outside our talents, why did God give Seth so many talents? Seth is one of those people who could literally do anything he wants.
But whatever. Theological discussions never go well via blog comment systems.
That passage you quoted was my own reflection on what Seth posted. If your argument lies there, then it lies with me.
As such, I find your statements entirely too black and white. My personal experience and Scriptural studies indicate God doesn't always have an A-B-C-D blueprint of our lives.
To expand: in discussion with my friend Steve (a most worthy visceral rhetorician), I've come to adopt a hybrid theology regarding the future. Half Calvinistic and half Armenist, it believes our lives aren't blueprints but novels. Sometimes, when we reach a plot crossroads, God simply says, "It's your choice."
Regarding the concept of purpose, I believe God gives us strengths for a reason. Peter was a fisherman: God made him a fisher of men. Daniel had a head for laws: God made him the administrator of two empires. Conversely, God gave Sampson immense physical strengh to save Israel from the Philistines. However, he ignored this completely, only using his gift for selfish ends. Yet even when he was acting of his own accord (as in his first marriage), God was subtlely leading him. God didn't give him explicit instruction, but used his natural tendencies to bring about what He wanted.
"if you want to know God's plan for your life, ask Him."
A black and white statement. Sometimes God doesn't answer, or answers in indirect ways. See my comment regarding Samson.
"if you are trying to figure out your purpose, you are not seeking an answer from God."
A black and white statement. Sometimes God likes us to do a bit of soul-searching on our own. If one person asks a question in a conversation and the other doesn't answer, the first person has no choice but to figure out the answer.
"I do believe that God has a detailed blueprint for our lives."
We simply differ there. Study Armenism if you want to learn more.
My last word on the subject:
There is more truth in the world than what the Bible has to offer.
Now come, Minos, and let the coils of your tail determine the depth of my heresy.
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