Let's analyze "Defeaters: The Problem of Science" - a sermon by Joe Coffey

[johnson1010]

welcome to the site Lady of shallot.

[DWill]

I like your user name, Lady of Shallot. We read "your" poem over on the poetry forum. Good posts, too.

[lady of shallot]

Thank you Johnson 1010 and DWill. My husband coined this phrase. "We need less of a higher being and more of a being higher"

[stahrwe]

Thank you Johnson 1010 and DWill. My husband coined this phrase. "We need less of a higher being and more of a being higher"

Genesis 11:4

[lady of shallot]

Thank you, I will check this out. I do not believe he was parroting, so since we are neither totally familiar with the Bible, I still think he "coined" a phrase but will perhaps stop taking credit for it.

[Interbane]

The genesis quote has nothing to do with your husband's quote. It talks about building a tower up high, rather than the other kind of high. High on life, as johnson would say!

[stahrwe]

As the Lady is new to BT I did not want to be too specific about her posts other than to observe that the quote reminded me immediately of the idea of man supplanting God, or at least attempting to. Interbane may be correct in his interpretation though it seems both simplistic and lacks explanatory power as one can certainly be 'high on life' (being higher) while still having an increasing affinity for a higher being.

[lady of shallot]

Not to belabor the point of my husband's quote, but I have always understood it to mean that it would be more helpful to all to behave in a "higher" fashion, that is to be kinder, more ethical, more understanding, accepting etc. Not high on life although of course that is a wonderful attribute, but only peripherally helpful to others. That a belief in a higher being absent a "higher" behavior does not really help anyone.

[stahrwe]

Not to belabor the point of my husband's quote, but I have always understood it to mean that it would be more helpful to all to behave in a "higher" fashion, that is to be kinder, more ethical, more understanding, accepting etc. Not high on life although of course that is a wonderful attribute, but only peripherally helpful to others. That a belief in a higher being absent a "higher" behavior does not really help anyone.

You say that very well. In fact, a similar idea is expressed in the following:

James 2
14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

In this case, intimacy with 'the Higher Being' must lead to actions of a 'higher being' or the relationship is suspect is it not?

[lady of shallot]

No one says it better than "God's secretaries"