The Search For Truth Through God - 1354 Words

Joseph Bianchi Prof. Loebenberg Honors 171 November 8, 2014 â€Å"Love Loves Difficult Things† The search for truth through God is where the philosophy of attaining knowledge intersects with religious doctrine. Although the esoteric and mystical system of Sufism has its origin in Islamic orthodoxy, Sufism can be seen as less as an individual sect and more of a stepping-stone towards Christian revelation. In the Sufi allegory The Conference of the Birds by Farid Ud-Din Attar, God is represented as a mystical essence within and beyond all of creation, closer to a state of being that can be obtained with the discovery of true love and wisdom. In comparison, the God described in Christian texts by medieval authors such as St. Augustine is singular and whole, but in three parts: The Father God, the Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, or the spiritual component that dwells within the souls of believers. The Christian God is permanently unreachable due to humanity’s sinful nature and is only known through redemption via the grace of and faith in Christ. The Sufi’s re lationship to God is a depiction tantamount to the entirety of their accepted belief system. While Sufi Mysticism and medieval Christianity share a monotheistic vision of God, Sufism blurs the lines by emphasizing the series of tribulations necessary to obtain the knowledge of God. The nature of Sufism is not to find redemption for sins through faith or grace, but is to be made one with God himself at the end of aShow MoreRelatedWhat Is A Religion?1317 Words   |  6 Pageson a common principle shared by a community. Some of the most famous religions are Christianity, Buddhism, and Judaism. The goal of Christianity is to be one with God. Key Christianity practices include Sunday service, reading bible, praying regularly, and pilgrimages to hold the community together and have a strong relationship with God. Christians also have a strong devotion to saints. In Buddhism, people practice detachment from everything that is impermanent; they believe that desire and attachmentRead MoreTh e Beginning Of The Humanities Sequence984 Words   |  4 Pageshave been expressed through various pieces of art and literature. A few of these themes have been so prevalent that they have flourished throughout the entire sequence of humanities classes. One of the major themes in particular is the idea of truth and where people have found truth in society. Some believe that truth comes from religion and higher powers, while others believe that knowing as many angles of a certain idea gains knowledge and achieves truth. Over history, truth has developed from anRead MoreSalvation, The Holy Spirit, Heaven And Hell1420 Words   |  6 Pagesto start than the Holy Bible. But, I’ve always wondered if the Bible was meant to be the only source of true spiritual wisdom, or was it simply a record of ancient historical events. As a young child I was taught that the Bible was the â€Å"Word of God† and therefore, infallible. My childhood denomination accepted every word of the scriptures in a literal fashion (except the ones which contradicted or distorted their message). We studied one version of the Bible, the King James. There was never anyRead More A Glimpse Into Robert Frosts for Once, Then Something Essay720 Words   |  3 Pagesfrom a fern, and lo, a ripple Shook whatever it was lay there at bottom, Blurred it, blotted it out. What was that whiteness? Truth? A pebble of quartz? For once, then, something. The Poem Written in hendecasyllabic meter (11 syllables per line) and unrhymed verse, the poem seems to be an easy read. It uses words so ordinary any reader could go through it without having to stop for the meaning. The persona tells of his experience of looking down into wells and being ridiculed all theRead MoreSearch For Absolute And Infinite Truth Within The Realms And Extensions Of Love And Beauty Essay1269 Words   |  6 PagesIn search for absolute and infinite truth within the realms and extensions of love and beauty, Augustine stumbles upon various belief systems during his pursuit of full faith. Confessions provides an autobiographical depiction of the struggles Augustine faces, and arranges a mode in which he can self-reflect and search his soul for the true origins and realities of his destined belief. Dispersion of scripture within each book shows his passionate belief that God was with and within him at all pointsRead More Odepius Rex Demonstrates Success Leads to Folly Essa y820 Words   |  4 Pagesof humility and recompense. Oedipus’ acknowledgement of the Gods’ superiority is evident in his fear of the prophecy coming true, indeed, he flees from Corinth for precisely this reason. But at the same time through Oedipus’ self-blinding (where he â€Å"alone† is responsible for his fate) there is a sense of wilful defiance in the face of the omniscient gods. The sane voice of the Chorus sheds light on the people’s fear and awe of the gods. And what of those who foolishly question prophets and fate?Read MoreEssay on Hazel Motes Spiritual Struggle1351 Words   |  6 Pagesno exception. The central spiritual struggle of the book is that of the character Hazel Motes. The protagonist goes through not simply one but several conversions throughout the book. His spiritual quest is his realization of the Church Without Jesus, and his search for a new jesus. As analysis in this paper will elucidate, Hazel spiritual arc is a crit ique of approaches to knowing God. The first such method, nihilism, is a belief in nothing. This exists not only as a rejection of belief in an areligiousRead MoreDifferences Between Oedipus And Hamlet982 Words   |  4 Pagesmentally unhinged, but rather incredibly devoted to their religious ideals. Hamlet, a Catholic, believes that his actions will determine his afterlife; the way he acts, though crazy, is an attempt to please God and avoid eternal damnation. King Oedipus, a follower of Apollo and the Greek gods, acts irresponsibly and makes rash decisions because he believes that his fate is set in stone and that his actions, no matter how extreme, can not change his destiny. Hamlet and King Oedipus are similar inRead MoreConfessions by Augustine Essay752 Words   |  4 PagesConfessions by Augustine Truth and piety are two terms Augustine illustrates throughout his book Confessions. There are two types of truth: the truth found in God, but also the truth found in oneself. The truth found in and through God is quite obvious throughout the whole book. The other requires the reader to search deeply in the text. Augustine feels that if you develop self knowledge, then you can find truth. You have to be true to yourself and God. With self knowledge, you can revealRead MoreAnalysis Of Heraclitus The Mind Of God 1574 Words   |  7 Pagesthe unity between experiences. He believed that in observation was necessary in the search for knowledge, but it is necessary to go beyond the observation presented. The basis of Heraclitus’ philosophy is based on what he called â€Å"logos†. He believed that there is a rational structure that controls the universe, and that this structure is the origin that everything arose out of. Logos was for Heraclitus â€Å"the mind of Godâ € , because it is a rational force within nature, and instead of being a supernatural