Restoration Theology Part 1: Perfection vs. Good from Phil Shepherd on Vimeo.
Restoration Theology Part 1: Perfection vs. Good
– February 5, 2010Posted in: Vidcasts
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Phil Shepherd: Pastor, Church Planter, Author, An Outlaw Theologian, Public Speaker, Consultant, D.O.C Minister.
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Is God Perfect? I don’t know, my imperfect human mind has a hard time imagining perfection. I must conclude that this is impossible for me to know. But if I were to guess, I’d say yes… but that’s just a guess, albeit an almost educated one.
Are we the perfect image of God? Is the photograph of a sunrise just as beautiful as the real thing? No. But I don’t want to be perfect, nor do I want to be the perfect image of God, because honestly, I wouldn’t know what that is. I’m happy being the imperfect reflection of the unimaginably perfect, whatever the hell that means. Maybe it means I’m a cheap photograph. Or, maybe “cheap” is irrelevant in the big picture.
Perfect is probably also irrelevant in the big picture. Perfection is one of those false idols constructed by economic value systems like capitalism. “Perfect… you must own it! And pay good money for it because perfect is expensive.” Then the overpriced perfect shit breaks or goes out of style in seven years.
“Perfect” is also an ideal that young men and women dress up in when looking for a good mate. “I have to look perfect for the dance club (presumably so I can get laid and find sexual success and security)”.
Perfect is for control freaks. Good is good: it is not perfect, not bad, just good with flaws. The flaws are important because they are what really define us. Maybe this is why God is so hard to define. Maybe God is perfect after all, and we, by definition, are not.
I’m not 100% convinced that Perfection exists.
Think about it… what is perfection? it’s a word. end of story. There’s not difference in saying “God” is perfect verses saying “God” is nanapoopoodeediedoe!
Perfection is a word that describes a HUMAN idea…
perfection is an idea of the unattainable “ideal”
but what IS this ideal?
Doesn’t the “ideal” differ from person to person?
So perfection is a word that describes a HUMAN “ideal” that differs from individual human to individual human
If “God” is “perfect” then “God” is simply an imagined human construct. Thus the arguments of religion being constructed to control human beings into compliance are correct. If “God” is a perfect being, then religion is simply manufactured control technique.
But if you take human concepts off of “God,” you simply have Deity… Deity simply IS… Deity is the compilation and totality of all that is… Deity is… for humans to restrict DEITY to human ideas, concepts, and forms… is simply asinine!
Why does “God” have to be perfect? Why does “God” have to be all-good? Why does “God” have to fit into our tiny little fucking human constructed box that we create for him out of our own arrogance!?!??!
Why can’t “God” just simply BE?