Dear visionaries,
Linda wrote that I must be frustrated at having to repeat myself, and repeats my question, “What standard are you appealing to, and why is that standard binding on anyone else?”
To which I reply that it is no frustration. Just a lot of fun — like herding cats.
She continued by reminding us that she had previously written those who don’t share my worldview have many standards, many theologies, and many philosophies. She goes on to point out that it is not a simple binary at all, but an “extraordinarily complex mixture of contingencies, compromises, dissatisfactions, and agreements.” She says (rightly) that her reply may not satisfy me, but that it is an answer.
But allow me to point out it is not an answer to the second half of the question at all — the part about being “binding on anyone else.” Why should anyone be bound by anyone else’s personal core values? How do you get from “many standards” to one community? Where is the arche?
“Apologetics in the Void” are repostings from an on-going electronic discussion and debate I had some time ago with members of our local community, whose names I have changed. The list serve is called Vision 20/20, and hence the name “visionaries.” Reading just these posts probably feels like listening to one half of a phone conversation, but I don’t feel at liberty to publish what others have written. But I have been editing these posts (lightly) with intelligibility in mind.