Paul's Passing Thoughts

I am no longer a NFL fan, but I am a Tom Brady fan. This is why I watched the Super Bowl. As far as I am concerned, I would like to see Brady get 10 rings. For me, football is all about how many rings Brady will end up with before he retires. Why is this? As one who will go down in NFL history as one of the greatest quarterbacks ever, if not thee greatest ever, at least statistically, he was given no respect by the so-called football experts. Initially, even Bill Belichick was less than enthused about Brady who was drafted from the bottom of the pickle barrel.

Once again, as in every venue of life, the experts are proven wrong. Again, we are reminded, because somehow Trump’s election didn’t eternally discredit expertism, that elitism is a collectivist mentality.

Let’s pause to ponder on the best working definition of collectivism. It begins with the idea that man cannot know reality or understand the material world he lives in. In this reality where reality cannot be known; where what you think is reality, really isn’t, a hierarchy of knowers are necessary. And what do they know? They know that man cannot know. That makes them the experts.

Hence, they are experts on how to best organize civilization for the best life now, and experts on how to save humanity from itself. Keep in mind, they do no proport to know reality either; they are experts on the unknown, and how to save the unknowers from themselves. In some cases, it is necessary to execute those who insist on thinking they can know stuff to protect others from the same deception. According to collectivism, the cardinal sin is to think you can know, and to think you have any other purpose in life other than contributing to the collective group. And, experts determine how the collective whole is best organized for the survival of mankind.

This philosophy, which is mostly Socratic, is at the heart of liberal politics and ALL religion. We often find ourselves screaming at the TV: “Do liberal politicians think we are stupid?” Well, not exactly, they simply think we don’t understand reality, and that the individual is expendable for the “collective good.” These principles explain everything you see in politics and religion that dumbfound us. And this, and this alone, is behind the hatred of Donald Trump because he believes individuals can know stuff and actually have the audacity to know what’s best for themselves which is supposedly the epitome of arrogance.

Brady didn’t believe what the experts said about him. He insisted that he knew himself better than the experts. And this is also key: listen to his interviews carefully; he is accomplishing what he is accomplishing for his own self-fulfillment because he knows the love and support of the football world is only predicated on his present performance. If your view of self is based on the collective view of others, you need to change the way you think, or just resign yourself to a life of misery.

Secondly, Brady is dedicated and focused. His eyes are on the goal, and he is apt at identifying distractions. Brady might just be the paramount example of a focused person. For those of us here for God’s kingdom and His purposes, Brady should be a model in regard to his laser sharp focus.

But Brady isn’t the only one who stood for self that played in this game. Nick Foles, the Eagles’ quarterback, has had a career defined by being second fiddle, and a necessary evil when the real big dogs couldn’t play. He always knew better. However, recently discouraged and contemplating retirement, he went on a camping trip to carefully contemplate his decision. He decided to stick it out for another season. He was named the MVP for Super Bowl 52, and the key to his play is evident; astounding self confidence based on fact, not the opinion of others. No one knows the truth about you better than you and God. And if there is something you don’t like about yourself because YOU don’t like it; change it.

Then there is the Eagles’ running back LeGarrette Blount. He was a major contributor to the win last night, and also a major contributor to last year’s Superbowl…when he played for the Patriots. Yep, he has two rings in two years with both winning teams. How did that happen? Well, the Patriots tried to cut his salary after the Super Bowl last year and he pretty much told them to shove it and went to play for the Eagles. Oh, and by the way, Blount has always been an undrafted free agent. And by the way, after last year’s Super Bowl, the Patriots were considered a shoe-in to return this year. Obviously, Blount made a decision based on principle and self dignity…which payed off. BUT, principled decisions that maintain self dignity are not about the booty that happens to result from any decision. Defending self dignity has cost and reward both.

The antitheses is the #ME Too movement which protests the exploitation of actors and actresses because they “had to” avail themselves to sex with predator Hollywood producers in order to “make a living” or “become successful.” See the problem here? Success in the eyes of others is more important than one’s self dignity. As I happened to hear this morning, one Hollywood snowflake had to submit to a predator Hollywood producer for the sake of a “project that she believed in.” Oh, I see. Question: why are successful people in Hollywood so miserable? They are enslaved to what others think of them as opposed to what they know about themselves.

Martin Luther’s philosophy of total depravity/total inability was nothing new in religious or secular venues and never will be. And, if you can do no good, you certainly cannot know anything worth knowing. Luther’s foundational documents that formed church orthodoxy simply stated that the only thing man can know is that humanity is totally depraved and God decided to save some of us based on no criteria whatsoever. Hence, knowing this has no benefit whatever except to glorify God. For all practical purposes, reality is for the sole purpose of glorifying God through salvation and damnation; ALL happiness is delight in God’s glory because the SOLE purpose of reality is God’s glory.

The folly of this was revealed in a conversation I had at a restaurant yesterday with some guy Susan used to go to church with. After sharing his ministry endeavors with us, I made it a point to boast about the rich reward he would be receiving from Jesus. The response was what I expected: he started preaching, with visible terror in his eyes, that Jesus gets all of the glory. I then said, “So, let me get this straight, when Jesus says, ‘well done faithful servant,’ he really won’t be talking to you?” To which he replied, almost in a panic at this point, “Oh yes, he will be talking to me, but…[you know what’s coming] I will be throwing all of my crowns at Jesus’ feet!” Sigh. At this point, I continued, “Wow, so, you are going to get a lot of credit for throwing your crowns at Jesus because that is a commendable act of good, no? Jesus gets all of the glory, but giving him all of the glory is a good work, no? In fact, you are going to be working hard up there with all of the crown throwing you will be doing, just think of how pleased Jesus will be with you!”

At this point, his salvation in clear jeopardy, he quickly departed. This is why the whole concept of church is dying; it is rationally unacceptable to the conscience and common sense. But in our duty before God to supply a plenary alternative, these three examples of dedication and truthful self-esteem are instructive.

paul