The Orthodox Study Bible, New Testament and Psalms, (1993) Saint Athanasius Orthodox Academy,Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee.
Purchased from my employer, the Canadian Bible Society @ Cafe Logos, Vancouver. This text review continues...
A good friend and I have discussed over the last couple of years, the value of rage and anger within the context of intellectual discussions and debates.
This entry is non-exhaustive.
I will reference two key New Testament sections in relation to rage and anger...
Ephesians 4: 26-27
James 1: 19-20
My preferred bible version in usually the New American Standard Version, the Orthodox Study Bible uses the New King James Version for which I provide images.
Ephesians 4:26-27
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 26 Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and do not give the devil [a]an opportunity. Footnotes: Ephesians 4:27 Lit a place
James 1:19-20
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 19 [a]This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. Footnotes: James 1:19 Or Know this
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I have found that anger, a righteous, rational anger, can in short periods produce a heightened state of focus. In my younger years, in particular, I was able to fix some problems when angry that I was not previously able to fix. I appeared to think better short term.
At my Wales, Viva, the external reviewer from London, intentionally made me angry and I was less defensive (My intent) and more offensive (Which they wanted). I then by God's will, went on further dismantling some bogus objections to my PhD thesis.
But heeding to the Scripture, especially James, below, I agree that a prolonged rage and anger often leads to a wrong focus on premises and conclusions that makes and keeps a person angry, in contrast to seeking the righteousness of God and being guided by the Holy Spirit.
Philosophically, a short bit of controlled anger (rage is more debatable, it would have to be rational rage) can have a person focus on the correctness of certain true premises and conclusions. This must be highly rational.
But if anger, and especially rage is prolonged, it can have a person so focused on certain premises and conclusions, perceived as correct, it negates him/her from seriously considering contrary, to some extent, premises and conclusions.
This can certainly often be seen in the context of political discussion, religion discussion and personal issues!
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