Thursday, November 22, 2018

The Orthodox Study Bible: Does Incredible Hulk anger assist with knowing truth?


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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