According to Arminian apologist Josh Thibodaux:
“The term ‘author‘ as employed by Arminians/Synergists in this case, is used in an originative sense to describe where the evil ultimately arose from. If we can identify, ‘whose idea was this?’, then we’ve found the author…[Originate] Thought it up, dreamed it up, came up with the idea apart from anything external…I would say He allowed it contingent upon the creatures’ wills, but didn’t dream up their evil schemes Himself.”
This fails to draw a couple of elementary distinctions:
i) It fails to distinguish between evil ideas and ideas of evil. There is nothing intrinsically evil in thinking about evil deeds.
For example, an FBI profiler from BAU will try to get inside the mind of a serial killer. In so doing, the profiler will contemplate “evil schemes.”
ii) What is more, the profiler will try to anticipate the serial killer’s next move. As such, he will “dream up” “evil schemes” in his effort to stay one step ahead of the killer. The profiler came up with this idea on his own. The killer didn’t plant that idea in his mind. Rather, the profiler “originated” this idea in his effort to forestall that very eventuality.
So there’s nothing intrinsically evil about entertaining or even originating the notion of an evil scheme.
This statement is most certainly "True": "....As such, he will “dream up” “evil schemes” in his effort to stay one step ahead of the killer.".
ReplyDeleteMy Tribe hired me to be a Gaming Commissioner. My Tribe owns and operates a Casino.
They had great plans for my soon future education.
After being sworn in and receiving my Gaming License my immediate boss called me into her office and handed my a travel itinerary to Palms Springs, Ca. "Yahoo I hooted". Then she said something I never forgot. She said, "look" go down there and learn as much as you can for the next 8 days about the criminal elements that come into Casinos, how they think, how they move around inside the casino and how they approach the game, because it will be your job to second guess them and catch them in the act! I have been to the school myself and all they taught me was how a criminal thinks and acts and steals!
When I got back, my mind and eyes were opened to one thing. Criminals, most of them are stupid. But then you come across the kind that are really really good at their craft and trade!
Josh:
ReplyDeleteApply your theory to Genesis 50:20 or Acts 2:23.
Fail.
I agree, there is nothing wrong with a criminologist trying to get inside a criminals head, or other such examples. But, contra the idea that thoughts don't count:
ReplyDelete"Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." (Matthew 5:27-28)
I see you ignored by distinction between evil thoughts and thoughts of evil. Is there some reason you can't absorb that basic, logical, and moral distinction?
ReplyDelete