This is the most extraordinary video I have seen for years. For me it resonates very personally – it describes almost perfectly my experience and what I feel. It deals with conscience, truth, suffering, reality, knowledge, faith, living a lie, evil, God and what it is to be human. Incredible. It’s only 12 minutes – but it is stunning. Literally. I sat stunned, and in tears, after watching it. This is my life.
When I said ‘almost’ – its because there is one thing missing – not Christ (because the quotations from Scripture are about Christ – without ever mentioning his name) – but what is missing is the sweetness of Christ. The pain and the suffering and evil and necessary change mentioned by Jordan, are only ultimately dealt with and reconciled by the One who is the Truth, who is Love, and who loves us with a passion that is way beyond both our deserving and our understanding. Beautiful. May the beauty of Christ be upon us. Jordan is like Pilgrim at the foot of the Cross – burdened with reality – but he just needs to look up….
An Open Letter to Jordan Peterson – CT
The Apologetic of Evil – The Keswick Lecture – 16th July 2014
I’m thinking not dissimilarly David. No doubt Jordan Peterson speaks in a way that resonates and that demands attention. Yes truth is freeing but it is love that never fails. Peterson needs to practice self compassion and let go of the burden he feels with carrying the weight of responsibility he feels.
Jesus says “come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I shall give you rest”.
It’s watching someone crawl toward truth by way of logic while still refusing the source of Truth. You can discover a lot of truth if you will allow it. He’s doing a great job.
Or one could also read the beginning of Lewis’ Mere Chrustianity, where this is more concisely covered.
” Jordan is like Pilgrim at the foot of the Cross – burdened with reality – but he just needs to look up….”
That is a perfect summing up of Jordan’s plight. I do pray that he will find the Door (Saviour) through faith. His reliance on his intellect and resulting understanding , makes him appear so heavily burdened.
On confessing to that Truth , however would destroy him as a psychologist as it would make him a man of no reputation on a costly road . It makes one realise too , that when the preacher closes off with “..and may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ” there is unlimited depth and power to be found in such grace that the human mind cannot fully grasp .
I am not very articulate in my writing or understanding , but I hope what I have written makes sense.
Articulate :having or showing the ability to speak fluently and coherently. But , you know what I mean ?
I’m not sure what your reasoning is behind “would destroy him as a psychologist as it would make him a man of no reputation on a costly road”. Can you explain why you have come to that conclusion?
Proverbs 3 v 5 & 6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
I do not think that I am taking those words out of context Adam . Leaning upon our own understanding is always spongy ground . Psychology is , as I understand it , defined as : the scientific study of the human mind and its functions, especially those affecting behaviour in a given context . In other words …as I understand my mind and actions .
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Life in the spirit is irrational and alien to the flesh , and to me the eminent Gentleman is unintentionally seeking to describe , or possibly promote a parallel gospel based on human reason. If , as he suggests we must value the “truth” as he describes , then that truth can never be found in the mind or heart of man . There also cannot be such a thing as , your truth or , my truth . Truth is so precious that it has to be mined . It must be discovered outside of our natural reasoning… and is only ever found in Christ.
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In the world he is someone , no ordinary someone , he is eminent in the field of psychology. So eminent that the world looks on him for words of wisdom and answers .( what a burden for anyone to bear , yet Christ has done this once and for all ) My prayer is that he find “The Truth” and in that Truth , not only would his burden disappear but his present thinking would be uprooted from the mind to the spirit. Sadly , as all followers of Christ are aware , the world demands its pound of flesh when it is cheated of its comforts. His reputation as a “healer of the mind” would no longer have any value to a hedonistic world . He would be viewed with suspicion and scepticism , and in that world he would be like the Master whom he would now serve , viewed as one of no reputation , yet , a child of the most High.
Hi David
I listened to part of this and had to stop. I stopped because I find my mind goes down these routes and I’m not able to bear it. I get absolutely crushed. In part this is because of my depressive illness. When searched too much my mood seriously drops. I seem to lack emotional energy. As a result I find I need to focus on all that I have in Christ. I wish that Peterson could find Christ. I don’t know how he carries the burdens he carries.
I hear you John. I too know of people who cannot listen to JP as it makes them anxious and afraid. Anxious because they find JP too demanding and cannot cope with too much glancing at Truth at once. Little bits at a time. “A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he has brought justice through to victory.”
You have a voice in your head, David?
Yes – don’t you? I have a conscience…
I think the “voice in your head” is in fact a too neglected apologetic approach… perhaps because it is abstract. After all, there is no way we can describe to each other what is happening in our heads and be sure we are talking about the same things. But I believe it is significant that so many of us agree that there is a running narrative in our minds–and I think that implies some deep-seated assumption that someone other than us is listening. Otherwise, why should our thoughts be verbal? Why not proceed from gestalt to gestalt…?
So, is an omniscient God hearing my thoughts, or am I talking to myself? Which view is more sane? I’m with Arnobius of Sicca, who wrote 1800 years ago, “is it not more rational, of two things uncertain and hanging in doubtful suspense, rather to believe that which carries with it some hopes, than that which brings none at all?”
More profound mumbo jumbo from Peterson, set to various slow motion shots of waves washing ashore and people looking off in to the distance.
Pretty much standard fare from him.
One day you will learn to listen, and then you will progress on to thinking and then perhaps understanding. Meanwhile you just spew out your prejudices….
You’ve been tripping over your fanboy liking for Peterson for quite a while now, like a lot of other Christians.
I thought Peterson’s stance on the legislated use of gender-neutral pronouns was excellent and admirable.
I just find it odd how he has since morphed in to this sage like figure. He’s obviously intelligent and articulate but like Janis Joplin – he has an unfortunate tendency to ramble on and on at the end of his songs.
Perhaps he has some good things to pass on – just be nice if he could do it without all the meandering Deepak -Chopra like waffling.
It’s also interesting how Christians are also so taken with someone who – like Peterson – even hint at the truth of Christianity. If I’m wrong point me to the right source but I don’t think Peterson has even declared a personal belief in religion. It seems that the closet he is willing to go is talk as though religious belief is useful.
You are wrong in so many ways – not least the sneering, smug mockery. Peterson engages with Christianity seriously, and he thinks about things. Try it…
Stunning indeed. Exceptionally profound. I don’t want to be too negative toward the modern church, but this is more thoughtful than 95% of what we get from the pulpit. Or maybe that’s too harsh?
Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No man comes to the Father but by Me.” It sounds like Jordan Peterson is trying to come on his own.
I have just read this a week after it was posted…..it made me think of what CS Lewis said in “Miracles” –
On God:
It is always shocking to meet life where we thought we were alone. “Look out!” we cry, “it’s alive.” And therefore this is the very point at which so many draw back—I would have done so myself if I could—and proceed no further with Christianity. An “impersonal God”—well and good. A subjective God of beauty, truth and goodness, inside our own heads—better still. A formless life- force surging through us, a vast power which we can tap—best of all. But God Himself, alive, pulling at the other end of the cord, perhaps approaching at an infinite speed, the hunter, king, husband—that is quite another matter. There comes a moment when the children who have been playing at burglars hush suddenly: was that a real footstep in the hall? There comes a moment when people who have been dabbling in religion (“Man’s search for God”!) suddenly draw back. Supposing we really found Him? We never meant it to come to that! Worse still, supposing He had found us!
May Petersen not draw back.