Words. Guest Post by Arthur Yavelberg

 


From MSI Press author, Arthur Yavelberg --

As someone who writes, I am supposed to have an appreciation for the value of words. I do, of course...and yet.... In Zen, there is the advice: "Don't confuse the finger pointing to the moon with the moon itself." In this context, words can open our minds and hearts to the mysterious wonders of the universe, but they cannot explain the mysterious wonders of the universe. There is a reason the Bible and the Upanishads are not essays. These and other sacred texts describe encounters between people and the divine. They are intended to spark some sense of recognition--much like stories of suffering can inspire empathy for others in pain. This may be the point when Jesus says, when asked about heaven: "Neither shall they say, 'Lo here!' or, 'Lo there!' for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you." (Luke 17:21) Heaven is not a function of geography. Similarly, when the Buddha refers to nirvana, he answered with: "When a fire goes out, where does it go?" So, yes, Lao Tzu is correct when he writes that "He who knows the Tao does not talk, and he who talks does not know the Tao." Nevertheless, Lao Tzu himself then proceeds to write his "Tao Teh Ching," which becomes the central text of Taoism. That is not necessarily a bad thing--so long as words about the Tao are not confused with the Tao itself.


Arthur's book, A Theology for the Rest of Us, has earned the following awards:

International Impact Book Award
Best Indie Book Award
Literary Titan Silver Award
American Bookfest Best Books Award finalist





For more posts about Arthur and his book, click HERE.








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