Jim Taylor
Knowledge
Thursday, January 07, 2021, 08:04

The older Eastern idea of knowledge carried with it the concept of actually experiencing what was true. This is in contrast to our Western idea of truth. In the West we gather information, add it up and consider that we KNOW the truth of the thing. Not so in the older Eastern thought. Without personally experiencing something, the facts alone were not enough to convince of truth. Like casting bullets. You can read all the books, watch the videos, talk to people who do it, but until you actually do it yourself you do not know. This was the concept of "knowledge" in the old Eastern way of thought.

For instance, if you told someone schooled in the older Eastern way, "Coffee does not grow in a cold climate. It only grows in a warm climate." Then you said, "England has a cold climate. Does coffee grow in England?" they would answer something like, "I don't know. I've never been to England."

In that school of thought, experience plus empirical evidence equaled knowledge.

This is demonstrated in the Bible. In John chapter 7, verses 16 and 17, Jesus is recorded as saying, "My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me. If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the teaching, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority." See that? If you do His will you will know ...

I sort of have the same philosophy. I am still learning to practice this. I am not saying I am good at it, but I am trying. An example with the recent Presidential Election: I do not know Mr. Biden or Mr. Trump. As to their character I have no clue since I have never had any experience with either of them. I can discern something of them by their actions, but having no inside information as to how they came to make those decisions, I really do not know if those things actually define them or not, so I cannot say one or the other or both are "evil" or "righteous" or whatever. I refuse to rely on hearsay evidence presented by biased people for or against these men. Personally I don't trust either of them since I don't know them. But I am refusing to judge them! I do not have to agree with or support policies or ideas that either may propose. I can do that without passing judgment on the person.

The new President will have me praying for him. And not negative prayers, but prayers that he is protected, kept safe, given wisdom, and makes decisions that cause the nation to heal and prosper spiritually, physically and materially. I do not have to trust him or agree with his policies in order to pray that for him.