http://www.religiocity.org/2009/05/15/ps-139-contemplation-nothingness/ political theology in the city Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:11:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www.religiocity.org/2009/05/15/ps-139-contemplation-nothingness/#comment-74386 Libby Sat, 16 May 2009 10:14:37 +0000 http://www.religiocity.org/?p=807#comment-74386 Hey Matt, Two thoughts: 1) I do hope that God does more than just silently, subtly be there with a suffering, distracted, beleaguered Christian who is completely unaware of him. I mean, I think if He's merciful and all-powerful, he should intervene sometimes and *help* us pathetic sinners to latch onto his presence. 2) It's still not clear to me if the goal of meditation is embracing nothingness or the suspension of the meditater's agenda. To say nothing of the the alarm bells and connotations of Eastern religion that "nothingness" raises in a lot of Xian's minds, I'm still not convinced that it's possible to think nothing. But what Finley says about remaining present, open, and awake to each thought as it rises, endures and passes away (26-27) seems doable, and different from trying not to think at all. Also, the bits I've heard about people having visions or realizations through their meditation seems to fit better with suspension of agenda than with nothingness. Finally, why meditate "in the context of a psalm" if the goal is a mental void? Hey Matt,
Two thoughts:
1) I do hope that God does more than just silently, subtly be there with a suffering, distracted, beleaguered Christian who is completely unaware of him. I mean, I think if He’s merciful and all-powerful, he should intervene sometimes and *help* us pathetic sinners to latch onto his presence.
2) It’s still not clear to me if the goal of meditation is embracing nothingness or the suspension of the meditater’s agenda. To say nothing of the the alarm bells and connotations of Eastern religion that “nothingness” raises in a lot of Xian’s minds, I’m still not convinced that it’s possible to think nothing. But what Finley says about remaining present, open, and awake to each thought as it rises, endures and passes away (26-27) seems doable, and different from trying not to think at all.
Also, the bits I’ve heard about people having visions or realizations through their meditation seems to fit better with suspension of agenda than with nothingness. Finally, why meditate “in the context of a psalm” if the goal is a mental void?

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