Wittgenstein

Sounds like a German beer to me Brad. A good one. Though I feel a little out of depth here I have an opinion. I do see how a persons lifestyle can exist seperate from their ideology and capacity to think or write. Look at David...he by no means led a chaste life, and yet his poetry stands through time as being absolutely awesome. Philosopher he is not, but thinker absolutely. I think of the practical examples of how I live my life, and while as a thinker I conceive notions of living that abound with Christ-centeredness, I make the choices each day to ignore reason, opting instead for the life my natural self wants...self indulgence. I have never thought of philosophy as anything other than thought or reason, and while truth is valid (recipricol in nature, and tenacious), philosophy can never claim to be truth for it is based upon the righteousness of thought; and thought is context specific. As I write Brad I am unsure whether I believe what I am ariting, or whether I have even come close to hearing your question. Valuable to me though is the fact that I have thought about it - considered the question through a lens that is myself rather than the words or thoughts of others. I take great satisfaction in that. Finally - some thoughts of my own:-). Reaidng through Foster's devotional classics I came across a writing from Mere Christianity, stating that the aim of the church is purely to draw people into Christ...to make Mini-Christs so to speak. It is that simple, and yet I have tried to make it so complicated. How we do that is where human creativity comes in, and that is the part I like. However, in talking with a new friend down here in LA, we were both struck by the fact that presenting the truth to our friends has never been enough, and that the confrontation approach has not worked on any level in our own lives. I spoke about your words, about the transformation rather than the experience of God, and received well though it was...it does not serve the evangelism side well....for there must be an experience before an internal change can occur. Is there any better way than sharing our lives with people - eating with them, learning of their families etc? This is the route I like. need there be a confrontation? I think I know the answer, and it is yes...but how that confrontational truth is delivered is something again that is specific, and exciting. What do youmake of Lewis's thought on the nature / role of church? Oh - and please email me your phone number Brad...Id Love to call you