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Tuesday, July 25, 2017

Does Existence Precede Essence?

French atheist, humanist philosopher and Marxist, Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-1980) asserted within his writings that a proof of God's nonexistence is wrapped up in the existential theory that human beings do not have essence (aka: core property or ultimate purpose) prior to their existence. Due to this "blank slate" of being at existence, we are therefore "condemned to be free" acting separately or independently from the past with the ability to make ourselves or our lives whatever we wish it to be, to espouse whatever moral values we individually choose, and to suffer the consequences and full weight of such decisions. eg: Each individual can self direct their own purpose as there is no purposeful intent of our existence except that which we assign to it.

Now, think of this for a minute. If there is no creator, and we have not been given any purpose other than a self-assigned temporary purpose which we have chosen for ourselves, which is only as relevant as as a speck of dust in the wind, then the universe itself, ultimately has no essence (purpose) and the existence of all things, no matter how wonderful or majestic they may be only lead to a cold uncelebrated death and meaninglessness. This is the world of existence preceding essence and the logical conclusion to the theory itself. In its end, it will lead to nihilism or the meaninglessness of life.

The Fight For Essence (Purpose): Thank God for TRUTH!

I suppose that we could give what Sartre had to say some real credence and credibility "if" it were true and "if" God had not already addressed this same issue through his word thousands of years prior to Sartre's existence and the existence of others who think like him. Although Sartre has claimed that all men are prophets, incidentally enough it was the calling of a prophet that settled the issue a long time ago:

Jer. 1:5 ~ “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

As God spoke to Jeremiah calling him to be a prophet to the nation of Israel, HE reveals that God's purpose for Jeremiah extended to a time BEFORE Jeremiah's existence. God, not being a respector of "any man's person" reveals to us, by that statement and calling alone, that each person that he has allowed to enter this realm has an "essence" or purpose, prior to their existence. There is no such thing as a purposeless existence.

According to the truth of the word of God, our essence or purpose clearly precedes our existence. God has a purpose and he further has a plan for every human being and for every individual and that plan doesn't just prop up when we show up in the womb. God therefore moves and directs HIS actions with intention and by virtue of that, has created and filled a universe with intention or purpose as well. 

To drive the point home, let's look further:

Ps. 139: 16 ~Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.

The Psalmist also reveals that prior to our formation as individuals, God has already number the days appointed for us here on earth. Before any days or times existed, eg: before existence as a person, God saw and created essence (purpose) by giving each individual a place and space within this time continuum called life. That is purpose.

Is There A "Blank Slate" Of Humanity:

Crossexamined.org recently produced at article entitled "What The Fighting Over Gender Issues Is Really About", pointing out the flawed Sartreian philosophy as mentioned above that further suggests that because existence precedes essence that we have a moral "blank slate" which will allow everyone to create his or her own purpose in life to the fullest degree.


While that may be true to some degree over jobs and occupations, (which I find difficult to believe that he [Sartre] was applying his philosophy to vocational pursuits due to his Marxism) the problem here is not confined to occupation or vocational desires. The problem is that this philosophy also suggests that each person can choose the moral values that they espouse freely and regardless of what the so called historical "norms" have been and are in society and that their choice is in and of itself, a right choice. In other words, all choices and moral value propositions are equal. They are all right.

The Intersection Of Purpose And Existence: The Freedom From ID Society

Placing this theory in one of the most contentions debates of our times, the debate over sexuality and gender, one could rightfully conclude that according to Sartre and others that believe in the rank materialism that he espoused, if one wanted to be a man, but was born a woman, she should have the right to choose that path without being told or steered into the direction that she is either a man or a woman. The same would hold true of a person born male...If he wants to be female, he should have the right of choice and the ability to choose the path or what is called "gender assignment" of his choice.

Although this value proposition is ABSURDLY RIDICULOUS, it is being played out all around us with bathroom laws, birth certificates change law proposals and the rise of transgenderism and issues associated with it.

Babies are not immune to this confusion from the time that they are born into the modern world. In the name of this "blank slate" theory, some parents are choosing to impose utter confusion upon children from the womb. According to a Newsweek.com article:
"I'm raising Searyl in such a way that until they have the sense of self and command of vocabulary to tell me who they are, I'm recognizing them as a baby and trying to give them all the love and support to be the most whole person that they can be outside of the restrictions that come with the boy box and the girl box," Doty, who prefers to use the pronoun ‘they,’ told CBC News.
Kori Doty, who does not identify as either a male or female, but evidently who has been targeted as a woman by a man at some point (as she has evidently had a child, it would also seem that from basic physiology that only WOMEN have wombs capable of carrying children) has adopted a root philosophy of being a "blank slate" for her child Searyl, whom she also refuses to identify as a male or female. It seems that this child, has been reduced to a political and philosophical pawn, unable to exercise "its" own freedom to escape the confusion of its mother who believes that gender should be some sort of grand secret.

As stated above, it is a root of a Sartreian world view, the "blank slate theory" that a child should be able to set gender for themselves and further to set or self direct their own moral values. According to them, the baby should be able to decide for itself if he or she wants to live as a man or woman or combination of both. It should be totally up to them to set their own moral course and path and society must accept it and not attempt to direct one towards any particular path. It is a world of total self-direction.

Sanity Has Left The Sartreian Building

Thoughts along this line are utter and rank confusion. Well, surprisingly enough, that is the goal of the existentialist. It is called absurdity. However, to think about not teaching a child the difference between "right and wrong" because we feel that we are a "blank slate" is to reduce the moral communication of mankind down to that of animals. We can note however, that even some animals teach their young.

In a world where existential thought is rising, these people actually want us to live lower than animals. The materialist wants so badly to convince everyone that we are mere animals that can talk, or glorified primates, that at all costs they are willing to sacrifice humanity on the alter of self, self delusion and rank stupidity and ultimately insanity.

And What Of The Church? 
Although the basic and primary teaching of the church is rooted in essentialism, the truly sad part about this, is that the church is clueless to the rising existential moral value and societal change and views and appears to be totally absorbed within itself. Title seeking, inner fights, apostasy, celebrity worship and a host of other issues has blinded the church from really making the difference that it should be making in this area.

How many bible studies have done teaching on the impact of Sartreian philosophy and existentialism on the world, law and current state of affairs and events within society? How many pastors are gearing up to deal with the philosophical and moral value underpinnings of women who come to their church who were actually born men or the men who come to their church who were actually born women believing that they can choose their own moral value propositions and live out their lives in whatever fashion they choose?

Is the modern church prepared to help a person transition from the state and condition of sin, to the state and condition of true freedom from sin? Well, too many pastors have no clue of the argument to begin with. So how can one preach and or teach what one does not and is not willing to know and does not take the time to learn?

I don't know, we can only pray and do our part. I suppose that is why I continue to do this blog. Just so that the alarm can be sounded and so that those that hear the Lord will know that they aren't crazy...we are seeing God move just as he said he would...

Look up, for OUR redemption draws neigh!

Blessed!

A video resource that may help you understand the nature of the article even more:

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