Topic of the Day

This is the stuff of which my 2nd paper for TS502 will be made (God willing, I'll finish it.. but I have no idea at this point what I'll say!)

From "Not the Way It's Supposed to Be", by Cornelius Plantinga, Jr.:

So the biggest biblical idea about sin, expressed in a riot of images and terms, is that sin is an anomaly, an intruder, a notorious gate-crasher. Sin does not belong in God's world, but somehow it has gotten in. In fact sin has dug in, and, like a tick, burrows deeper when we try to remove it.

... sin is a parasite, an uninvited guest that keeps tapping its host for sustenance. Nothing about sin is its own; all its power, persistence, and plausibility are stolen goods. Sin is not really an entity but a spoiler of entities, not an organism but a leech on organisms. Sin does not build shalom, it vandalizes it.

Good is original, independent, and constructive; evil is derivative, dependent and destructive. To be successful, evil needs what it hijacks from goodness.

Um, Doctor, I have this *thing* under my skin that is really bothering me. It's annoying, ugly and it hurts, and I can't get it out. It seems kinda like a tick that's burrowed in deep. I think I need some help from Someone who can do a little surgery and who has some disinfectant handy. Will You help me?

Oh, and while You're at it.. I wouldn't mind some local anesthetic?? We don't need to have a lot of pain here, while You're cutting this out, do we?? Oh, we do?? Pain is part of the healing process, You say? And it will definitely be sore afterwards?

(sigh) I kinda figured that.. :(