This is sort of an extension of the previous post, or perhaps more me wondering how you would feel about considering this an extension of the previous post. I'm reading some Bill Hicks (peace be upon him) at the moment. He's not a theologian in any classic or esteemed sense, he's a dead american stand-up comic (/prophet?) who got in lots and lots of trouble for making a lot of sense about lots of things and who threw in lots of coarse humour to ensure nothing he said would be swallowed whole or uncritically.
One of the things he's quite excited by and talks about a few times is his understanding of the word 'enthusiasm' coming from 'En Theos' or the 'God within'. What this says to him is that it's God in us that is at the root of things we get excited about. You see where this ties in to questions of authority. Is Bill too close to 'if it feels good do it' / 'be your own God'? Or in line with the idea of being 'Spirit led'?
Hhhhhmmmmmmmmmmmm.
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
2008 Carling Cup Champions
Inconsequential but steady outpouring of bemusment with regards to theology and life, as lived by a Western, 21st century mug. You need to ask yourself why you're reading this and how seriously you're taking it.
About Me
- andy amoss
- whitemalebritishthirtytwoyearold. Pursuer of Jesus Christ. Married to Kelly. First-born of Peter and Linda. Born in N.London, raised in S.Wales, live in W.Yorkshire. Sufficient opinion of myself to blog. I'm sometimes playful and sometimes thoughtful. I think people, language, relationship and process are important.
Followers
Head Down the Blog
Labels
active faith
(18)
Bill Hicks
(3)
blogging
(9)
branding/marketing
(13)
cats
(3)
celebrity culture
(6)
christendom
(2)
church
(14)
coca-killa
(6)
community
(22)
environ-mental
(10)
ethnicity
(7)
evangelism
(3)
f' laugh
(20)
facebook
(4)
fear
(13)
film
(24)
flooding
(2)
football
(17)
hope
(15)
identity
(20)
journey
(20)
language
(5)
lifeshapes
(5)
media
(31)
minor prophets
(2)
mookey
(3)
morality
(23)
music
(26)
musing
(17)
politics
(13)
pop-culture
(36)
reviews
(22)
rugby
(4)
spirituality
(26)
spurs
(13)
television
(11)
the Bible
(7)
theology
(30)
Wales
(4)
worship
(11)
2008 Carling Cup Champions
My handy links
facebook me... if you want.
Last 5 Films
- Youth in Revolt
- Captain America (2011)
- Definitely, Maybe
- Sunshine Cleaning
- Wrong Turn
2 comments:
Much as I love Bill Hicks, his philosophy seems to boil down to "if we just act naturally everything will be okay". I suppose that's true to an extent - if we acted how God created us everything would be okay, but the question is how do we become like that? I don't think we can do it ourselves. I don't think we can do it by reaching inside. How would we even know what to reach for? But Hicks seems to think we can.
I'm not sure that that is quite what Hicks was saying. In fact i think that's one of the ideas/ questions that he played about with the most; the question of a difference between searching inside ourselves or outside ourselves. He would always talk about a shared oneness of Humanity and also, daringly, with God. 'What then happens to our notions of the boundries of our identities?' is the question that's raised. He would speak of this while still leaving an implication that God is greatly superior, and also that he's just asking a question rather than proposing an answer.
You're quite right though, an intellingent distinction needs to be made between admiring him and agreeing with him on everything.
Post a Comment