One objection I hear over and over again is that the Middle Way is wrong because it is 'lukewarm'. People cite the following scripture as rejecting the Middle Way:
The Middle Way I subscribe to is by no means indifferent. It's hard work and it's decisive: One must decisively establish what one believes, and be confident enough in it so as to not be bothered by others' beliefs. This is not lukewarm.
If you are an independent voter, and carefully vote based upon issues and what you feel to be right, does this mean you are indifferent? lukewarm?
I believe the Middle Way is to objectively seek the truth in things, recognizing that truth has many dimensions. That a myth is not literally true does not mean it does not contain moral truth.
The Middle Way is also one of love, of harmony, of listening to other viewpoints and being willing to share what we have in common. Because we have gifts differing, each one of us has a slightly different view of life. While some things are provably true or false, many other things are subject to our opinions and thus are not really debatable in a meaningful way. Can we not find a middle ground to share what we feel?
What an unfortunate scripture. The King James translators were gracious in this translation -- the greek word more accurately translates into 'vomit' instead of 'spew'. I wonder, though. Does this "proof text" mean what people think it means? is it really talking about "middle ground" or rather, indifference?"I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth." (Revelation 3:15-16)
The Middle Way I subscribe to is by no means indifferent. It's hard work and it's decisive: One must decisively establish what one believes, and be confident enough in it so as to not be bothered by others' beliefs. This is not lukewarm.
If you are an independent voter, and carefully vote based upon issues and what you feel to be right, does this mean you are indifferent? lukewarm?
I believe the Middle Way is to objectively seek the truth in things, recognizing that truth has many dimensions. That a myth is not literally true does not mean it does not contain moral truth.
The Middle Way is also one of love, of harmony, of listening to other viewpoints and being willing to share what we have in common. Because we have gifts differing, each one of us has a slightly different view of life. While some things are provably true or false, many other things are subject to our opinions and thus are not really debatable in a meaningful way. Can we not find a middle ground to share what we feel?
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