More Things in Heaven and Earth

"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy"

-- William Shakespeare (1564-1616), actor, poet, playwright, "Hamlet" (I.5)

"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy." So says Hamlet's ghost, anyway. And, perhaps, Shakespeare was making a point when he wrote the line but, then, I'm not a professor of Medieval and Early Modern Literature in the very country in which this line was written.  God knows, we Americans seem to go out of our way to butcher the "King's English."  But this quote was the impetus for the post which follows.

Jem Bloomfield, who is a professor of Medieval and Early Modern Literature at the University of Nottingham, says this about the quote from Hamlet's ghost:  "If Hamlet is rejecting the limits of philosophy as a discipline, it may well be a reassertion of theology’s sovereignty as Queen of the Sciences. This would make it sound much more like a call to return to orthodoxy."

“Orthodoxy means not thinking--not needing to think. Orthodoxy is unconsciousness.”

-- George Orwell (1903-1950), novelist, "1984"

Orthodoxy, by definition, "is adherence to correct or accepted creeds, especially in religion. In the Christian sense, the term means "conforming to the Christian faith as represented in the creeds of the early Church."  And, with this, I find Mr. Bloomfield's statement confusing.

I do not see how this sounds "much more like a return to orthodoxy" if he is, in fact, "rejecting the limits of philosophy as a discipline."  I think that assigning limits to philosophy as a discipline sounds more like "adherence to correct or accepted creeds, especially in religion."  I read Hamlet as doing exactly what Mr. Bloomfield initially begins to state, that "Hamlet is rejecting the limits of philosophy as a discipline."  We need to accept, as Plato and Socrates might advise, that the only thing we know is that we know nothing, and we should never be certain we know even that.

I see inner conflict in Shakespeare which, through his writing, he tries to give meaning.  Years of historical, scholarly, debate concerning his religious beliefs may just come down to being spiritual when the dust settles.  I claim to be Christian, for no other reason than the majority of precepts which Christ puts forth I find to foster righteousness, yet I claim membership in no "organized" church.  I believe each person is responsible for finding their path to whichever version of God they choose.

“The creative members of an orthodoxy, any orthodoxy, ultimately outgrow their disciplines.”

-- Irvin D. Yalom, existential psychiatrist, emeritus professor

Perhaps this is all Shakespeare is trying to convey.  Let not your heart be troubled, as life is not as difficult as others would have you believe.  Question everything, even the limits we put on our philosophies.  I think he saw the limits which organized religion placed on civilization, how it dampened scientific inquiry and, therefore, discovery.  I think he realized that not being able to question everything was stifling not just science, but the arts as well.  After all, he lived in a period when Christian philosophy was in turmoil.  

"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."  Perhaps he realized there was more to spiritual belief than following precepts even the Christian church couldn't agree on.  Faith is defined as a belief in something for which there is little or no proof.  As humans, we can't help but struggle to understand our reality, and yet we shackle ourselves to a system of faith when our very definition of faith itself rejects a system.  If we are to place our faith, our belief, in a "God" then, perhaps, we should base that belief on our faith in the only "WORD of God" written in stone; the Ten Commandments.  Or, was it thirteen, or seventeen?  We can't even agree on the order, much less the number, even though it is set forth in the Old Testament (an interesting read:  10 Commandments).

“Orthodoxy is idolatry if it means holding the 'correct opinions about God' - 'fundamentalism' is the most extreme and salient example of such idolatry - but not if it means holding faith in the right way, that is, not holding it at all but being held by God, in love and service. Theology is idolatry if it means what we say about God instead of letting ourselves be addressed by what God has to say to us. Faith is idolatrous if it is rigidly self-certain but not if it is softened in the waters of 'doubt.”

-- John D. Caputo, philosopher, Professor of Religion Emeritus

My mother simplifies this for anyone interested in listening:  We all know what is right.  God gave all of us the ability to differentiate right from wrong.  Life is really that simple, just do what is right.  Treat each other right.  Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.  You shouldn't have to justify actions which everyone knows are right because, well, the actions are obviously right.  Obvious in that the actions do no harm.  

Do no harm.  My "go-to" when explaining this idea of doing no harm, of doing what's right, is how we handle the abortion issue.  We all know that murder is wrong and, yet, we continue to make excuses for looking the other way when it occurs.  Women excuse the murder of their own by declaring it as "freedom of choice."  Their argument seems to use womanhood as an excuse to murder their unborn children, just because they don't want them.  Our actions should speak for themselves, to anyone who isn't locked into being perpetually offended at those doing no harm, that is. 

“But first I want you to tell me this: do you know the power of love? Christ passed over all the marvellous works which were to be performed by the apostles and said, "By this shall men know that ye are my disciples, if ye love one another.”

-- St. John Chrysostom (349-407), author, theologian

There are choices for when abortion is considered valid, I suppose, like rape, the safety of the mother, or health and well-being of the baby in question.  But, simply assuming you have a right to screw like rabbits and damn the consequences, is a fundamentally flawed premise; the consequences of this may very well lead to the murder of innocence, again, and again, and again.  I like to think there is a special place in hell for those who knowingly murder the innocent, especially without conscience.  Whether you commit the act, are complicit in the act by excusing the act or by turning a blind eye to it, a good sense of right should tell all of us the obvious - wrong is wrong, no matter your complicity.  But I, as usual, have digressed.  Or, have I?

There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy physics, reality, or any legal interpretations which allow us to excuse what we fundamentally know is wrong in order to ease our collective conscience.  

If what we have defined as our reality isn't all there is, then what else is there?  Karma?  Perhaps, but karma is also placing belief in something for which there is little or no proof, like a Supreme Being, anti-gravity, time travel, faster than light travel, and the like.  Maybe we need to open our minds to the possibilities.  

We just don't know all the answers... yet.  Maybe we never will, but it won't stop most of us from looking.

“Every man has forgotten who he is. One may understand the cosmos, but never the ego; the self is more distant than any star. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God; but thou shalt not know thyself. We are all under the same mental calamity; we have all forgotten our names. We have all forgotten what we really are. All that we call common sense and rationality and practicality and positivism only means that for certain dead levels of our life we forget that we have forgotten. All that we call spirit and art and ecstasy only means that for one awful moment we remember that we forget.”

-- G.K. Chesterton (1874-1936), writer, philosopher, theologian

Editor's Note

(Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider an alternate viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and while engaging in peaceful and constructive discussion, in an arena of mutual respect, concerning those opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience, and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with the premier, world renowned, Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects involved in pharmaceutical research. Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As the weapon for his war on intolerance he chose the pen, and wages his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He currently resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteers as lead Chaplain and Chaplain Program Liaison, at the regional medical center.