In The Procrustean Bed

By Zhong-Shi Shao and 邵忠仕

The author Pastor Zhongshi Shao uses "The Procrustean Bed" as the title, in the hope that everyone can understand, on the interpretation of the Bible is not the plane view of the people to interpret. As I have repeatedly emphasized, different times have different cultural backgrounds, ideas and values, we can never use that way of thinking time

• Language: English
• Publisher: EHGBooks
• Release date: Mar 1, 2014
• ISBN: 9781647849153

Book preview

DIRECTORY

DIRECTORY

PREFACE

一、Purpose

二、Methodology

Ⅰ、The ancient cosmology of the Interpretative Methodology

Chapter 1、Instinct

Chapter 2、The emergence of intellectual

Chapter 3、Meaning of Death

Chapter 4、Wizard (Mana), Totem, Taboo

Chapter 5、Ancient witchcraft, magic, medicine's view

Ⅱ、The religious ideology of the times the interpretation of law cosmology

Chapter 1、Neolithic origin of the era of religious myths

Chapter 2、The earliest era of religious heritage and man-made religion

Chapter 3、Hattian Hittite and Greek religion affects their lives meaning, Egypt Religious views of civilization.

Chapter 4、Meaning of India and Buddhist religious

Chapter 5、Islam was a theme of Monotheism became humanly religion

Note: The middle important description from section II to the section III.

Ⅲ、Bible into the Road and scientific cosmology of the Interpretative Methodology

Chapter 1、1900, the revolutionary epoch-making interpretation of law, and relevant book Freud, The Interpretation of Dreams.

Chapter 2、The new testament about the devil

Chapter 3、Mysticism and biblical interpretation.

Chapter 4、John's Revelation and the history of the evolution of modern

Conclusion:

Procrustean, adjective: insist integration; to pared feet shut-in boots; forced to conform (the source out of Greek mythology Procrustean bed)

Theseus in Athens, the State's legendary founder, to Athens on the way from Mexico Gala has a very cruel robber, called Procrustes means stretch The tyrannical person. Procrustes open black shops, blocking pedestrians. He deliberately set up two iron beds, a long one short, forcing hotel lying in the bed of iron, shorter body, sleep long iron bed, pulling in force the short body shut-in the long iron bed, and the height body sleep on the short iron bed, he truncated and axe the protruding of feet with a knife.  Because of his brutal way this particular, were called iron beds Bandits. Later, the famous Greek hero Theseus to find his father on the way to Athens, met the iron bed bandits, defeated the robbery. Mention Matthews eye for an eye person in his body, and force the body laying a short burly Procrustean bed, a knife cut Bed bandit out of bed, half leg, cut out to this scourge.

PREFACE

I use the Procrustean bed as the title, in the hope that everyone can understand, on the interpretation of the Bible is not the plane view of the people to interpret. As I have repeatedly emphasized, different times have different cultural backgrounds, ideas and values, we can never use that way of thinking time to interpret the Bible, the events described, so that same way of the brutality for the robbers procrustean.  Procrustean bed, its meaning is: insist consistent; procrustean, far-fetched; forced to conform. I sincerely look forward to, as Christians in 2010, could jump out of the background of the framework of that era, so that we recorded in the Bible and the revelation of God, have a more correct view.

一、Purpose

In 1941 years I was born in Shantou, Guangdong. It was during the Japanese invasion to China. Internal to meet the civil war of the K.M.T. with communist in exile dispersion, 5 years old I went back to Kinmen father's house. After poor, frail children, and fell down the pits of born more children, school all day long for us to sing songs of army and to release the mainland compatriots and Kill Zue pull Moa......and by the military rule of non-rational is indeed a ridiculous feeling. During that bleak gray young, though these hardships, but in Kinmen, we finally have our own homes.  But good times never last, the Chinese civil war burn Golden Gate of my small island, by Kuningtou War, The 93 artillery, The 823 artillery.  During that gray teenage time was nothing but hardship.  First-year junior high school I fled again and boarded a Navy ship to Taiwan, indeed baffling to thousands of miles away, far from Taiwan. Harm the poor homesick students, lose, and children from poor families, have a meal without a meal, I slept in train stations, wharfs, parks......etc. I was a drifter that drifted everywhere.  I managed to attend Yuanling Senior High school with tremendous help from my Father in law Geon Chin Shui and his family.  I appreciate full-hearted for their kindness of taken care of me.  It was a true bless.  Then I was enlisted in the military after graduate from High school.  There I served four year and retired and earned myself a rank of Lieutenant Engineering Officer.  At the age of 26 I called upon by God to preach.  I got married and took my whole family to The Baptist Theology Seminary where I studied for two years.  After that I returned to Kinmen and served three years as a pastor in Small Kinmen Island.  Then I went back to The Baptist Theology Seminary for three more years to my graduation.  My first assignment was to preach at the Presbyterian Church in Wuku.  I was preaching and attending Taiwan Theology Seminary at the same time.  I graduated in 1980 finished my disciplinary requirement.  I was assigned to Taimali Presbyterian Church.  Six years later I was transferred to Linko Presbyterian Church where I servers 22 years till my retirement.  The above mentioned are none of any self-portrayal boast of any kind?  but to write down the glory of Father, our Lord, Jesus Christ, and his most precious gift to me; a life time course. "The Holy Spirit who can speak to God in tongues, and books witness, I saw it looked, there is considerable doubt.  The wave of spiritual movement that war be gaining on the Church in Hong Kong and Taiwan.  Faced with this situation, the Church does not know how to do. At this time I was studying theology, a phenomenon I almost cannot continue.  At the time of the Church’s educated leaders said: the study of theology, research God, and the last became the Godless.  Those who have not attended seminary educated priests are good works for God, On where people can talk directly with God, even the Bible cannot use。 So I am very much worried. And also because the family's economic deficiencies, I thought, better than not read the seminary. But do not study theology, how to become a missionary ? After much careful consideration, I began to study the existence of philosophy, psychoanalysis, Nobel complete set of literature, anthropology, world religion, in order to understand God's revelation about the true meaning, In the pastoral period, I encountered various challenges, such as Spiritual Language, soul spirit dance, a mysterious spiritual exchange, supernatural wonders, worship, New Age movement, all kinds of magic, hypnosis, suggested that cast out demons, witchcraft , Witch doctor, possessed with reincarnation, ghosts attached with mental illness, strange magic ...... etc. Another example: Some people can lead the others to go to heaven, this bizarre, variety of events, really a series of unrealistic nonsense, and each scholar competing to offer their doctrines.  In this context, forced me to go to the shocks of the church movement, what is the Christian heritage in the end？ When I was enjoying retirement life, these issues once again rushed to me, therefore I am here to tell in the ink, so more able to express all the relevant issues. This spur myself, and others also hope to share in future and encouraged.

二、Methodology

After many visits, the history of mankind is the history of the times through the universe to explain the three methods.  (see this book P.46)

1. for the wizard that era: the interpretation of law cosmology.

2. The times of religious ideology of the Interpretation Methodology.

3. with scientific cosmology of the Interpretation Methodology.

This three obvious progress in human history, the analysis method in order to define the meaning of each era of history this way to understand the Bible, about 1700 years in the historical, and cultural history at different times in Transition. Different times, different ideas, values, world view, under the influence of age, to participate in the era of culture, life, thought, civilization, and thus to accept God's revelation, with works of contemporary culture, life, thinking of participation and inspiration of God, can you write a very personalized Bible.  Human participation in God's revelation, the Bible only in the era of human participation, inspiration has always been the common ministry of God, can’t complete a single side.

Ⅰ、The ancient cosmology of the Interpretative Methodology

Chapter 1、Instinct

This is homologous to human and biological, and even primitive human identity, is a very large distance, to the modern civilized people, more incredible. Primitive tribes in Africa, in order of humans and animals, the elephant for the first and so on, the Lions second, followed by strange gods and crocodiles, man and lower animals, such as more times, are just a part of nature.  The existence of primitive no individual consciousness, only the collective consciousness, man, bees and ants group actions are quite consistent. (Note 1)

In fact, humans and plants have the same prototype effect. Fern class nuclear original eight chromosomes split into spores, the chromosome only four; as spores in the birth of native leaves, but female and male primary leaf element.  Sperm and egg nucleus only four chromosomes, when it combined with, the chromosome have returned to eight, this internal division and manufacturing is caused by internally generated change.  Carex, Venus flytrap plants are carnivorous, and fungi, yeasts and parasites, are all absorbing organic creatures, therefore, plants and animals can’t distinguish between the plants and animals can’t distinguish by the static to definite, while the amoeba but is it enough to capture the water droplets leave the organic matter, as it is known that Mimosa will exercise things.  Another plant in the leaf sheath of the prototype of chlorophyll quality movement and quality of movement similar to the prototype of animals, such as seaweed from home, for the more normalization, single-cell organisms to do quality sports prototype, this organism range between animals and plants.  Plant Cell latent awareness and activity will be stimulated once again wake up. Plants found in neurons, its capacity is equivalent to animal consciousness sunny. Plants use sunlight and carbon dioxide in the decomposition of carbon in the plant's sensitive awareness of the animal equivalent of chlorophyll photosynthesis produced starch, by chemical reaction, absorption of carbon and nitrogen in the air, and produce oxygen for people to absorb, from the above point of view can tell of one thing, animals and plants of the same source is meaningful.

On instinct, I give Sitaris of small beetles as an example: Sitaris is a small beetle, their eggs dropped on the hole of the drone, and when the drone into the female bee, the larva climb up on the drone who, when males and females mate and then take advantage of the body attached to females until females lay their eggs, larva move again in the wasp's eggs, the honey is not only taking the nest, the eggs are swallowed and in between deformation, into pupae and finally adult.  This will be done without learning behavior, called instinct. Wasp, which has paralyzed instinct, which most of their eggs in spiders, beetles and caterpillars into their body, then the body in the insect hatch, eat the body of fresh food, until his breakthrough.  It uses the amount of paralytic agents will not kill the insects; their skills are even better than the surgeons. There is also a bee, wasp called Scolia specializing in roses a larval motor nerve section, only the sting that point, if the sting in the wrong position, then the larvae will die. Another yellow wings bee to cricket as prey, and that three pairs of crickets, there are three different nerve center of the body, the first sting of its neck and chest on the back, and finally the chest and abdomen of the intersection point, to be completed.  As The Ammophila Hirsuta bee are specifically prey the targeted of caterpillars to the nerve center of even the sting 9, then press and hold the caterpillar's head and upper, so that the caterpillars without  died in this paralysis. The above examples illustrate the primitive instinct of all vertebrates.  Vertebrate eye is the use of light, light also used the eye. Complex human nervous system, muscular system and skeletal system and other organizations connected with the visual organ, but no one would advocate that the organization is composed of the physical effects of light ray, construction of the life of this mysterious power of a complex system; vertebrate the retina, the early embryonic development is completed by the brain expansion generated by the system of retinal nerve center, is moved to the outer edge of the brain.  The mollusks of retina, is directly generated by the ectoderm, such as trichomoniasis of ciliary movement, is a physical response from the light formed, the evolution of man and scallops are very different, but developed the same retina.  Over whether willing or not, are bound to get a more intrinsic direct rule.

I quote the new Lamarckian ideas, he believes that biological changes in the strength lies on the organ of the use or not use, and the necessary genetic variation in the next generation.  Lamarckian evolution in all the recent doctrine of late is the only permitted variation of the internal and psychological factors and rules. He advocated shape variation is one thing, the form of variation is another matter, all the variation inherent in the activity of its own, will be different from what we usually refer: hard work. Because no matter how hard they try not produce such a complex organ, we can’t treat this variation as hard results, but a more in-depth and internal factors. 

He advocated shape variation is one thing, the form of variation is another matter, all the variation inherent in the activity of its own, entirely different than we usually say: The hard work. Because no matter how hard they try not producing such a complex organ, it is not such a variation called hard results, but a more in-depth and intrinsic factors. Form of life is increasingly complex and advanced, and vice versa is becoming increasingly degraded, it is a life and momentum, is carried out in the original momentum, the future evolution of the door is always open, and this power is endless creation the establishment of a unified, rich, endless organic world, far more than the dream of reason, even reason is a product of evolution.  Human nervous system is out of this dynamic development of the most advanced, the nervous system also reached completion. The nerve center of the lower animals is relatively simple, go down to the next level, the central nervous system are separate, most under the level of animals, nerve degeneration that is rarely completely hidden in the difference of organic matter, its organs as well. 

Therefore, those who believe that animals without brain is unconscious, and that there was without the stomach is lack of nutrition, the same is absurd perception. Those have not Nervous system of animals, it’s simple, innocent and still has the response activities and automated activity, their activities did not come from the intellectual (perhaps only a very weak simple reaction), have shown that animals have not obvious unclear consciousness , which is equivalent to low awareness of animal strength and freedom of movement.  Those without the nerve center, only simple, innocent of activities. (Note 2) Bergson example shows the existence of the fact that instinct; Bergson. Creative Evolution P.441

A woman living in a hotel the upper one occasion, she would like to go downstairs, then into the corridor, while the elevator door happens to be open. As the elevator will stop at this floor, its doors will be open, so the lady is very natural that the elevator stopped there, and she increasingly step into the elevator.  Suddenly, she felt he was thrown down thrown out because she thought there was an elevator repair workers, happened on the inside, push her back corridor. When the woman in shock, she found no one, or open the elevator, it is because of her awareness of her into a great crisis, and she does not consciously, then hidden in the sense that the part under human nature, or instinctive or subconscious self began its activities, which saw the danger, so immediate action, and instantly make the lady body back, at the same time into the illusion, so fantasy consciousness as those do not confirm the action clearly the best explanation. This is the instinct saved her life.

References in this chapter:

Note 1：Jung (1875-1961) Modem man in search of a soul (P.172)

Note 2：Henri Bergson (1927) works Nobel prized in life nature (P.16-184) Creative Evolution

Chapter 2、The emergence of intellectual

(A) Of the Spirit

1914 World War I,  Jung attended the London meeting of the Aristotelian Society London Bedford college and the British Psychological Society and the spirit of the Joint Meeting of Association, which discusses a very old question: The individual soul in the end is included in the heart of God do?. Professor to participate in this meeting, each member is above the national election was Professor, and this meeting is the 13 century old issue.  To prove the existence of the concept of self-soul is not extinct in Europe, has yet to become fossils left by the Middle Ages; It can be boldly said: On the psychological existence of the soul is possible, in other words; own soul based on the science of the study subjects that may arise.  For some opponents, we would not be surprised, because the assumption that soul and matter, also belong to the fantasy thing, the two pushed each other they can’t prove anything. But we must return to the teachings of ancient ancestors, the ancient idea that spirit is the life of the body, breath of life: a time of birth or in the formation of ideas, they have their physical vitality, the men are died and soul leaves the body.  Because its existence is forming in the before the body and after to back the creation, so it is considered timeless, immortal, standing in