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I came across the quote below a few minutes ago, and I immediately thought about a lot of the things we discuss here – and the need to move away from a black-and-white view of everything. It is short, but it is profound – and I am adding it to my signature line for this site. Quote:“For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong.” H. L. Mencken
Ray, this is a great quote that applies to many aspects of life, thanks for sharing. A nuanced approach, or a complex approach, seems to be almost always more accurate. The difficulty is that a more complex approach often requires more effort. The quote made me grin. This seems like a quotation you’d see on one of those motivation – parody posters.
Interesting quote, Ray. This kind of quote really could generate a lot of discussion with different groups. I think many people at church will argue that actually the gospel is simple and clear, and it is right and we don’t need to make it so complicated. This helps them feel more comfortable with complexity and things that are unknowable.
Others with a different view will find that argument lacking, because the reality is that somethings really are way too complex to boil it down to simple solutions, and therefore simple, clear explanations will always be wrong when we compare it to an objective view of the various experiences we have.
Different points of view would generate different arguments on that.
But it seems to make sense to me, that there are complex problems that do exist. And by definition, they can’t have simple solutions…unless you nuance it to make it work from a certain point of view. For me, that is trying to find the point of view that things can be useful to me, even if I realize it may have elements in it that are “wrong” … it is better to have something good and useful in my life, than hold out for believing in nothing until I find the perfect answers to all complex problems. That doesn’t mean I believe in things that are wrong…only that I can embrace things that aren’t 100% perfect.
Great quote, and an excellent reminder that WE can suffer just as much from black & white thinking as those we berate who are still faithful in the Church. Also, I’ve always wanted to have a signature… On Own Now wrote:Also, I’ve always wanted to have a signature…
Beat me to it!
Love the quote too. It is so relevant to what my husband and I have been going through lately. We both teach classes in two different churches right now. Alot of the members in these classes are very simplistic in their thinking. They are like little children who need things to be right or wrong, black or white. Therefore all the rules in the Old Testament as a school master for little kids. So, I bring up the subject of the 10 commandments. We talk about, “thou shalt no lie.” Then I bring up a situation where a German is hiding a Jew and a Nazi soldier knocks on the door and ask’s if you are hiding any Jews? My husband’s class was discussing nudity. One class member says, “Nudity is sin.” My husband tries to explain that it depends on the context. They don’t want to have to think that hard and outside the box. Then I remember this quote by Js: That which is wrong under one circumstance, may be, and often is, right under another. God said, ‘Thou shalt not kill’; at another time He said, ‘Thou shalt utterly destroy.’ This is the principle on which the government of heaven is conducted—by revelation adapted to the circumstances in which the children of the kingdom are placed. Whatever God requires is right, no matter what it is, although we may not see the reason thereof till long after the events transpire.”
Jesus healed on the Sabbath and they called it ‘working’. Principles of Love is what we need to grow up to.
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