I am nineteen years old and a freshman studying Communications at the prestigious University of Illinois. I've been a Christian for most of my life but didn't really know what that meant until around a year and a half ago. Since then, discussing theology and the ins and outs of Christian doctrine with my posse of friends has become one of my favorite hobbies.
To that end, I start this blog in order to express my thoughts in writing. Also, I think this will have a therapeutic effect on me.
So then, back to the Elephant. According to the parable, there was a wise prince whose ministers loved to debate over the sayings of the Buddha. One day the debate became especially heated, and the prince could stand the endless prattle no longer.
He commanded that several blind men be brought in from the streets. After that, he commanded an elephant brought in. He looked at his ministers, silent now with the appearance of the elephant, and said "Now, gentlemen, show the blind men the elephant."
The blind men slowly approached and examined the great beast. One man touched the trunk, another the tusk, another the ear, and the last the tail. The prince then asked each man, "What is an elephant?"
The first man replied, "The elephant is like a snake, long and sinuous."
The second man replied, "No, the elephant is sharp and hard, like a spear."
The third man replied, "No, the elephant is like a great fan."
The fourth man replied, "No, all of you are wrong! The elephant is like a thick broom."
The four blind men then began loudly arguing amongst themselves. The prince turned to his ministers. "Now tell me", he said slyly, "which of these blind men is wrong about the nature of the elephant?"
"None", the ministers lamely responded.
"And which of them is right?"
"None", the ministers sighed.
"My friends, take this to heart", said the prince. "There are things beyond what we can rightly know, beyond our understanding. And while each of you may have ahold of a piece of the truth, none of you can comprehend the whole truth, just as these blind men cannot comprehend the whole elephant.
But, if these men were to listen to each other, instead of just arguing, then they could perhaps come to understand the whole elephant. So it is with you: if you perhaps listen to one another then perhaps the whole truth will be arrived at."
Thus I dedicate this blog to the Elephant, and the wisdom and patience it represents. If only more people of faith would come to understand the Elephant; which by the way, if you want another word on the Elephant besides the Buddhist tradition, take a gander at Romans chapter 14. Good stuff.
Your Dad has used this analogy 4 times in the last three days! Good men think alike!
ReplyDeleteI have observed in many cases that children that grow up in Christian households come to know Jesus initially as the "God of their fathers". At some point as they grow and mature, they have a direct experience with Jesus, and he becomes their God, not just the "God of their fathers". He really has no grandchildren; only children. ;-)
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