Religion Study: Rethorics :“What is the meaning of life” By Cheryl Setiawan 1. How does he show phronesis or practical wisdom/common sense? (Quote the line) “…Blaise Pascal said people will not sit still or give sustain attention to an argument why something is true unless they already have a good reason to hope its true – unless you have good reason to think it would be good if Christianity were true..” This is a good argument to begin with in order to understand that people of our age find Christianity somewhat unattractive since many of us didn’t even know what Christianity even offers in respect of meaning of life in general, of how good Christianity view on life is. And without that one won’t even consider to understand Christianity. 2. How does he show euonia or good will? (Quote the line) “If we define meaning in life as having a purpose, and having a purpose is you think significant,…, however you’ve got to realize never been a time in history of human life, that subjective meaning is life is the only meaning in life and there’s no objective meaning in life.” He shows that human’s good will can’t exist withouyt God. Goodness derives from God and it’s objectively exist, without God, Human will depend on their subjective “goodness” and this is where evil and vices thrives. Subjective good will won’t matter if there is no objective/discovered Good, that is from God Himself. 3. Eventough we only listen to the beginning, how does he use logos? Every culture in history always believe in the Logos, like the greek believe in the logos : rational order of the world, confucius belive in natural order that is called the heaven that you have to conform your life to, Buddhim is also the same that belive that the physical world is just an illusion, and theres greater purpose behind. Christians, Muslims and the Jews do belive in one God that is behind all things. He use Logos as something real that created all the universe and the universe works because of Him. And all cultures in history believe so. 4. What do you like about the speech so far/ is thereany other rethoric you noticed? I like how his speech contemplate on one of the most basic question in human life: “What is the meaning of life? And I really interested in his three main point: is there a meaning in life? Second is is it possible to have meaning in life without God existence, and third if Christianity is true whatis our meaning or purpose in life. I like how he approach these questions by firstly distancing his view from christianity to ultimately offers the answer back to Christianity and how plausible and coherent his argument is. His rethoric is useful to outreach the atheist and lukewarm Christians that may have little faith to begin with. No matter who you are, this speech gives you profound question to consider the meaning of life. Also his argument agains subjective meaning is quite profound, if every men can decide his own meaning without any objective meaning (created meaning) it is still a very empty life and one life isn’t really matter in that view. Christianity is larger than life, that we may endure sufferings in life because we know that we have a True Hope in Christ as Galatians 4:9 that because we know God, we won’t let ourself be enslaved by worldly forces and desires. And this truth is liberating, as we found the true meaning in life that is found in Christ alone.
