Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Derrida and "cussing"

The French philosopher Jacques Derrida taught that the meanings of words are never fixed in a way that allows us to effectively determine their meaning. Words point to words point to words point to words, etc. I agree. I disagree. You understand, don't you?

Chuck Swindoll, John Piper and Mark Driscoll know that words have meaning. Swindoll was kicked off the radio, Piper had to issue a written apology and Driscoll, well, you understand, don't you?

I used to embrace much of what Derrida taught. I don't anymore. I think he is a necessary correction to the modernist project, but goes too far. (You understand, don't you?) Words may build on words that build on words but at one point those words build on the Word made flesh.

Understand?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

"Words may build on words that build on words but at one point those words build on the Word made flesh."

...careful, that's a similar "argument" to what Ravi Z. uses for the first posit in his proof of the existence of God!

On a totally different note, what did you think of El Laberinto Del Fauno"/Pan's Labyrinth?
...it disturbed me, kind of in a 'Till We Have Faces way of disturbing me: it scratched at something in the corner of my soul, as if to suggest I was almost relearning something that I had forgotten, or maybe never had learned to begin with, but had a void and a longing to know anyways.

Tom said...

I like Ravi...and I haven't seen Pan's Labyrinth yet, but will this week. Dave and Kate said I had to see it, and that they were also very disturbed by it. I'll let you know what I think...

Anonymous said...

Hmmm, I guess Derrida's mom must have taught him the "sticks & bones" theory of words. Which, of course, is a false theory, as words can wound more deeply & permantently than any sword. I kind of tripped across Driscoll the other day on YouTube. I've been reading some stuff on their church website, some of which I agree with & some of which I don't. Thanks for the comment back!