Aufheben by Dean Gotcher

Aufheben

Dean Gotcher

Our ability to pick up something and examine it, evaluating it from our own nature, i.e., according to our own feelings, thoughts, and actions of the 'moment,' i.e., according to our desires (for pleasure) and dissatisfaction (toward restraint) of the 'moment,' i.e., according to our "sensuous needs" and "sense perception" of the 'moment,' i.e., according to our "self interest," as the woman did in the garden in Eden (Genesis 3:1-6), i.e., determining its worth or value to us in the 'moment' is the essence of aufheben. It is what "enlightenment" means. Instead of 1) accepting the father's/Father's preaching of commands and rules to be obeyed (without question) and his/His teaching of facts and truth to be accepted as is (by faith), 2) accepting his/His blessing or rewarding those who obey him/Him and/or do what is right, 3) accepting his/His chastening or nor rewarding those who disobey him/Him and/or do what is wrong, discussing (at his discretion) their behavior with them, i.e., why what they were thinking of doing, were doing, or had done was right or wrong, and 4) accepting his/His casting out those who disrespect his/His authority, i.e., who question his/His commands and rules and challenge his/His facts and truth, the person who does Aufheben dialogues his opinion (how he "feels" and what he "thinks," subject to his "feelings" of the 'moment,' in the "light" of the current situation) with himself and with others in order to 'discover' what is right and what is wrong behavior in the 'moment,' 'liberating' himself from the father's/Father's authority (Hebrews 12:5-11) and from having a "guilty conscience" for doing wrong (Romans 7:11- 25), establishing himself over and therefore against the father's/Father's authority in the process, i.e., negating the father's/Father's authority in his feelings, thoughts, and actions, and in his relationship with others. It is why those who praxis aufheben end up doing such unconscionable things, 'justifying' their actions for the sake of 'change,' where the end's, i.e., "worldly peace and socialist unity," i.e., "Making the world safe for Democracy," 'justifies' the means, i.e., death and destruction, i.e., taking the lives of the unborn, innocent, elderly, and helpless (those who slow "progress" down, i.e., who inhibit, resist, and/or block 'change,' i.e., pleasure, i.e., "lust").

"For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." 1 John 2:16

By replacing the preaching and teaching of commands, rules, facts, and truth in the classroom with the students dialoguing their opinions to a consensus (to a "group grade," i.e., to a "feeling" of "oneness," i.e., to "affirmation") instead, Aufheben took place in the classroom, replacing parental/Godly authority with the facilitating of 'change,' i.e., with the facilitator of 'change' (the master facilitator of 'change' who first appeared in the garden in Eden) taking the father's/Father's place in the children's hearts, minds, and actions, and in their relationship with one another and the world.

"The ideas of the Enlightenment taught man that he could trust his own reason as a guide to establishing valid ethical norms and that he could rely on himself, needing neither revelation [the Father] nor that authority of the church [the obedient, only begotten Son, of God, Jesus Christ] in order to know good and evil." (Stephen Eric Bronner, Of Critical Theory and Its Theorists)

"Enlightenment is man's release from his self-incurred tutelage. Tutelage is man's inability to make use of his understanding without direction from another. Self-incurred is this tutelage when its cause lies not in lack of reason but in lack of resolution and courage to use it without direction from another. Sapere Aude! Dare to know! 'Have courage to use your own reason!'- that is the motto of enlightenment." (Immanuel Kant, Konigsberg in Prussia, 30 September 1784)

Aristotle taught that the cowardly solder was the one who ran from the battle, the foolhardy solder was the one who carried out orders without question, and the courageous solder was the one who questioned and challenged authority and its orders when they did not make "sense" to him in the 'moment.'

"We must ultimately assume at the highest theoretical levels of enlightenment ... a preference or a tendency ... to identify with more and more of the world, moving toward the ultimate of mysticism, a fusion with the world, or peak experience, cosmic consciousness, etc." "Enlightened economics must assume as a prerequisite synergic institutions set up in such a way that what benefits one benefits all." "Enlightenment management and humanistic supervision can be a brotherhood situation." "The more enlightened the religious institutions get, that is to say, the more liberal they get, the greater will be the advantage for an enterprise run in an enlightened way [according to man's carnal nature]." (Abraham Maslow, Maslow on Management)

While some say they have understanding, knowledge, or are enlightened, not being found in Christ, they walk in darkness instead, deceiving not only themselves but all who listen to and follow after them. "Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness." Luke 11:35 13 Some calling themselves pastors, shepherds, ministers, etc., while practicing the art craft of a facilitator of 'change' (as Satan in the garden), "preach" and "teach" a message of 'change,' bringing psychotherapy, i.e., the dialoguing of opinions to a consensus (to a "feeling" of "oneness") into the "church" in order to 'discover' the "truth" of God's Word, deceiving all who follow them, "growing" the "church" upon the opinions of men. "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works." 2 Corinthians 11: 13-15

Martin Luther warned the church of the use of Aristotelian ethics (of dialectic 'reasoning,' what he called "dialectic phantasies," i.e., enlightenment, i.e., aufheben), of examining God's word through the 'reasoning,' i.e., according to the opinions, i.e., the "thoughts"—subject to the "feelings"—of men. He wrote: "Aristotle is to theology as darkness is to light." "Virtually the entire Ethics of Aristotle is the worst enemy of grace." (Luther's Works: Vol. 31, Career of the Reformer: I, p.12) "Miserable Christians, whose words and faith still depend on the interpretations of men and who expect clarification from them! This is frivolous and ungodly. The Scriptures are common to all, and are clear enough in respect to what is necessary for salvation and are also obscure enough for inquiring minds ... let us reject the word of man." (Luther's Works: Vol. 32, Career of the Reformer: II, p.217) "The sophists, nevertheless, rise proudly up, hold their ears, close their eyes, and turn away their heart just so that they may fill all ears with their human words, and alone may occupy the stage so that no one will bark against their assertion[s] ... The word of man is sacred and to be venerated, but God's word is handed over to whores ... the meaning of sin ... is dependent on the arbitrary choice of the sophists." (ibid. p.216) I would not be a "good" minister because I would have posted on my office door "Having read the Word, you probably already know the answer to your question (problem), but I will spend the next part of my life listening to you trying to talk me out of it." In the end I will open the scriptures, have you read them, then tell you to go and do what your Heavenly Father wants you to do, in Christ, by the power of His Holy Spirit, putting your trust in Him alone, and not in the opinions of men.

The "church" has again embraced aufheben, the Protestant movement has now been absorbed by the 'logic' of the Roman Catholic Church and its Jesuit order, building itself upon the 'logic' of Aristotle, deciding right and wrong according to the opinions (aufheben) of men. "I greatly fear that the universities, unless they teach the Holy Scriptures diligently and impress them on the young students, are wide gates to hell. I would advise no one to send his child where the Holy Scriptures are not supreme. Every institution that does not unceasingly pursue the study of God's word becomes corrupt." (Luther's Works: Vol. 1, The Christian in Society: p. 207) "Here (Col. 2:8—"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.") it is clear that Paul wants Christ alone to be taught and heard. Who does not see how the universities read the Bible? ... it has been so bothersome to read and respond to this filth." (Luther's Works: Vol. 32, Career of the Reformer: II, p.259)

"Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." 2 Corinthians 6:14-18