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MODEL OF NEUTRAL-INCLUSIVITY
BOOK OF FUNDAMENTALS
THE DOCTRINE OF NEUTRAL-INCLUSIVITY
THE QUESTION OF DENOMINATIONAL PRIMACY

 Figures F.6.4.3.1 and F.6.4.3.2 

THE   QUESTION   OF   DENOMINATIONAL   PRIMACY


ISSUE NORMISTIC POSITION THEOCENTRIST POSITION
HISTORICAL  
The classical dialog: "Is the pious beloved by the gods because it is pious, or pious because beloved by the gods?" The pious is beloved by the gods because it is pious The pious is pious because it is beloved by the gods
More than 2000 years later: "Is something good made or willed by God because it is good, or is it good because it is made or willed by God?" Something good is made or willed by God or the supreme because it is good.
Goodness or perfection is in the nature of things
Something is good because it is made or willed by God.
What is pleasing to the most powerful is good as such
The order of nature


(li, or is principle or inner principle, whole of principles of organization or structure)
The 'li of nature':
all phenomena in the world are part of the Cosmic Way. There is a harmonious cooperation of all beings that observe the rules of their own nature
The 'laws of nature':
all creatures obey the dictates of a divine lawgiver who has laid down these laws. Nonpersonal things are said to obey ('His') physical laws
SYSTEMATIC  
What is essential Primacy of the normative:
rules of perfection (goodness, justice, and so on) exist independently of what a god is/was or does/did:
norms or values are primary, authority is secondary
Primacy of the (divinely) authoritative:
(divine) authority comes first and the normative is subsidiary to it:
the divine and authority in general are primary, norms are secondary
Prime notion 'The norm(s)'
or 'the principle(s)'
'The god(s)'
or 'the Supreme Being'
Prime proper name (or 'denomination') That of (adherence to) a principle:
'Norm', 'Dao' and other names which have meaning as a noun
That of a god:
'God' and names which do not have meaning as a noun
(Non)existence of one or more gods or a supreme being Irrelevant Crucial
(If theistic, attempts to prove the existence of God; if antitheistic, attempts to prove the nonexistence of God)
(Non)existence of one or more independent principles Crucial Irrelevant
To realize what? A world of good:
a superior state of being in oneself and/or in other things
A world of God:
God-realization, God-consciousness
For the sake of what/whom? "For goodness' sake" "For God's sake"
To praise whom? To praise the good/just To praise God/the gods
Emphasis in teaching To live in accordance with a particular principle, or the principles in general To love or worship a particular god, or the gods in general
Way of addressing the adherent "We/One should ..."
or "We/One must .."
"Thou shalt ..."
General attitude Respecting persons Authoritarian
Favored motto 'Legitimacy and order' 'Law and order'
Attitude towards orders and obedience "To be convincing is to be obeyed":
conditional obedience
"To hear is to obey":
"Orders are orders"
Ethical objection to the other position Without a norm/the Norm anything can be commanded Without a god/God everything is permitted
How to scorn an adherent of the antithetical type of denominational doctrine By calling 'im "an antinormist" or "an anormist" in a sense which is not purely descriptive By calling 'im "an atheist" in a sense which is not purely descriptive (and if a theist oneself)
©MVVM, 41-71 ASWW
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Model of Neutral-Inclusivity
Book of Fundamentals
The Doctrine of Neutral-Inclusivity
The Question of Denominational Primacy (text)
The question tabled
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