tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6709955437171396902.post7838784369872081757..comments2023-05-17T06:29:30.023-05:00Comments on Renee O.: America, the Good WannabeReneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04191990097530286346noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6709955437171396902.post-69186798386768606342010-08-03T14:46:53.196-05:002010-08-03T14:46:53.196-05:00Well, and perhaps I didn't point this out clea...Well, and perhaps I didn't point this out clearly enough in the blog post, in Josh's defense he didn't say that merely being generous was a fruit of the spirit. Any man can be generous. The generosity of men is largely self serving (this is true of both the self righteous giving I've seen on the right and the social agenda I've seen on the left). The type of generosity that Josh spoke of was the sacrificial sort that's not possible outside of a relationship with God.<br /><br />I think part of the issue with the whole thing is that the word "good" has come to mean so many things from the moral to the mediocre. In looking at the interlinear Bible for this passage it says that "agathosune" means goodness/benevolence/kindness moreso than moral uprightness. So generosity is certainly one way of looking at that. And I think the sacrificial generosity Josh spoke of is certainly a fruit of the spirit.<br /><br />It's certainly not the end all definition of goodness and I don't think I said as much. I was speaking mainly of "agathosune". If the fruit "goodness" was as all encompassing as you define it here then it likely wouldn't be listed since all of the other fruits are pretty specific.<br /><br />In closing I'd say that your opinion is rooted entirely in your interpretation of the scripture. As is mine.Scott Rochehttp://www.spiritualtramp.comnoreply@blogger.com