I’m going to be launching into some quotes/references to Alan Watts’ autobiography called “In My Own Way”. It certainly is not because I condone his worldview, in fact my worldview is quite different than his!
I’ve previously posted some references to the writings of Alan Watts, a now deceased scholar/lecturer famed for really being the one who more than anyone else spoke Eastern religious/philosophical principles successfully to a Western audience. One thing that really struck me in his “The Book on the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are” was how deeply he understood the way the “gaze” of the Christian God deeply disturbs people. He really provided a window into his perspective on the Christian view of God–which reflects how non-Christians view God in general. You can read some excerpts and my reflections in an older blog post from my previous blog. Reading what Watts wrote really struck me deeply, just to see how deeply he understood the crux of the issue and yet walked away from it rejecting the Christian conception of God.
Watts was born in England, became an Anglican Bishop and eventually left that, and made it to California. His alcoholism later in life probably shortened his life quite a bit.
Watts was a patient, thoughtful lecturer who gave his pupils a lot of respect and really clearly communicated what he believed. He was witty, engaging, and an appealing figurehead. He was humorous, but not excessively. He was forceful, but not abrasive. In many ways he was a sort of “Francis Schaeffer” for Eastern Religion. Generally appealing to the counterculture, very apt to listen and answer questions, understanding, willing to communicate in new ways that challenge the status quo, etc. In a number of different ways His religious/philosophical views were eclectic, but probably most closely identified with Zen Buddhism.
My main motive in reading this book and also posting quotes is to really understand Eastern Religion better on an apologetical level, and also help other Christians towards the same. Its very easy for us to misunderstand Eastern Religion, and I think Watts provides a good starting point for getting a better and more effective understanding. Also, secondarily Watts is simply an engaging and entertaining writer. Some of the things he wrote are quite quoteable and worth thinking about. Sometimes I will merely quote him. Other times I will quote him and pose questions or respond with thoughts or critiques. I trust that readers will both get a better picture of the thought patterns of an Eastern Religionist/Philosopher, and also perhaps in some minor ways be better equipped to engage these ideas apologetically from a Christian standpoint,
[...] explanation/discussion of why I’m getting into some references Alan Watts , please check out a previous post. “as yet I am not quite sure whether this is simply a function of growing older or growing [...]
[...] refer to Alan Watts (for an explanation as to why I am venturing into studying some of his thought, please read this post), who is far more overtly flippant and careless with interpreting the story. This is, of course, [...]
[...] outlined in a previous post I’m going through a number of post refering to some things that Alan Watts said. Here is a [...]
[...] Tim Bertolet posted a noteworthy aricle today onHere’s a small snippetHe really provided a window into his perspective on the Christian view of God–which reflects how non-Christians view God in general. You can read some excerpts and my reflections in an older blog post from my previous blog. … [...]
This looks great. I’ve never heard of him before, so I look forward to learning more!
Watts was also somewhat of libertarian.
Check out this, I think you might find it interesting. For the sake of what he is arguing, at this point is granting monotheism (in his analysis of what has gone on–though of course he is not a monotheist).
“As is the nature of revolutions, the revolution against God gives place to the worse tyranny of the absolutist state—worse because it cannot even forgive, and because it recognizes nothing outside the powers of its jurisdiction. For while the latter was theoretically true of God, his earthly representative the Church was always prepared to admit that though the laws of God were immutable, no one could presume to name the limits of his mercy. When the throne of the Absolute is left vacant, the relative usurps it and commits the real idolatry, the real indignity against God—the absolutizing of a concept, a conventional abstraction.”
Imagine what could have transpired if he had used his intellect for Christianity & the Church of England!
[...] to process some material from Alan Watts’ autobiography, I now will outline some of his perceptions of Christianity, [...]
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