Dive into a thought-provoking conversation on The George Janko Show, as host George Janko welcomes Jordan Peterson along with guest Shawna Della-Ricca for a deep reflection on faith, the act of belief, and the spiritual practice of prayer. The trio navigates through the complexities of faith, challenging conventional notions of belief as mere acceptance of facts and instead proposing it as a quest for truth. They touch upon how actions serve as the true measure of one's beliefs, using personal anecdotes and the power of prayer to illustrate their points on living with integrity and aligning with a higher purpose.
The discussion extends towards the transformative power of forgiveness, the weight of conflicts, and the idea of "bringing heaven to Earth." The conversation reveals a consensus on how extending grace can be both a pathway to personal peace and a mirror of our choices' divine significance. In a shift to education, Peterson introduces his ambitious project—an online education academy designed to disrupt the traditional educational system. This innovative platform emphasizes community, dynamic learning, and access to influential thinkers, alluding to a potential paradigm shift in how we approach lifelong learning and knowledge sharing.
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Jordan Peterson and George Janko explore the intricate nature of believing in God and the distinction between it as acknowledgement of facts or as an ongoing journey towards truth. Peterson notes that "belief" for many is akin to accepting the existence of a physical object, while for others, like Janko who wears his mother's cross, it is a complex interplay between faith and actions. The discussion further challenges the idea that belief equates to accepting facts, with Peterson highlighting actions as expressions of belief, such as his wife's truthfulness. It continues with the argument that belief is about action and integrity, with Peterson and Janko illustrating this through experiences, seeking truth, and the embodiment of divine principles.
Peterson and Janko examine the spiritual practices of prayer, confession, and humility, emphasizing truthfulness and purpose. They describe prayer as an admission of insufficiency and a path to revelation, with Janko sharing a personal experience of emotional and spiritual upliftment. The conversation underscores the necessity of truthful speech, aligning with a higher truth, and attentively choosing one’s words. Through prayer, Peterson argues for using language as a tool to reflect care and align with divine intent. Janko adds the importance of genuine communication with God, suggesting a commitment to truth as the essence of prayer.
The subject of forgiveness and handling conflicts delves into the challenges of truly reconciling and the significance of understanding and resolving underlying issues. Peterson and Janko agree that forgiveness is more than a verbal concession but involves addressing the root causes. They acknowledge that a willingness to extend grace leads to receiving grace and that holding onto bitterness is detrimental to personal well-being. Through biblical narratives like Cain and Abel, they convey the peril of resentment, proposing that genuine forgiveness is imperative for relationship health and personal tranquility.
The concept of "bringing heaven to Earth" is grounded in the idea that our choices reflect our allegiance to God's will. Janko asserts that by choosing to follow godly principles, such as honoring his parents, one can manifest good over evil. He emphasizes living in the fear of the Lord and prioritizing God's will as key to living a heavenly existence on Earth. Citing personal life choices and biblical parables, he indicates that by seeking God and adhering to God's guidance, one can reap positive life outcomes that equate to experiencing heaven on Earth.
Jordan Peterson’s forthcoming online education academy aims to revolutionize learning by providing an alternative to conventional higher education. Bringing together 30 influential communicators, the platform features dynamic and enthusiastic lectures with a focus on high production and engagement. The program nurtures community among learners and plans for real-world networking opportunities. Prioritizing the learner and shunning formal accreditation, Peterson's team—including family members—strives to offer a cost-effective educational experience, thus proposing a new paradigm that emphasizes learner interaction and community without the constraints of traditional educational institutions.
1-Page Summary
Discussions with Jordan Peterson and George Janko delve deep into the multifaceted concept of belief in God, examining its different conceptions and the question of whether belief is assenting to facts or a process of learning and seeking truth.
Peterson observes that when people ask if he believes in God, they are often looking for affirmation of their own conception of belief. He suggests that many Christians operate with an empirical or rationalist framework and expect affirmation of the existence of God as if affirming the existence of a physical object like a table.
On the other hand, Janko’s personal narrative of wearing his mother's cross suggests the struggle between his religious beliefs and his actions, illustrating the complexity and multifaceted nature of belief.
Peterson challenges the notion that belief is simply about assenting to facts. He argues that belief in God is often displayed through actions, indicating that even those who claim atheism might engage in actions that reflect a belief in a higher power.
For instance, Peterson’s wife, according to him, may not have been an avowed atheist but still showed her beliefs through actions, such as her commitment to speak the truth diligently to him. Peterson compares entering into marriage with the right spirit to taking a step toward God, as a broadening of the self to include another aligns more with divine principles than with narrow self-concern.
Peterson insists that belief involves a process of action and integrity, where one's actions must align with their spoken beliefs. He mentions various reasons people might start believing, such as learning, seeking truth, or experiencing challenges. He cites ...
Faith and Belief in God
The discussion about the spiritual practices of prayer, confession, and humility highlighted the centrality of truthfulness, admission of insufficiency, and the intent behind one’s words as described by Jordan Peterson and George Janko.
Jordan Peterson explains that prayer is fundamentally an admission of one's insufficiency and a gesture of openness to revelation, suggesting a stance of humility and a readiness to learn. George Janko shares a personal testimony, where he felt a burden lifted after deciding to keep a promise of abstinence until marriage. This decision reflects a confession and resulting revelation that moved him emotionally and spiritually.
Peterson touches upon the act of speaking the truth as a substantial risk akin to making a bet, insisting that there's no better path forward than betting on the veracity of one's words. He argues for the value of truthful speech and the importance of aligning oneself with a higher truth. He notes how Christ resisted treating God as a genie, instead choosing to align with God's will in the temptation narrative.
Both Peterson and Janko seem to agree that language and prayer are deeply interconnected. Prayer, in Peterson’s view, requires careful attention to the language used, seeing true speech as the pearl of great price. He emphasizes the importance of not being self-conscious when speaking to avoid internal disquiet. He also implies that each word should be a prayer in itself, align ...
Prayer, Confession, and Humility
In discussing the challenges and importance of forgiveness, George Janko and Jordan Peterson explore the complexities involved, especially within ongoing relationships. Peterson notes that forgiveness is much more than saying the words; it involves addressing and understanding the underlying problems of conflicts. Janko reflects on a personal struggle with forgiveness, questioning why he should forgive someone who repeatedly harms him. Through his process of forgiveness, he realizes that non-forgiveness is foolish and overlooks personal growth opportunities. Similarly, Peterson adds that avoiding conflicts leads to deeper disagreements, implying the necessity of directly addressing issues. Confession, repentance, and atonement are key to the forgiveness process, consistent with traditional Catholic practices. Peterson underscores the importance of an earnest effort to understand the conflict, rectify the situation, and prevent future recurrences as part of forgiveness.
Both Peterson and Janko recognize that how one judges others often sets the tone for how they are judged in return. Peterson illustrates that in a marriage, acting graciously can set a precedent for how partners treat each other. Harsh treatments tend to be reciprocated, thereby establishing the relational dynamic. Evaluated through Peterson's discourse, reciprocal grace becomes apparent in long-term relationships, reinforcing the notion that extending grace might pave the way for receiving grace oneself.
Peterson and Janko suggest that movin ...
Forgiveness and Handling Conflicts
Janko explores the spiritual concept of manifesting heaven on Earth through our actions, decisions, and faithfulness to God's will.
Janko and Peterson note that individuals have the capacity to bring forth either good or evil in their lives through the choices they make. Janko emphasizes leading one’s life with God’s guidance, as exemplified by his decision to honor his mother and father despite any disagreements, which he views as a choice between good and perceived evil. Additionally, Janko mentions that learning to follow God’s understanding rather than his own leads to manifesting good in life.
Furthermore, Janko speaks about living with the fear of the Lord, expressing that he feels strongest when he’s mindful of failing God in any aspect of his life. He also discusses how his mother taught him to love God more than her, suggesting that prioritizing God’s will is a path to manifesting good based on personal choices.
Janko conveys that through Christ's teachings, one can experience heaven on Earth through faith and obedience. He illustrates this with personal experiences such as meeting his partner after becoming abstinent and choosing to get married by making a promise to God and obtaining the permission of his partner's father, forgoing traditional ceremonies.
Moreover, Jank ...
Bringing Heaven to Earth
Jordan Peterson and his team are developing an innovative online education platform, aimed at providing an alternative model to traditional higher education and focusing on the learner's needs and engagement.
The academy has gathered roughly 30 skilled communicators, which include distinguished university professors and experts outside of academia from around the globe, to create content for the platform. Each of them has been selected for their ability to teach passionately about their subjects. These educators have been recorded delivering lectures that they are most eager to share, with high production values and animation, in front of live, engaged audiences.
Understanding that the social aspect of university life is significant, the program not only provides high-quality video lectures but also plans to encourage community amongst its learners. It aims to help them build a robust network of peers and potentially forge lifelong relationships, mirroring the networking aspect of traditional universities where people often find a mate or establish enduring friendships. This community-building is facilitated through online communications among viewers and future plans for live, real-world events and conferences in major cities.
Peterson’s team, which includes ...
Peterson's New Online Education Academy (Peterson)
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