The Parables of Jesus: Were the Parables for perfecting People? Or, were the Parables to be perfected by People?

submitted by EddieC from self.WritingsOnTheWall

 
The Parables of Jesus:

  • Were the Parables for "perfecting" People? OR
  • Were the Parables to be perfected by People?

 
Notice that:

  • In the former, the Narrator fetters the Audience
  • In the latter, the Narrators frees the Audience
  • The Narrator wields power through the Narrative
    i.e. The Narrative can also confound/mystify the Audience

 

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[–]Jiminy 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

People won't be perfect. But don't have to be.

[–]EddieC[S] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

In this post, I am posing a question on the intent of the Parables.

 
The first possibility: "perfecting" people (quotes added) - the intent: to moralize people based on the dogma used to interpret the parables - locking ("fettering") them into assigned positions pre-determined by dogma

 
The second possibility: "perfecting" the parables - the intent: to elicit retorts from the Listeners / the Audience / the People: "Something is not quite right!"
Next, for the People to point out what is not right AND what should be right Ultimately to demonstrate: Agency is innately with the People - specifically for critical thinking - thus freeing them from dogma.

 
There is a third possibility I have alluded to in the post, but we can get to that once we have sorted out the first two.