The Kid

So, I am reading Descartes's Discourse on Method for Philosophy. I am pleased by this because it means an end to Luther. I enjoyed Luther, but I did not enjoy a certain child who monopolized 200% of the class time.

That's right. He monopolized SO MUCH OF THE CLASS TIME that he broke the laws of space and time, enabling him to monopolize more that 100%.

Luther is a bit difficult to understand. The whole premise of his theology is grace or salvation through faith alone. This means that, counter to the Catholic view, works count for nothing. We have to read the Word of God (revealed in the Scripture) and hope that God enters our hearts and saves us because we have no free will, and are either saved despite our sins or damned because of them. I had a lot of difficulty understanding Luther. For example, I have to pretty much take his word for all the Scripture that he is quoting because I have read very little of the Bible. however, this kid wasn't having a problem with reading Luther; he was having a problem with Luther.

For example:

Professor: So, Luther says that none of us have free will. The will is subject either to Satan or to God. You are either saved or damned, and there isn't a damned thing that you can do about it. If you dare to think otherwise or believe that you have even a tiny little bit of free will then you are damned.

The Kid: No he doesn't!

Professor: Uh... yes he does.

The Kid: But we do have free will!

Professor: Not according to Luther.

The Kid: We do have free will, it just isn't very free. It's just enough for us to choose whether or not we are saved.

Professor: What you just said is the traditional Catholic view. It is not Luther's.

The Kid: You're wrong! Luther says that we do have free will!

Professor: I'm starting to worry not only about your eternal soul but also about your exam grades in this class.

This went on and on and on and on. For three class periods. I do not think that I have ever heard a person so full of himself before in my life. He wasn't even bothering to try to understand Luther's argument and then determine that his own theological views conflicted with said argument. He just went at it with Luther. He was also throwing Scripture out there like snappy Bible quotes were the Keys to the Kingdom. Also, he had a voice... have you ever met someone who's voice not only grates horribly against your soul but also is dripping with a condescending pretension that you did not even realize could exist?? That is this kid's voice.
Finally...

The Kid: Well I'm a Lutheran and we say that you do have some free will.

Professor: Well, then maybe the Lutheran view has switched back to a more Catholic viewpoint. The concept of having no control over your own salvation is not a comforting one. But it is Luther's view.

The Kid: But Lutherans...

Me: What LUTHERANS believe and what LUTHER believes are two different things! It's like saying that what ALL CHRISTIANS believe and what JESUS believes are the same thing when there are clear differences!

*a moment of silence*

The Kid: We have free will!

Professor: All right... I'm going to read you a few more pertinent passages in the time remaining to us...

If this kid argues against Descartes in this way, I will use my Biology skills to go Scientific Method on his rear, and no number of Bible quotes will save him.

ModernHelen