Mental Symmetry Home

Titus (and Philemon)

Lorin Friesen, May 2024

Introduction

I just finished an analysis of 1 Timothy. (The analysis of Philemon was added in October 2024.) Timothy means ‘value of God’ which was interpreted as a global economy based upon lasting value. Paul was an apostle and an apostle is someone who pays a personal price to make a major breakthrough. Looking at this historically, the apostle Paul invented theology. Using an analogy, an apostle is like a legislator who comes up with the constitution of a new country. The legislator will only be able to live as a citizen in this new country if a group of other people choose to live within this constitution making it possible for the legislator to become a fellow citizen. 1 Timothy was interpreted cognitively as the theoretical system developed personally by Paul the apostle being applied to the Timothy of some better economy.

A similar statement can be made about Titus. I encountered the Greek phrase ‘the Titus joy’ when going through 2 Corinthians, and we will begin the essay by quoting the relevant paragraphs from the section on 2 Corinthians 7:13-14. “And besides our comfort, we rejoiced even much more for the joy of Titus” (v.13). Looking at this literally, Paul was happy to see positive emotions in his friend Titus. But looking at this symbolically, Hitchcock’s dictionary of Bible Names defines Titus as ‘pleasing’ while Easton’s Bible Dictionary defines Titus as ‘honorable’. Other websites point out the connection between Titus and ‘title of honor’. Paul has talked about comfort. He will now discuss something in addition, which is ‘the joy of Titus’. The noun joy describes Teacher pleasure, because it is closely related in Greek to the word for grace. The verb rejoiced is part of the same family of words. It means ‘glad for grace’ and ‘has a direct etymological connection with grace’.

The end of chapter 6 [in 2 Corinthians] described a new intimate relationship between God in Teacher thought and humanity in Mercy thought. The phrase ‘joy of Titus’, which is actually written in the original Greek as ‘the Titus’ joy’, gives the impression that some new form of Teacher-plus-Mercy emotion is being experienced, because what is ‘pleasing’ and ‘honorable’ is also bringing joy. Paul says that he is ‘rejoicing’ at ‘the Titus’ joy’. If Paul represents the legislator who wants to live within the law that he has legislated, then ‘the Titus’ joy’ implies that the legislator is finally experiencing emotionally the first glimmer of the possibility of living within his legislation. This is a major breakthrough because verse 13 says that Paul ‘rejoiced even much more’. In the Greek, more is a comparative which says that ‘the Titus’ joy’ is more than the comfort, while even much is an adverb that means ‘beyond expectation; further than the upper limit, going past what is anticipated’.

The second half of verse 13 [in 2 Corinthians] describes ‘the Titus’ joy’ in more detail: “because his spirit has been refreshed by you all”. The verb translated refreshed is only used once in 2 Corinthians and means ‘to give or experience rest after the needed task is completed’. What is being refreshed is ‘his spirit’, referring to the spirit of Titus, and what is doing the refreshing is ‘you all’. We have just examined the long task of transforming legislation into laws within which one can live. This task is now completed, leading to a spirit of rest. This task has been completed by all of the believers who have followed the process described in verse 11. This spirit of rest implies that people are not yet living within the benefits of the new law but they can now see clearly within Mercy thought what this means.

Using technology as a partial example, all of the design work has now been completed. The idea of a new product has been transformed into some sort of prototype. It is now possible to rest from all of the research and development that was necessary to turn the idea into a prototype.

Returning now to the epistle of Titus, Timothy was interpreted as a revitalized economy. Titus appears to have spiritual implications and this essay on the epistle of Titus will follow this hypothesis. My general hypothesis is that a spiritual realm exists that interacts with humans by empowering mental networks. This means that spiritual activity can be analyzed from a purely cognitive perspective in terms of mental networks. However, spiritual rest and joy that goes far beyond comfort both imply that cognitive mental networks are being empowered in some sort of fashion. The first chapters of Acts also refer to a new kind of spiritual empowerment. Putting this together, Timothy represents applying the breakthrough of Paul to the male technical thought of economics and academia by adding the emotional components of God and personal identity that are currently lacking. Titus represents an entirely new system of economics and academia that emerges out of transformed mental networks of female thought. Saying this more simply, both Timothy and Titus appear to represent a spiritually revitalized economy, but with Timothy ‘spiritual’ is an adjective modifying ‘economy’ while with Titus ‘spiritual’ is the noun and ‘economy’ is the adjective.

This essay will use the Berean Literal Bible (BLB) because in most cases it uses the same English words as the interlinear translation on biblehub. This leads to English that is occasionally awkward but also generates the least frustration when looking at the original Greek. Another advantage of using the BLB is that it has just been released into the public domain. (I tried using the Berean Standard Bible in the essay on 1 Timothy but found it disappointing.) And, as usual, we will be taking the Greek definitions from biblehub.com. Words that are in italics indicate that these have been added to the English for clarity and are not in the original Greek.

This essay will refer to Mercy mental networks (MMNs) and Teacher mental networks (TMNs). A mental network is a collection of emotional memories that function as a unit. Triggering one memory in a mental network will activate the entire mental network which will then use emotional pressure to impose the content of that mental network upon the mind. Psychologically speaking, a mental network can be viewed as an emotionally imposed schema.

1:1-4 Hope of Eternal Life

1:5-6 Appointing Elders

1:7-9 Looking Intently in a Fitting Manner

1:10-11 Misusing Mental Networks

1:12-14 Humans are Beasts!?

1:15-16 Purity versus Defilement

2:1-3 Rethinking Social Mental Networks

2:4-6 Transmitting Healthy Mental Networks

2:7-10 Demonstrating Healthy Mental Networks

2:11-15 A New Society

3:1-2 Supernatural Authorities

3:3 Rethinking Humanity

3:4-7 Realizing Platonic Forms

3:8-9 Preserving Rational Thought

3:10-11 Correcting Errors

3:12-15 Intelligent versus Random Development

Philemon Introduction

1-3 The Context of Philemon

4-7 The Positive Results of Philemon

8-13 Paul ‘begetting’ Onesimus

14-16 The Transition of Onesimus

17-19 Paul Completing this Transition

20-22 Paul’s Reward and Release

23-24 Final Greetings

Hope of Eternal Life 1:1-4

Verse 1 of Titus begins, “Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ.” Paul means ‘little’. An apostle can only make a transition from legislator to fellow citizen by being ‘little’. That is because an apostle must descend from the status of being the source of truth to the insignificance of being subject to this truth. Looking at the opposite of ‘little’, the American Supreme Court is currently debating whether Donald Trump is above the law. Trump maintains that anything he did as president is not subject to the law. However, democracy is built upon the general principle that leaders are also subject to the laws of the land.

Servant means ‘someone who belongs to another’. ‘Servant of God’ means that personal identity belongs to a concept of God in Teacher thought. For instance, my personal identity belongs to the theory of mental symmetry. When there is a conflict between the TMN of the theory of mental symmetry and MMNs of personal identity, then I do not impose my personal desires upon the theory but rather the theory imposes its structure upon my personal desires. Going further, mental symmetry has formed a concept of God with my mind. This does not mean that I have chosen to treat some arbitrary theory as God. Instead, it means that Christian theology and the Greek text of the New Testament can be explained in detail using the theory of mental symmetry. Thus, when some theologian tells me to that some biblical doctrine is a mystery while mental symmetry provides a cognitive explanation for this biblical doctrine, then I choose to place my emotional trust in the theory of mental symmetry rather than the pronouncements of the theologian. Apostle means ‘one sent on a mission, an apostle’ and apostleship is discussed in the essay on 1 Corinthians. As mentioned, an apostle is interpreted as someone who pays the personal price to make a major breakthrough. This definition is sufficiently general to apply to both religious and secular realms while being sufficiently stringent to exclude the average leader as well as sufficiently moral to exclude the cult leader who gathers some followers and claims to be an apostle. Saying this another way, apostleship is not something that one claims but rather that one demonstrates by making a sufficiently major breakthrough and paying a sufficiently significant personal price. For instance, the apostle Paul’s invention of theology was a sufficiently major breakthrough and he paid a sufficiently significant personal price in his missionary journeys. Jesus means ‘Yahweh is salvation’ and Christ means ‘anointed one’. Jesus refers to the concrete, finite, human side of incarnation while Christ refers to the abstract, universal, divine side of incarnation. An integrated concept of incarnation will form when abstract technical thought with its precise definitions becomes internally integrated with concrete technical thought and its cause-and-effect. Science and technology provide a partial example of integrated incarnation.

Verse 1 finishes, “According to the faith of the elect of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness.” Faith means to ‘be persuaded’ which implies being guided by rational thought. Elect means ‘select, chosen’. Matthew 22:14 observes that ‘many are called, but few are chosen’. Being ‘called’ could be compared to being enrolled in some elite school as a gifted student. Being ‘chosen’ would mean successfully graduating from this elite school. Someone who is not ‘called’ could ask to be enrolled in this elite school and would have to pass some form of testing before being enrolled. Saying this theologically, being elect does not determine whether one goes to heaven but rather determines whether one will play a special role in God’s plan for society. Being elect is both a promise and a threat. It is a promise because one is being given responsibility and can potentially receive a greater reward. It is a threat because God will do whatever is necessary to ensure that a chosen person will carry out the assigned task. This threat can be seen in Paul’s reference to himself as a slave of God. My basic premise is that God’s plan is formulated as general equations and sequences that can be fulfilled in different specific ways by different specific individuals. Thus, God is sovereign in the sense that the divine plan can be delayed but not thwarted, but God’s sovereignty also leaves significant ‘wiggle room’ for human free will with regard to the specific manner in which the divine plan is executed. This is discussed in other essays. ‘According to faith of the elect of God’ emphasizes this symbiotic relationship. On the one hand, God is choosing certain individuals. On the other hand, God is being limited by the ability of these chosen individuals to be persuaded.

Looking at the bigger picture, ‘slave of God’ and ‘elect of God’ focuses upon the emotional relationship between MMNs of personal identity and the TMN of a concept of God. ‘Elect of God’ suggests that God will be choosing some special group of people to transform the personal realm of mental networks.

Knowledge adds the prefix ‘fitting’ to experiential knowledge. Truth means ‘true to fact, reality’. Experiential knowledge is based in emotional Mercy experiences and can be mistaken. ‘Truth’ means being consistent with the empirical Perceiver facts of reality. ‘Knowledge of the truth’ starts with the Perceiver facts of reality and then adds the emotional knowing of Mercy experiences in an appropriate manner. Emotions are typically viewed as the opposite of facts and that describes many of the emotions of the typical person. ‘Knowledge of the truth’ reprograms Mercy emotions to be a shortcut to Perceiver facts. Instead of having to use rational thought to analyze every situation, one can be guided by emotions knowing that these emotions will usually be correct. This type of interaction can be seen in dual process theory. Godliness adds the prefix ‘well’ to ‘venerate, pay homage’ and 1 Timothy contains eight of the fifteen times that this word is used in the New Testament. Veneration means to assign great Mercy status to some person, group, religion, or institution. ‘Venerating well’ means assigning Mercy status to people and entities that legitimately deserve this veneration.

Verse 2 brings up the ultimate goal. “In the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before time eternal.” Hope means ‘expectation, hope’ and Paul explains in Romans 8:24 that hope which is seen is not hope. Hope can be defined cognitively as Exhorter thought being motivated by internally generated mental networks. Taking hold of eternal life was mentioned at the end of 1 Timothy in 6:12. Titus, in contrast, begins with the hope of eternal life. Life refers to both natural and spiritual life. Eternal life has both a cognitive and a physical component. The physical component is obviously a body that does not die. But there is also the cognitive component of thinking, feeling, and behaving in a manner that always pursues long-term well-being. Applying this to the context, ‘hope of eternal life’ implies a rethinking of personal mental networks at a fundamental level.

Promised adds the prefix ‘fitting’ to ‘announce’. What distinguishes a promise from a normal announcement is that a promise is supported by the character of the promiser and the abilities of the promiser. For instance, a promise made by someone who habitually lies is not believable. But a promise made by someone who is incapable of carrying out that promise is also not believable. Cannot lie is used once in the New Testament and combines the prefix ‘not’ with ‘pseudo-’. In other words, there is nothing fake or pseudo- about God’s promise. God has both the character and the ability to carry out the promise. This can also be viewed from a cognitive perspective. A concept of God is based in a sufficiently general Teacher theory that applies to personal identity. A general theory that continues to be used will turn into a TMN which will then use emotional pressure to impose this theory upon the mind. Thus, a ‘promise of God’ is a verbal statement based in the TMN of some theory that is sufficiently general to impose itself upon other mental networks. This relates to the idea of being a ‘slave of God’. Going further, a legitimate concept of God can be formed by looking for universal principles that describe ‘how things work’. For instance, science is based upon universal principles that describe natural processes. Science is emotionally driven to make promises because scientists are emotionally driven by the TMNs of scientific theories. Science is able to carry out these promises through technology because the TMNs of scientific theories are based in a study of how the natural world actually behaves.

Before means ‘before’ and time means ‘duration in the physical-space world’ which is different than ‘time as opportunity’. Eternal means ‘agelong, eternal’. Thus, ‘promised before time eternal’ would refer to universal statements that were made before the creation of the universe which guided the formation of the physical laws of the universe. For instance, the promises of science are based in universal principles that are imbedded into the fabric of the universe. But ‘promised before time eternal’ can also be interpreted cognitively as universal principles that guided the legislation of some apostle before this legislation became the operating principles of some country. Saying this theologically, ‘promised before time eternal’ indicates elements that express fundamental characteristics of the TMN of God.

Verse 3 adds, “And in His own seasons revealed in His word.” Seasons is the other Greek word for time which refers to ‘time as opportunity’. ‘In His own seasons’ gives the impression that God is directly determining the seasons, consistent with the typical view of divine sovereignty which asserts that God handles every single detail. But ‘own’ is in the plural which means that it must refer to seasons as opposed to God who is in the singular. The BLB puts ‘in His’ in italics to indicate that it is not in the original Greek. (The NASB says ‘at the proper time’ and the KJV says ‘in due times’ which are both more accurate.) In other words, the constitution of the legislator is now functioning and the functioning of the constitution is leading to opportune times. Saying this more generally, the physical universe is now functioning and opportune times are now emerging at certain points in the functioning of the physical universe. Saying this cognitively, ‘in its own seasons’ suggests that mental networks are growing and are expressing themselves when they have become sufficiently developed.

Revealed comes from the word ‘light’. Light represents the illumination of Teacher understanding. Therefore ‘revealed’ would mean bringing something to light in the light of a Teacher theory. Word ‘is a broad term meaning reasoning expressed by words’ and is interpreted as the Teacher paradigm behind some technical specialization. This is similar to the definition of a paradigm given by Thomas Kuhn who introduced the concept of paradigms and paradigm shifts. ‘Bringing seasons in His word to light’ can be interpreted as bringing to light times of opportunity that are described in the Bible. And the essays on Matthew and Luke provide extensive evidence that both of these Gospels are detailed prophecies of Western civilization. These prophecies have always existed but have only now come to light. This phrase can also be interpreted cognitively from a Kuhnian perspective as the transition points of society becoming apparent when one approaches society with the right paradigm.

Verse 3 continues, “In the proclamation with which I have been entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior.” Proclamation means ‘a proclamation’ and is used once in Titus. Entrusted is related to the word ‘faith’ which means to ‘be persuaded’. And ‘I’ is explicitly mentioned. This is an interesting juxtaposition of elements. Paul is making a proclamation and not presenting a logical argument or empirical evidence. However, Paul did not come up with this proclamation himself but rather received it as a result of being persuaded by rational thought. This relates to the nature of a paradigm. On the one hand, a paradigm is an emotional theory that the mind is imposing upon thought and behavior. But on the other hand, a paradigm emerges out of rational thought and will eventually be rejected if it continues to violate rational thought and empirical evidence. Saying this another way, mental networks have always been developing and expressing themselves at appropriate times. What is new is the TMN of a general understanding that explains how and why mental networks develop and express themselves.

Commandment adds the prefix ‘suitably on’ to ‘arrange’. This describes building upon Teacher order-within-complexity as opposed to resting upon Mercy status. ‘Commandment of God’ means building upon the Teacher order-within-complexity of a concept of God. Savior means to ‘deliver out of danger and into safety’. Jesus normally does the saving because the name Jesus means salvation. God saves by replacing an inadequate or oppressive system of Teacher order with another system that brings more benefits to the individual.

Titus is finally mentioned in verse 4. “To Titus, my true child according to our common faith.” Titus means ‘title of honor’. Child means ‘anyone living in full dependence’. True means ‘lawfully begotten’. Paul uses the same term ‘true child’ to refer to Timothy in 1 Timothy 1:2. Paul called Timothy his ‘true child in the faith’ while referring to Titus as ‘my true child according to our common faith’. Common means ‘common, referring to what is defiled because treated as ordinary’ but it can also be interpreted as having things in common. These two meanings are cognitively related. For instance, Mercy feelings of holiness will regard a church building as holy and special and different than normal buildings. Questioning the holiness of a church building and treating it as ordinary will reveal that it has many properties in common with other buildings. Faith means to ‘be persuaded’. ‘Common’ occurs fourteen times in the New Testament and this is the only time that it is associated with ‘faith’. Ten of these times are translated as ‘unclean or unholy’. One of the principles of abstract technical thought is that every word must have only a single, clearly defined meaning. Thus, ‘common faith’ would mean being persuaded by Perceiver connections of commonality as opposed to Mercy feelings of holiness. ‘True child according to our common faith’ would mean realizing that the thinking of Titus descends from the thinking of Paul when one goes beyond Mercy feelings of holiness. For instance, many parallels become apparent between science and theology if one goes beyond Mercy feelings of holiness to look for similar patterns in Perceiver thought. Putting this into the context of Titus, a common faith questions MMNs of traditional holiness, but it also builds the Perceiver connections that are required to construct the TMN of a general theory. Thus, a ‘true child according to common faith’ indicates a relationship between personal MMNs that becomes apparent when Mercy feelings of traditional holiness are replaced by the TMN of an integrated understanding.

Verse 4 finishes with a standard greeting by Paul. “Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.” Grace ‘is preeminently used of the Lord’s favor’ and is one of a group of similar Greek words based in ‘xar-’. Peace means ‘to join, tie together into a whole’. ‘God the Father’ refers to a concept of God in Teacher thought. Cognitively speaking, a concept of God brings grace by emotionally supporting behavior that is consistent with a concept of God. This also brings wholeness because Teacher emotion comes from order-within-complexity. An integrated concept of incarnation translates the general theories of Teacher thought into specific plans of action that can save people.

Appointing Elders 1:5-6

The topic changes abruptly in verse 5. “On account of this I left you in Crete, that you might set in order the things lacking.” On account is a version of the word ‘grace’. Left means ‘to leave, leave behind’. In means ‘in the realm of’. The name Crete could mean ‘cutting, sliver’ or possibly ‘strong or powerful’. Lacking means ‘to leave, leave behind’. Set in order is found once in the New Testament and means ‘to straighten further’. Straightening is a very basic form of ordering. We will see later that Crete relates to fragmented mental networks of power and status.

Verse 5 finishes, “And might appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.” Appoint combines ‘down’ with ‘to stand’. Standing is interpreted as stable facts in Perceiver thought and moving down is interpreted as heading from Teacher generality to Mercy specifics, Thus, appointing would be interpreted as establishing specific Perceiver facts. Town is actually the word for ‘city’ and cities were the center of civilization in Roman times. In every means ‘according to’ when followed by the accusative. This suggests appointing in a manner that is ‘according to’ the unique structure of each city. An elder is ‘a mature man having seasoned judgment’. Thus, ‘Crete’ has civilization and culture but is missing mature male technical thought. Directed means ‘to arrange thoroughly’, which suggests that a lot of organizing is going to be required.

Verse 6 describes the qualifications of an elder. “If anyone is blameless, the husband of one wife, having believing children, not under accusation of debauchery, or insubordinate.” Blameless means ‘not convictable when a person is properly scrutinized’ and is also used in 1 Timothy 3:10 in the qualifications of a deacon. Blameless does not necessarily mean socially approved but rather indicates that any accusations are invalid if one examines the facts of the case.

‘Husband of one wife’ is literally ‘one woman man’. References to men and women are interpreted as male and female thought. Thus, a one-woman man would mean that male technical thought expresses itself within a single set of mental networks. For instance, the average scientist is not a one-woman man because modern research is driven by the mental networks of scientific research as well as motivated by mental networks of funding, approval, and publishing. Thus, the typical scientist is continually torn between pursuing science and seeking funding, between doing meaningful research or writing papers that are likely to get published.

Believing means to ‘be persuaded’. And child means ‘anyone living in full dependence’. ‘Believing children’ would mean that those who learn from this mature source of male technical thought also use rational thought. In other words, rational thinking is being transmitted to the next generation.

Under means ‘in the realm of’. Accusation means ‘an accusation’. Debauchery is used three times in the New Testament and adds the prefix ‘without’ to ‘save’. Insubordination adds the prefix ‘not’ to ‘arrange under’. Applying this to an elder, ‘accusation of debauchery’ would mean that other people regard this example of mature male thought to be unteachable and incapable of being improved. ‘Accusation of insubordination’ would mean that other people regard this mature male thought as a stubborn individual who is incapable of functioning within a system. Applying this to incarnation, a concept of incarnation is based in male technical thought but goes beyond objective technical thought to saving people in Mercy thought and goes beyond technical specialization to being guided by a concept of God in Teacher thought. ‘Accusation of debauchery’ describes male technical thought that is incapable of saving people while ‘unsubordinate’ describes technical thought that is incapable of being guided by a concept of God.

Summarizing, Titus begins by examining the emotional qualities of the established experts of society. This is consistent with interpreting Titus as a reformulation of mental networks.

Looking Intently in a Fitting Manner 1:7-9

Verse 7 turns to an overseer, which is a different word than ‘elder’ and is the source of the English word ‘episcopal’. “For it behooves the overseer to be blameless, as God’s steward; not self-willed, not quick tempered, not given to wine, not a striker, not greedy of base gain.” Behooves means ‘it is necessary’ which goes beyond personal opinion to requirements determined by natural law. For instance, it is necessary to eat food to stay alive. Overseer adds the prefix ‘fitting’ to ‘look intently’. This word is used five times in the New Testament and a list of qualifications follows. The same word is used in 1 Timothy 3:2 which also contains a list of requirements that begin with the word ‘it is necessary’. The list in 1 Timothy makes cognitive sense if interpreted as mental requirements that make it possible to look intently at some subject in a fitting manner. In other words, this type of thinking is required if one wants to do successful research. These two lists are similar but not identical, giving the impression that each is describing a similar form of research being done from a different perspective.

Blameless is the same word used in verse 6 which means ‘not convictable when a person is properly scrutinized’. In both cases, ‘blameless’ comes at the beginning of the list. This suggests that the first requirement is the ability to follow rational thought despite existing cultural and social mental networks. On the one hand, people will complain because cultural norms are being violated. On the other hand, careful investigation regards these complaints to be invalid. The word ‘blameless’ was preceded by the verb ‘to be’ in verse 6 and is followed by the verb ‘to be’ in verse 7. This suggests that the struggle will be at the level of ‘being’, a realm that is governed by mental networks. Steward means ‘household-manager’ and is used once in Titus. It does not appear in Timothy. A manager of a house indicates functioning within the subjective realm of mental networks. As means ‘like as, even as’ which indicates similarities between one situation and another. Verse 7 does not say that overseers are God’s stewards but rather that they should be like God’s stewards. In other words, they are not just following a negative path of violating MMNs of social norms but rather following a positive path of copying TMNs of how God behaves.

Self-willed is used twice in the New Testament and combines ‘self’ with ‘hedonism’. Self-willed gives the impression of choosing to follow self, while ‘self-hedonism’ means focusing upon mental networks that come from the physical body and physical sensation. Quick-tempered is used once in the New Testament and means ‘nurturing long-standing anger’. It comes from the word for ‘settled anger’. This is actually the opposite of being quick-tempered. Instead, one is being motivated over the long-term by deep mental networks of antipathy. For instance, over the years I have developed a deep antipathy to mysticism because I have found that mysticism will always drive a person to reject mental symmetry. I also have a deep hatred for wokeism, because it is belligerent insanity that focuses upon symptoms while refusing to address root problems. Being emotionally driven by this hatred would be an example of ‘nurturing long-standing anger’. Instead, I try to focus upon the positive goal of developing mental symmetry, guided by the belief that this will address issues such as mysticism and wokeism as a byproduct.

Given to wine is only used in this verse and in the list of requirements for overseer in 1 Timothy 3:3. It combines the word ‘close beside’ with ‘wine’. Liquid is interpreted as Mercy experiences and wine represents mental networks of fine culture. ‘Given to wine’ would mean focusing upon cultural MMNs. Verse 7 does not say that wine should be avoided. (I will avoid dealing with the question of drinking alcohol. I personally do not drink alcohol.) Instead it says that one should avoid being ‘close beside wine’. Similarly, fine culture is nice. For instance, for many years I played violin in professional orchestras. But focusing upon fine cultural MMNs is a distraction if one wants to think clearly about some subject.

Striker also appears only in this verse and in 1 Timothy 3:3 and means ‘to strike’. One strikes another person in order to impose one’s own mental networks upon the mental networks of the other person. Putting this into the context, when one moves beyond all of the distractions and finally gains clarity with the real issues, then it is tempting to impose this answer upon others who are ‘so blind and stupid’.

Greedy of base gain is only found here and in the list of qualifications of deacon (which actually means emissary) in 1 Timothy 3:8. It combines ‘shameful’ with ‘gain’. The idea here is that the end justifies the means, because one is attempting to achieve gain some area in a shameful manner. In terms of mental networks, one should allow good mental networks to guide both the goal and the means of reaching this goal.

In summary, these requirements make sense if one is attempting to ‘look intently in a fitting manner’ at some set of mental networks. This is different than attempting to use technical thought to study some topic. We are also finding that the translators are not doing a very good job of translating these words. Instead, one gains the impression that Bible translators are using technical thought to examine these words and do not understand how mental networks function.

Verse 8 turns from the negative to the positive. “But hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.” Hospitable is also in the list of overseer traits in 1 Timothy 3:2 and combines ‘philos’ with ‘strangers’. ‘Philos’ describes liking as opposed to the loving of ‘agape’. Cognitively speaking, one likes being around another person because of resonating with the mental networks of that person. The normal response is to be attracted to people with similar cultural MMNs while being repelled from those who have different cultural MMNs. ‘Hospitable’ means being comfortable around those who have different cultural MMNs. This happens when one becomes driven by mental networks that transcend specific cultures.

Lover of good is only found once in the New Testament and combines ‘philos’ with ‘intrinsically good’. ‘Hospitable’ provided a larger perspective that looked beyond the assumptions of my culture. ‘Lover of good’ uses this larger perspective to search for intrinsic goodness that is independent of culture. This search for intrinsic goodness is creating a set of mental networks that cause a person to become emotionally attracted to intrinsic goodness. One can see that following such a path would lead to the trait of ‘blameless’, because the immediate response of others would be to reject behavior that violated cultural MMNs while closer examination would show that this behavior supports intrinsic goodness.

Self-controlled is only found in Titus and in 1 Timothy 3:2 and combines ‘sound, safe’ with ‘the midriff, the parts around the heart’. The heart represents personal identity, but neurology has found that mental networks of personal identity within the ventromedial prefrontal cortex are influenced by a sense of physical identity that is formed within the insula based upon internal sensations such as gut feeling. Thus, self-control means having a safe and sound gut sense of self. Gut-self provides the initial sense of self for the child which then becomes modified over the years by mental networks of knowledge, skill, and expertise. Personal transformation uses TMNs of rational understanding to rebuild mental networks of self. And I have found through repeated personal experience that my gut-self is the last aspect of self to change. This order is reflected in the fact that ‘self-controlled’ follows ‘lover of good’. ‘Lover of good’ transforms mental networks of personal identity. ‘Self-controlled’ extends this transformation to include the gut-level sense of self.

Upright means ‘righteous’. Righteousness is defined as Server actions that are guided by the TMN of a concept of God. It is interesting that this term is near the end of the list. This gives the impression that it will be necessary to unlearn a lot of misconceptions that are motivated by MMNs before it becomes possible to gain an accurate understanding in Teacher thought of how God behaves. This makes sense if Titus is talking about thinking clearly about the emotional realm of mental networks. Objective science has its flaws, but it is guided by a Teacher understanding of the laws of Nature while the subjective realm of mental networks is not currently guided by any integrated theories. Looking at this personally, it took me years of studying the mind and following a path of personal transformation before I became capable of even thinking in terms of a God of righteousness carrying out a plan of history.

Holy is not the normal word for ‘holy’ but rather means ‘what is sanctioned by a higher law’. Righteousness follows a TMN in some specific behavior. Continuing to practice righteousness in many areas will lead eventually to the concept of a higher law. ‘Holy’ means being emotionally guided by the TMN of such an integrated system.

Disciplined means ‘mastered from within’ and combines ‘in the realm’ with ‘dominion, mastery’. This describes a person who is intrinsically motivated by internal mental networks. This is only possible to the extent that one has an internal concept of a higher law that transcends local customs and conventions. This goes beyond the ‘discipline’ of the male Contributor person who uses strong will to follow some plan and avoid distraction. Instead, it is the result of an emotionally integrated mind whose deepest desires are based in the TMN of a higher law and MMNs of intrinsic goodness.

Verse 9 turns to interaction with others. “Holding to the faithful word according to the teaching.” Holding to is literally ‘anti-having’ and ‘holds on to in a way that matches the object grasped’. According to means ‘according to’ when followed by the accusative. Teaching means ‘a summarized body of respected teaching’. Faithful means to ‘be persuaded’. And word is ‘logos’ which refers to a paradigm of technical thought. So far this list has focused upon the subjective realm of ‘being’. ‘Having’ indicates the objective realm of facts and possessions. ‘Anti-having’ indicates the establishment of a new set of objective facts and possessions. But this is not just a reaction against existing society but rather is according to an established body of teaching based in rational thought and paradigms of technical thinking. However, notice the implicit presence of mental networks. One is not just teaching isolated facts but rather the TMN of a ‘body of teaching’. And one is not just using technical thought but rather teaching the Teacher paradigms that lie behind technical specializations.

Verse 9 finishes, “That he may be able both to encourage with sound teaching and to convict those contradicting it.” Able means ‘powerful’ and is interpreted as active Perceiver thought. Be is the verb ‘to be’ which refers to personal character. One is not just having power but rather being powerful. Encourage means to ‘personally make a call’. It is used often by Paul and also describes the spiritual gift (or cognitive style) of Exhorter in Romans 12:8. Teaching means ‘applied teaching’. Sound means ‘in good working order’ and is the source of the English word ‘hygiene’. Exhorter thought combines Mercy with Teacher. This is reflected in ‘applied teaching’ which applies the words of Teacher thought to the experiences of Mercy thought. ‘In good working order’ indicates Teacher order-within-complexity while ‘hygiene’ suggests that this Teacher order is being expressed within the realm of Mercy mental networks.

Contradict combines the prefix ‘anti-’ with ‘speak’. Convict means ‘to convince with solid, compelling evidence’. ‘Contradicting it’ implies that certain doctrines are being opposed, but as the italics indicate, ‘it’ is not in the original Greek. Instead what is being addressed is a mindset of verbal opposition. Speaking against such a mindset is self-defeating, because this merely reinforces the mindset of verbal opposition. Instead, the focus is being shifted from verbal opinion to solid evidence. Verse 8 encouraged ‘anti-having’ guided by TMNs of rational understanding. Verse 9 counters ‘anti-speaking’ with solid evidence.

Applying this to Exhorter thought, the Exhorter person has a natural tendency to stretch the facts in order to generate greater excitement but will not directly oppose the facts. That is because Exhorter thought hates to be frustrated and fighting against the facts merely lead to frustration. Thus, solid compelling evidence will redirect Exhorter thought away from dead ends to more fruitful paths. Using facts to redirect Exhorter thought is different than using facts to try to win verbal arguments.

Misusing Mental Networks 1:10-11

The next section describes a path that does not lead to mental and social hygiene. Thus, Paul is following a call for solid compelling evidence by providing solid compelling evidence. Verse 10 contains another progression. “For there are also many insubordinate, empty talkers, and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision.” Many means ‘high in number’ and verse 10 begins with the verb ‘to be’ which means that this refers to personal character and not just research techniques.

Insubordinate was used in verse 6 and combines ‘not’ with ‘arrange’. This describes a mindset that is intrinsically opposed to order and structure. This obviously refers to the rebel from society, but it also includes most theologians and academics who feel that subjective meaning can only be discovered by rejecting rational thought. Such an individual will emphasize order and structure when performing objective research while strenuously opposing any attempt to apply ordered thinking to the subjective. I have personally encountered this mindset repeatedly, because mental symmetry extends the ordered thinking of rational thought to the subjective and the spiritual. I am not suggesting that scientific technical thought should be used to study spiritual topics, because such an approach will tend to kill the mental networks that are being studied. However, it is possible to use rational thought to arrange mental networks into an internal landscape of soundness and hygiene that brings health to mental networks and does not kill the ‘specimens’ by observing them in a dispassionate manner.

Empty talker is used once in the New Testament and combines ‘talk’ with a word that ‘emphasizes the absence of purpose or failure to attain any true purpose’. Talking indicates verbal activity within Teacher thought. Purpose comes from goals within Mercy thought. Most modern science would qualify as ‘empty talking’ because it attempts to avoid teleological thinking. Quoting from Wikipedia, “In modern science, explanations that rely on teleology are often, but not always, avoided, either because they are unnecessary or because whether they are true or false is thought to be beyond the ability of human perception and understanding to judge.” This approach works when studying natural processes. For instance, suppose that one fires a cannonball at a castle. Science will ignore why this cannonball is being fired in order to compare the path taken by the cannonball with the path of other projectiles moving through the air. This makes it possible to use the mathematical talking of Teacher thought to describe the path taken by the projectile. However, rejecting teleology does not work when attempting to analyze mental networks because the very purpose of mental networks is to provide purpose. Saying this another way, one cannot study mental networks using a method that suppresses the very concept of mental networks.

Deceiver is also used once in the New Testament and combines ‘the midriff, the parts around the heart’ with ‘deceive’. This means being deceptive at a gut level in the realm of mental networks. The scientist who attempts to study mental networks in a dispassionate manner is being inherently deceptive about mental networks, because the scientist is being guided by mental networks of scientific respectability to suppress the topic of mental networks while being motivated by personal mental networks to do the research. ‘Gut level deception’ suggests that most of this duplicity is happening instinctively as a natural byproduct of emphasizing technical thought. It must be happening at a gut level because my experience is that this deception is immune to rational arguments, and pointing out this deception will simply lead to a stronger gut level rejection. The end result is typically a theoretical system that falls apart when applied to itself and most theoretical systems that I have analyzed fall apart when applied to themselves.

Circumcision literally means to ‘cut around’ and every male Jew is supposed to be circumcised. This is the only mention of circumcision in Timothy or Titus. Circumcision can be interpreted cognitively as placing restrictions upon the fundamental motivations of male technical thought. History has repeatedly shown that immature male technical thought will naturally gravitate towards war, destruction, and domination. Thus, it is important to place restrictions upon the deepest goals of male technical thought. Placing restrictions upon purpose is different than denying purpose and disregarding mental networks. Verse 10 says that the insubordination, empty talking, and deception come ‘especially from out of the circumcision’. In other words, those who think in terms of restricting core mental networks are naturally extending this to refusing to think about core mental networks, blocking off core mental networks, and being implicitly driven by suppressed core mental networks. The previous section, in contrast, described developing a mind that fully acknowledges core mental networks while remaining sane and sound. Verse 10 describes mental control; the previous section described mental wholeness.

Verse 11 goes further, “Whom it is necessary to silence, who overthrow whole households.” Necessary means ‘it is necessary’, which refers to requirements that must be followed as a result of universal principles. For instance, ‘it is necessary to stay on the path and not walk off the cliff’. Silence is used once in the New Testament and means ‘to stop the mouth’. Paul is not arguing with these people or attempting to discuss the issue with them but is simply saying, ‘Shut up!’ And Paul is saying this because it is necessary and not because he is trying to impose his opinion. That is because talking about MMNs in a manner that suppresses and ignores purpose is actually building a TMN out of killing mental networks. If some theory continues to be used, then this theory will eventually turn into a TMN that will use emotional pressure to impose this theory upon the mind—even if the premise of this theory is that one should ignore mental networks. One will then become motivated by mental networks to suppress mental networks.

For instance, I recently wrote a paper connecting mental networks with the function of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC). This paper begins by pointing out the inherent contradiction of using a method of research that suppresses subjective bias to study the part of the brain that generates subjective bias. Evidence indicates that scientific research is capable of studying MMNs to some extent but implodes when attempting to study TMNs. Looking at two examples of this, Thomas Kuhn wrote a seminal book on paradigms and the effect that these TMNs have upon scientific research. His book has been cited over 140,000 times. But Kuhn himself abandoned his research soon after writing the second edition of his book. Similarly, the theory of evolution states categorically that life evolved through chance without any purpose or goal. But evolutionists continually lapse into the language of describing evolution as reaching some purpose or goal. One cannot argue with someone who is being driven by a Teacher mental network to insist that mental networks should be ignored, because arguing merely reinforces this Teacher mental network. Instead, this un-mental network must be starved by shutting up.

Looking at a religious example, mysticism uses overgeneralization in Teacher thought to come up with the theory of a mystical God who transcends all rational content and then uses identification in Mercy thought to become emotionally united with this overgeneralized concept of God. Focusing upon this transcendental experience will generate a TMN, which will then drive the mystical theologian to write endless words that use complicated language to say that one cannot say anything about God. This is known theologically is apophatic theology. Talking about mysticism merely validates this TMN, strengthening the illusion that is appropriate to talk about mysticism. The solution, again, is for the mystic to Shut Up!

Overthrow is used three times in the New Testament and means ‘to overturn, destroy’. Household means ‘a house, a dwelling’ and is in the plural. Whole means ‘the total, which is greater than the mere sum of the parts’. A household is a home for personal identities, which would refer to mental networks. ‘Overthrowing whole households’ would mean that the structural mental networks that provide the framework for constructing homes for personal identity are being destroyed. What is being destroyed is not necessarily individual homes but rather civilization. Looking first at evolution, Social Darwinism took the purposelessness of evolution and used this to guide society. Wikipedia points out that “Social Darwinism declined in popularity following World War I, and its purportedly scientific claims were largely discredited by the end of World War II—partially due to its association with Nazism and due to a growing scientific consensus that eugenics and scientific racism were groundless. References to social Darwinism since have usually been pejorative.” The implication is that social Darwinism played a major motivating role in the horrors of the two world wars. As for mysticism, I have found it to be an impenetrable barrier. No matter how much research I do, it will be rejected as nothing. Even if I use mental symmetry to explain all Christian doctrine and analyze two thirds of the New Testament in essays such as these, the theologian will still respond by smiling beatifically and declaring that I am a simpleton to think that I can actually know anything about God and religion, because the experts have all declared that nothing can be known. No!! Someone who declares that nothing can be known is—by definition—a simpleton, and a group of so-called experts who declare that nothing can be known is—by definition—a group of simpletons. That too is an example of ‘destroying whole households’. The mystical theologian is usually willing to accept some rational principles. However, this rational thinking will be instinctively rejected if it extends beyond ‘individual houses’ to ‘whole households’. This same reasoning applies to the current academic and political advocacy for Native spirituality. Aboriginal groups have experienced significant marginalization and persecution at the hands of Western civilization. But the primary goal of most aboriginal advocacy is not to improve the life of aboriginal groups but rather ‘to overturn and destroy the household’ of Western society by embracing alternate forms of ‘knowing’ that are untainted by Western scientific thought.

Verse 11 finishes, “Teaching things that they ought not for the sake of base gain.” Teaching is the normal word for ‘teach’. Things is a generic relative pronoun. Ought actually means ‘it is necessary’. ‘Ought’ gives the impression that some source of authority is telling people what to teach. ‘It is necessary’ describes teaching that is based in universal principles of how things work. Putting this together, ‘teaching things that they ought not’ would mean teaching that contradicts universal principles of how things work. For instance, textbooks on biochemistry (I have read through such a tome) make it clear that the physical body goes to extreme lengths to suppress mutations and they point out that mutations are the primary cause of cancer. These same textbooks will then contradict themselves by saying that ALL biological mechanisms emerged through random mutations. That is an example of teaching that violates universal principles of how things work. Similarly, the basic premise of Christianity is that God revealed himself to mankind through the incarnation of Jesus. If Jesus was fully human and if Jesus expressed the fundamental characteristics of the nature of God, then asserting that the fundamental characteristics of God’s nature are incomprehensible to human thought denies the basic premise of Christianity. And when one states that the character of God transcends any human knowledge of how things work, then this is, by definition, teaching that violates universal principles of how things work.

Gain means ‘gain, profit’ and base means ‘shameful’. These two words appeared as the single word ‘greedy of base gain’ in verse 7. For the sake of comes from the word ‘grace’. The problem about ignoring natural law is that this eliminates any independent standard by which mental networks can be judged. For instance, if stepping off a path leads to the natural consequence of falling off a cliff, then a mental network that motivates a person to step off paths is morally inferior to one that motivates a person to stay on paths. However, if there are no cliffs that ‘it is necessary’ to avoid, then there is no reason to change inferior mental networks because there is no independent standard by which a mental network can be judged as inferior. The end result is to give grace to shameful gain. For instance, postmodernism started by questioning the idea of truth and natural law. It has turned into wokeism that brings profit and grace to shameful behavior. In fact, simply saying what I have just said is regarded as abhorrent by wokeism because the basic premise of wokeism is that ‘it is necessary’ does not exist.

Humans are Beasts!? 1:12-14

This is described more clearly in verse 12. “One of them, a prophet of their own, said, ‘Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.’” Note that Paul is not saying this but rather is quoting what a Cretan prophet is saying about Cretans. Of is ‘from out of’ which means that this statement is coming from out of this mindset. Own means ‘uniquely one’s own’. Prophet means ‘elevating one idea over another, especially through the spoken word’. In other words, certain trends in current society are being emphasized in order to predict the future. A theory in Teacher thought is often formulated by ‘elevating one idea over another’. In verse 12, Cretans themselves are focusing upon certain ideas in order to come up with theories about Cretans.

Always means ‘ever, unceasingly’. Liar means ‘a liar, a person who falsifies’. A beast is ‘the generic term for wild animal’. And evil means ‘inwardly follow, rotten’. An ‘evil beast’ is someone who is inwardly driven to act like a wild animal. For instance, the basic premise of evolution is that everyone is internally a wild animal. This animal nature is treated as a fundamental characteristic that has been modified and clothed by civilization but still continues to function unceasingly under the surface. This premise is blatant within Social Darwinism, which declares that it is natural for people and countries to interact as wild animals and attempt to dominate one another. Notice how lacking an independent standard to judge networks turns into treating immature mental networks as a universal theory of humanity. Wikipedia mentions two examples of Social Darwinism leading to genocide. The first was the Young Turks. “Belief that there was a life-or-death conflict between Turks and other ethnicities motivated them to carry out genocides and ethnic cleansing campaigns against the Armenians. Social Darwinism enabled them to view extermination of entire population groups and the murder of women and children as a necessary and justified course of action.” The other example is, of course, the Nazis, and “The argument that Nazi ideology was strongly influenced by social Darwinist ideas is often found in historical and social science literature.”

Glutton means ‘the belly’ and is translated as ‘womb’ or ‘pregnant’ the other eight times it occurs. The mind represents living beings as mental networks. Thus, being pregnant would mean internally nurturing mental networks in order to bring them to birth in society. Lazy adds the prefix ‘not’ to ‘a deed that carries out an inner desire’. ‘Lazy’ means that these mental networks are not being treated as internal goals to guide behavior. This contrasts two possible ways of externalizing mental networks. ‘Being pregnant’ tries to get society to respect and promote my mental networks. This describes various methods of social advocacy. (‘Being pregnant’ with mental networks is different than actually giving birth to these mental networks.) The other option is to treat this mental network as a goal to guide behavior. This second option is only possible if a realm exists that is independent of mental networks. For instance, a basic premise of modern technology is that one can use a knowledge of natural law to design and build better gadgets that people will want. But if ‘it is necessary’ does not exist, then the only option that remains is to protest and advocate. This naturally leads to laziness because there is no reason to do anything except protest and advocate.

Applying this to mental symmetry, I used to feel that this theory had to be taught to people in order to transform their mental networks. Thus, it was very discouraging when people refused to listen. However, it has gradually become apparent that I can treat mental symmetry as an internal motivation to follow the personal path of breaking through to the spiritual realm. If I can manage to achieve such a breakthrough, then people will become attracted to mental symmetry. Obviously this is only possible if an actual spiritual realm exists that functions independently of people’s mental networks.

Paul responds to Cretan logic in verse 13. “This testimony is true, for which cause rebuke them severely, so that they may be sound in the faith.” Testimony means ‘eye- or ear-witness’. True means ‘what can’t be hidden’. In other words, the average person really is driven by inward foulness to behave like an animal and this underlying motivation cannot be hidden by civilization. Social Darwinism is an accurate description of natural human nature. Cause means ‘cause, reason’. Rebuke means ‘to convince with solid, compelling evidence’. Severely is used twice in the New Testament and combines ‘cut’ with ‘away from’. Putting this together, instead of treating the beastly human nature as a universal and inescapable fundamental trait of humanity, human nature needs to be analyzed accurately using solid, compelling evidence. ‘Evidence’ implies the existence of a realm of solid facts that is independent of personal opinion. ‘Cutting away from’ means that the purpose of this evidence is to stop being motivated by mental networks of animal desire. Stated bluntly, the goal of education is not to come up with theories that justify acting like an animal. Instead, the goal of education is to learn to evaluate the facts so that one can stop acting like an animal.

Sound means ‘healthy, working well’ and is the source of the English word ‘hygiene’. Faith means to ‘be persuaded’. Thus, the final phrase is more accurately ‘in order to be healthy in the realm of rational thought’. In other words, instead of misusing rational thought to rationalize the animal nature, one needs to develop healthy rational thought that thinks in terms of working well. This principle obviously applies to the theory of evolution and wokeism, but it also applies to mysticism and blind faith. The basic premise of mysticism is that God transcends human rational thought, while the basic premise of blind faith is that the source of faith is far more important than I am. The end result is to excuse human depravity. Instead, one needs to become healthy in the realm of rational thought by coming up with rational principles of mental and spiritual wholeness.

Verse 14 continues, “Not giving heed to Jewish myths and commandments of men turning away from the truth.” Giving heed means to ‘have towards’. Myth means ‘a speech, story, a fable’. Jewish is only used once as an adjective in the New Testament. ‘Jew’ comes from a Hebrew word that means ‘praised’ which is interpreted as a system of thought that is based in praise for certain sources of truth in Mercy thought. A ‘Jewish myth’ would be some story based in praise for some group or individual. This can be seen, for instance, in the postmodern emphasis upon narrative. Instead of gathering statistical data, one tells the story of some (usually hurting) individual, treating this as an emotional starting point for advocating some form of social activism. This qualifies as myth because one is jumping intuitively from some specific personal story to some general ideology. In the words of one website, “Researchers use narrative analysis to understand how research participants construct story and narrative from their own personal experience. That means there is a dual layer of interpretation in narrative analysis. First the research participants interpret their own lives through narrative. Then the researcher interprets the construction of that narrative.” ‘Having’ indicates the peripheral realm of ‘having’ as opposed to ‘being’. Thus, ‘having towards’ would mean approaching such topics from the peripheral perspective of ‘having’. For instance, the underlying assumption of most narrative research is that the personal narrative is inherently valid. Any attempt to pull a narrative apart in the light of some system of independent facts is generally ‘verboten’. Instead, the general conclusion is that this narrative represents some oppressed group that needs to have more societal attention and more government resources. A similar focus upon narrative and myth can be seen in religious studies. Some of this research is useful. However, it also tends to be characterized by a ‘having toward’ that analyzes myths in an objective manner without using any independent system of mental health to morally evaluate these myths.

Myths also play a defining role in evolutionary psychology. For instance, the cognitive science of religion is based in the myth of the fleeing native. Supposedly, the proto-human surviving in the jungle who heard a noise and interpreted this as a prowling lion survived to pass on his genes while the proto-human who did not interpret this as a prowling lion was eaten; the result of passing on these genes is a natural human tendency to jump to the conclusion that events are caused by living beings, which is referred to as a ‘hyperactive agency detector device’. That is why modern humans interpret events as the behavior of God. No, I am not making this up. In the words of one academic article, “As humans and other agents (such as predatory mammals) represented our greatest threats and promises for survival and reproduction in our evolutionary environment, better to assume the rustling in the brush is an intentional agent than assume it is just the wind. To assume it is an agent and be wrong may carry some cost in terms of needless running away, but not nearly so much cost as missing a tiger and becoming lunch. Guthrie argues that we evolved a bias to over-detect evidence of human-like agency around us and so we attribute natural forces and events to human-like beings or gods.” The ‘agency detector device’ is a valid cognitive mechanism and reading about this mechanism in the cognitive science of religion helped me to realize the fundamental role played by mental networks, but attributing the mental network to proto-humans fleeing from tigers is pure conjecture rooted in a theory of evolution that regards the beastly nature of humans as universal and inescapable. Believing in God becomes reduced to running away from getting eaten. Adults with PhDs who claim to be intelligent thinkers actually propose this as a superior view of religion. And when I have attempted to interact with these ‘intelligent thinkers’, their gut-level reaction is to reject me as uneducated. On the contrary, they are ‘overthrowers of whole households whom it is necessary to silence’.

Commandment means ‘in the end, focusing on the end-result of a command’. Men is the generic word for mankind. ‘Commandments of men’ assumes that people and their mental networks are both the starting point and the goal for rules—rules are merely the way that privileged social groups maintain their positions of privilege. ‘Giving heed’ to this would mean studying this peripherally at the level of ‘having’. Instead of attempting to move beyond a mindset of domination and submission, one is merely cataloging various systems and periods of domination and submission. Turning away from is a single word that means ‘to turn away from’. Truth means ‘true to fact’ and is the noun form of ‘true’. For instance, narrative has become viewed in the social sciences as an alternate sense of knowing to the facts of statistical analysis. (Mental symmetry uses an intermediate form of knowledge that looks for repeated patterns in narratives and events.) Similarly, the basic premise of mysticism is that one encounters God by transcending the human realm of rational facts. This sounds holy but it associates God with turning away from truth while associating personal desire with unredeemed human nature.

Purity versus Defilement 1:15-16

Verse 15 contrast two mindsets. “To the pure all things are pure; but to those being defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure.” Pure occurs three times in this verse and means ‘pure because unmixed’. All things means ‘each part of a totality’. Pursuing mental wholeness leads to purity because mental wholeness implies that all parts of the mind are heading in the same direction and purity means that everything is of the same stuff. Mental wholeness can only be achieved by submitting to the TMN of a universal theory of how the mind works. On the one hand, a universal Teacher theory imposes purity because it exerts emotional pressure to impose this theory upon all thought and behavior. On the other hand, a theory will only succeed in imposing itself upon all thought and behavior if it summarizes ‘what is necessary’ for each cognitive module to achieve maximum fulfillment. A mind that is pure will interpret situations from a perspective of purity. This will extend to interpreting physical desire and appetite from a perspective of purity. For instance, instead of viewing sex as an expression of the human animal nature, sex becomes viewed as a physical expression of bringing integration and purity to male and female thought. Instead of dragging God and religion down to the level of savages, purity elevates physical behavior to the level of God and purity.

Being defiled means ‘to stain with paint or dye’. Unbelieving adds the prefix ‘not’ to ‘be persuaded’. Civilized society requires reasonably sane mental networks. ‘Being defiled’ implies that sane behavior is becoming replaced by animal mental networks, and that each new expression of animal behavior becomes inescapable. This can be seen, for instance, in both of the world wars. Victorian society viewed itself as the epitome of human civilization. The First World War reduced humanity to the level of animals one atrocity at a time. Similarly, Nazism taught that Germans came from a racially superior Aryan race. The Second World War reduced Germans to the level of animals one atrocity at a time. In both cases, there was an unwillingness to be ruled by rational thought. Likewise, wokeism has transmogrified step-by-step from a pursuit of human decency to the defense of human depravity and each step has been accompanied by a growing unwillingness to be persuaded by rational thought.

Verse 15 finishes, “Instead, both their mind and conscience are defiled.” Defiled is the same word used earlier in the verse that means ‘to stain with paint or dye’. Mind means ‘the mind, the reason’. Conscience is used once in Titus and combines ‘together with’ and ‘seeing that becomes knowing’. In other words, conscience looks at the facts and feelings of some situation and then uses Perceiver thought to compare this to similar situations. For instance, I want to avoid being cut because it hurts. Therefore, I also want to avoid inflicting wounds on another human being because being cut hurts. This sounds childishly obvious, but war ignores this fundamental similarity. ‘Defiled in mind and conscience’ means that each episode of exhibiting or defending the animal nature leads to insanity and a lack of conscience in that area. Any attempt to use rational logic will be emotionally rejected as well as any attempt to apply conscience to the situation. This is evident, for instance, when attempting to use logic or apply moral reasoning with a wokeist, or when attempting to use rational thought or theological reasoning with the mystic.

Verse 16 reaches the level of a concept of God. “They profess to know God, but in their works they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and unfit for any good work.” Profess means ‘to speak the same thing’. Know means ‘seeing that becomes knowing’ and is interpreted as empirical evidence. ‘Profess to know God’ would mean using the language of universal theories that apply to personal identity based in empirical evidence. For instance, evolution claims to be a universal theory of human origins that is based in empirical evidence. Similarly wokeism claims to describe universal principles of human nature based in real experiences. And mysticism claimed to describe universal principles about God based in real mystical experiences of encountering God.

Work is ‘a deed that carries out an inner desire’. Deny means ‘to refuse to affirm or to confess’ and is used to describe Peter’s denials of Jesus. Thus, if one looks beyond what is being said verbally to what is being said non-verbally motivated by internal Mercy mental networks, one does not see any evidence of Teacher universality. For instance, Social Darwinism claims to describe universal principles in Teacher thought but in practice it is nothing more than a justification for exalting my personal and cultural MMNs at the expense of others’ personal and cultural MMNs. Similarly, wokeism claims to follow universal principles of equality but in practice it is nothing more than a grab for political and social power. And mysticism claims to worship a universal God but in practice it turns into defending my church, my culture, or my country in the name of God.

Detestable is used once in the New Testament as an adjective and means to ‘reek with stench’. The noun form of this word is used in Matthew 24 and Mark 13 to refer to the Abomination of Desolation. Smell triggers mental networks. Therefore, ‘reeking with stench’ would mean actively driven by horrific mental networks. This is followed by the verb ‘being’ which means that this stench becomes one’s fundamental nature. For instance, both world wars enabled people to become what can accurately be described as ‘reeking with stench’. Similarly, the queer theory that has emerged from wokeism can also be accurately described as ‘reeking with stench’. Wikipedia explains that “Queer theory and politics necessarily celebrate transgression in the form of visible difference from norms. These ‘Norms’ are then exposed to be norms, not natures or inevitabilities. Gender and sexual identities are seen, in much of this work, to be demonstrably defiant definitions and configurations.” When one ‘necessarily celebrates transgression’ from societal norms regarding core mental networks of ‘gender and sexual identities’, then one is deliberately attempting to behave in a manner that the average person will regard as ‘reeking with stench’.

Unbelieving in verse 15 added the prefix ‘not’ to ‘be persuaded’. Disobedient in verse 16 means ‘unwilling to be persuaded which shows itself in outward disobedience’. Thus, disobedient goes beyond the words of unbelieving to actions. For instance, queer theory goes beyond the verbal protests of wokeism to behavior that actively violates societal norms in order to reject rational thought. The idea is that causing a person to respond with shock ‘proves’ that the response of that person is merely an emotional response based in cultural MMNs. However, a sane mind needs to be emotionally horrified by behavior that attacks mental and physical well-being in fundamental ways. A person who is not emotionally repelled by horrific behavior is, by definition, a psychopath. Similarly, Nazism went beyond talking about racial supremacy to acting out these beliefs through the Holocaust and other atrocities. A similar transition from verbally rejecting rational thought to behavior that rejects rational thought appears to be occurring now with evangelical Christendom and the MAGA crowd.

Work is ‘a deed that carries out an inner desire’. For means ‘motion towards’ and any means ‘each part of a totality’. Good means ‘intrinsically good’. And unfit means ‘failing to pass the test’. Putting this together, it is impossible to move from behavior that is motivated to violate social norms to behavior that is internally motivated by intrinsic goodness. That is because the very concept of intrinsic goodness is being attacked by public behavior.

This fundamental incompatibility can be seen in queer theory. Wikipedia explains, “The term ‘Queer’ itself intentionally remains loosely defined in order to encompass the difficult-to-categorize spectrum of gender, sexuality and romantic attraction. Similarly, queer theory remains difficult to objectively define as academics from various disciplines have contributed varying understanding of the term. At its core, queer theory relates to queer people, their lived experience and how their lived experience is culturally or politically perceived, specifically referring to the marginalization of queer people. This thinking is then applied to various fields of thinking.” If one is being motivated by intrinsic goodness, then it is possible to define the intrinsic goodness for which one is standing. If queerness deliberately avoids being defined, then this means that it is incapable of holding onto any intrinsic goodness. Instead, the definition of queerness is inherently an un-definition based in ‘the marginalization of queer people’, which means that queer theory has to continually find new social norms to violate in order to describe its essence. Such a mindset is incapable of even conceiving of intrinsic goodness and instinctively rejects the very concept of being internally motivated by mental networks of intrinsic goodness. That is because it is being driven by the TMN of the ‘universal’ theory that all existing MMNs are invalid and need to be blasphemed.

Looking at the big picture before we continue, notice that the epistle of Titus continues to make sense as a description and analysis of mental networks.

Rethinking Social Mental Networks 2:1-3

Chapter 2 begins in verse 1 by telling Titus, “But you, speak the things that are consistent with the sound doctrine.” Speak is the normal work for talk. Consistent means ‘to tower up, be conspicuous’. Sound means ‘in good working order’ and is the source of the word ‘hygiene’. Doctrine means ‘applied teaching’. Putting this together, speech in Teacher thought should be guided by the Teacher order-within-complexity of everything working together in a healthy manner. For instance, instead of regarding ‘survival of the fittest’ as the general rule, interacting in a harmonious and helpful manner should be regarded as the general rule. Similarly, instead of advocating for some oppressed lifestyle, a healthy, functioning society should be regarded as the overarching goal. Likewise, instead of trying to find God by transcending human rational thought, one should attempt to create an integrated society that expresses the fundamental characteristics of God.

Verse 2 returns to elders. “The aged men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, in endurance.” The word aged man is simply ‘aged’ in masculine form and is a variant of the word ‘elder’ that was used in 1:5. Sober is only found in this verse and in 1 Timothy 3 and means ‘to be sober, not drunk’. This is followed by ‘to be’ which means that this should be a fundamental characteristic of personal identity. One drinks in order to temporarily forget unpleasant memories. Thus, mature male technical thought needs to be characterized by an ability to accept emotional memories. This ability has to exist at the level of being because mental networks define one’s being. This is the opposite of being objective, which attempts to avoid creating emotional memories. For instance, mental symmetry accepts the emotional realm of mental networks and suggests that mental networks are essential for human existence. But mental symmetry also tries to use rational thought to evaluate mental networks in terms of mental wholeness.

Dignified is derived from ‘revere, be in awe’. Postmodernism says that those who are in authority demand reverence and awe from others. ‘Dignified’ means behaving in a manner that is worthy of respect whether one receives respect or not. In postmodernism, respect is demanded. In verse 2, respect is earned.

Self-controlled was seen in 1:8 and combines ‘sound, safe’ with ‘diaphragm, the parts around the heart’. This describes healthy, gut-level responses. Instead of using rational thought to justify continuing behaving as an animal, one uses rational thought to transform personal behavior to the level of bringing soundness to gut-level responses.

Sound is the same word used in verse 1 which is related to ‘hygiene’. This personal hygiene needs to be expressed in three areas: Faith means to ‘be persuaded’. ‘Sound in faith’ means to protect mental networks that encourage rational thinking. Love is ‘agape’. ‘Sound in love’ means to protect mental networks that encourage Teacher guided love. Instead of loving specific entities in Mercy thought such as Jane or the aboriginals or the queer, one is loving universal qualities in Teacher thought such as justice, mercy, and kindness. Endurance means ‘remaining under’. ‘Sound in endurance’ means protecting mental networks that encourage people to stick with situations. The goal is not to remain exploited but rather to build mental networks of character that make it possible to truly escape unpleasant situations.

Looking at the bigger picture, ‘dignified’ assumes that there is some rational standard of dignity to which one can personally submit. Self-controlled assumes that some independent standard of behavior exists and that social status does not lead inevitably to exploitation. ‘Sound in faith, love, and endurance’ assumes that reaching ‘good working order’ requires rational thought, love that is guided by Teacher understanding, and sticking within situations. This relates to the three stages of personal transformation that have been mentioned in previous essays. The first stage of personal honesty uses rational thought builds a concept of God in Teacher thought. The second stage of righteousness allows this Teacher concept of God to guide personal behavior. And the third stage of personal rebirth remains within an uncomfortable situation long enough to allow mental networks of personal identity to become reborn. Addressing these instructions to elders means that this kind of thinking needs to guide the respected authorities of male technical thought. This is what needs to be coming out of the mouths of those with PhDs who are professors at esteemed universities, rather than the ‘reeking with stench’ of mysticism, wokeism, and evolution.

Verse 3 turns to the mature woman. “The aged women likewise reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not being enslaved to much wine, teachers of what is good.” Aged is the same word ‘elder’ with a feminine ending, and this is the only time in the New Testament that elder has a feminine ending. A female elder would refer to mature mental networks of female thought. Verses 3-5 discuss the qualities of a female elder, which is consistent with the idea that Titus is focusing upon mental networks. Likewise means ‘in the same way as’. Verse 2 described how mature male thought should treat mental networks. Mature female thought needs to treat this as a pattern to emulate. This does not mean that women are inferior to men. Instead it means that mental networks are composed of individual memories and that healthy mental networks must be constructed out of healthy individual memories. Using an analogy, the starting point for building a healthy home is to collect healthy building material.

Reverent is used once in the New Testament and combines ‘a sacred place, a temple’ with ‘fitting’. In means ‘in the realm of’. Behavior is used once in the New Testament and combines ‘down, according to’ with ‘stand’. ‘Down’ is interpreted as heading down from Teacher generality to Mercy specifics. ‘Stand’ is interpreted as Perceiver stability. Looking at this cognitively, there are two forms of holiness. Mercy holiness treats certain people, cultures, and groups as holy and special in Mercy thought. Teacher holiness treats Platonic forms such as ‘justice, mercy, and kindness’ as holy and regards specific people and groups in Mercy thought as holy to the extent that they exemplify these Platonic forms. Putting this together, ‘reverent in the realm of behavior’ would mean that when one descends from generic Platonic forms to specific Mercy experiences, one does so with a mindset of ‘fitting holiness’ that treats Platonic forms as solid principles in Perceiver thought to follow. Saying this simply, when a mature woman enters the room then everyone naturally behaves in a civilized manner. Notice that this takes wokeism and runs it in reverse. Wokeism demands that the MMNs of some disadvantaged culture group be treated as sacred, dragging holiness down to the level of some specific collection of behaviors. Verse 3, in contrast, uses Platonic forms of holiness to uplift MMNs of culture.

It is probably significant that chapter 2 follows chapter 1. Core mental networks of society were being actively violated by the end of chapter 1. Chapter 2 describes how one can rebuild on a better foundation. Thus, the open blasphemy of mindsets such as queer theory can be interpreted from a positive perspective as forcing the average person to rethink core mental networks in order to put them on a more solid foundation. 1:16 suggests that the queer theorist him-her-it-self is probably beyond hope, but it may be possible to help those lifestyles that are being actively blasphemed by queer theory.

Continuing with verse 3, slanderous means ‘to slander, accuse, defame’ and is translated as ‘devil’ 35 of the 38 times it occurs. Stated crudely but accurately, mature female thought should not be a devil. Wokeism is an example of devilish female thought because essentially all it does is slander, accuse, and defame personal and cultural mental networks. Similarly, the theory of evolution is devilish because it slanders all civilized society and religious thought by reducing it to the level of brutish animals struggling to survive in the jungle, as well as reducing the concept of intelligent design to the level of random mutations. My basic hypothesis is that the DNA of biological life was initially designed by primal beings guided by God and this is discussed further in the essay on Acts. Science rightly despises those who steal their ideas from others without giving credit. Evolution studies the mechanisms of biological life without giving a shred of credit to the intelligent beings who initially designed these mechanisms.

Wine means ‘wine’ and represents mental networks of cultured existence. 1 Timothy 3:3 and Titus 1:7 mention ‘not close to wine’. Verse 3, in contrast, says not enslaved which means ‘to make a slave of, reduce to bondage’. Interpreted literally, this leads to the rather strange conclusion that drinking alcohol is more permissible for women than for men. This definitely is not true for pregnant women, because drinking alcohol during pregnancy can lead to fetal alcohol syndrome, which is a major problem in Canadian aboriginal populations. A 2019 study that looked at Native youth living off reservations estimated that the prevalence of FASD (fetal alcohol spectrum disorder) is 0.1% among average Canadians while being 1.2% “among those who identified as indigenous and lived off reserve”. The paper adds that “Similar patterns were found among children and youth in Western Australia and the southwest United States, also with large Indigenous populations.”

‘Not enslaved to much wine’ makes sense if interpreted cognitively. ‘Reverent in behavior’ suggests that female mental networks should express themselves through the ‘wine’ of fine culture, while ‘not slanderers’ means that these mental networks should not be attacked. But it is important to keep the order right. The wine of fine culture should be an expression of internal mental networks. ‘Being enslaved to much wine’ turns this around and treats fine culture as the source of internal mental networks. This can lead to elegant debauchery as epitomized by Tallyrand, the French diplomat whom Napoleon referred to as ‘a pile of sh-t in in a silk stocking’.

Teachers of what is good is a single word used once in the New Testament that combines ‘attractively good’ with ‘a teacher’. This will naturally happen when behavior is internally motivated by Platonic forms, because a Platonic form is an internal Mercy image that emerges when Teacher thought derives the simplified essence of some quality. For instance, the Platonic form of justice summarizes the essence of many incidents of justice. Teacher thought feels good when a theory applies to additional specific situations, leading to a natural desire to teach what is attractively good to others so that they can also exemplify these Platonic forms. Wokeism, in contrast, leads to a taboo against cultural appropriation, forbidding people to learn what is attractively good from other cultures. Quoting from the Wikipedia article, “Cultural appropriation is the inappropriate or unacknowledged adoption of an element or elements of one culture or identity by members of another culture or identity. This can be especially controversial when members of a dominant culture appropriate from minority cultures... When cultural elements are copied from a minority culture by members of a dominant culture, and these elements are used outside of their original cultural context... the practice is often received negatively.” That is because wokeism is treating specific cultures as holy in Mercy thought rather than trying to pursue the Teacher holiness of Platonic perfection.

Transmitting Healthy Mental Networks 2:4-6

Verse 4 looks at the interaction between mature female thought and other aspects of society. “So that they may train the young women to be lovers of their husbands, loving their children.” Train is the verb form of the noun that combines ‘sound, safe’ with ‘diaphragm, the parts around the heart’. It is only used once as a verb in the New Testament and three of the four times it is used as an adjective are in Titus. It is also used three times as a noun and two of these occurrences are in 1 Timothy 2 which talks about women. ‘Train’ can be defined cognitively as using rational mental networks to reshape gut level responses. This describes the essence of cognitive behavior therapy. For instance, ensuring that pregnant women do not drink would be an example of ‘training’. Young women is the word ‘new on the scene’ with a feminine ending and ‘women’ is implied. Thus, ‘young women’ can be interpreted as any mental networks that are new on the scene, such as some new cultural trend. Lovers of husbands is used once in the New Testament and combines ‘philos’ with ‘man’. ‘Lovers of their husbands’ conveys the image of the doting wife but a cognitive interpretation suggests a more relevant and less traditional meaning. ‘Man’ is interpreted as ‘male technical thought’. ‘Philos’ refers to friendship which means that one is comfortable around the other person because of resonating mental networks. Putting this together, ‘lover of husbands’ means that new mental networks of culture are comfortable around technical thought. For instance, social media has major flaws but at least it is—to some extent—comfortable around technical thought. Women’s studies, in contrast, are an example of new cultural mental networks that abhor male technical thought. Notice that this is not a case of scientific male technical thought exerting control over cultural mental networks. Instead, mature mental networks are providing an emotional form of training based upon transforming gut-level responses. The word ‘lovers of husbands’ is followed by the verb ‘to be’ which means that this training needs to happen at the core level of being.

Loving their children is also a single word that occurs once in the New Testament which combines ‘philos’ with ‘a child living in willing dependence’. This is traditionally interpreted as having large families guided by devoted mothers. However, ‘their’ is implied and looking at this cognitively suggests being comfortable with vulnerable, growing mental networks. This is not the case with the traditional large conservative family which is characterized by a tendency to avoid any developing mental networks of society in favor of clinging to the mature mental networks of the past. Notice that ‘friends of children’ comes after ‘friends of men’. The modern technological society uses male technical thought to generate a continual stream of new-and-improved gadgets. ‘Friends of men’ means being emotionally comfortable with these gadgets. This does not mean embracing the consumer society or becoming an electrical engineer but rather means being comfortable with technology. Having an emotional grasp of technology makes it possible to be ‘friends of children’ who grow up surrounded by this new technology. This does not mean embracing the latest fads but rather means being emotionally capable of helping vulnerable minds to respond to the latest fads in an appropriate manner.

The list continues in verse 5. “Self-controlled, pure, keepers at home, kind.” Self-controlled is the adjectival form of the word used in the previous verse that combines ‘sound, safe’ with ‘diaphragm, the parts around the heart’. This repetition conveys the idea that people really, really need to learn to transform gut-level responses. For instance, the fundamental premise of evolution is ‘survival of the fittest’ which means that strong mental networks are destroying vulnerable mental networks. Similarly, the founding concept of wokeism is that strong mental networks are taking advantage of weak mental networks. Achieving mental ‘hygiene’ requires moving beyond thinking in terms of the strong exploiting the weak.

Pure means ‘free from ceremonial defilement’. Notice that this follows ‘friends of men’ and ‘friends of children’. Thus, this is not referring to living an Amish lifestyle that avoids modern technology and clings to bygone culture. Instead, one is continually evaluating and adopting the best of new technology and culture. This will lead to the development of new and vulnerable mental networks of appropriate culture that need to be protected. ‘Pure’ continues to adopt the best of new mental networks without becoming defiled by embracing mental networks that are incompatible with mental hygiene. This is done to some extent by the Amish, but the problem is that the Amish define mental hygiene as maintaining a 19^th century mindset of absolute truth and religious self-denial.

Keepers at home is also used once in the New Testament and combines ‘home’ with ‘a deed that carries out an inner desire’. This is traditionally interpreted as staying at home as a mother, but the context provides a more appropriate cognitive interpretation. ‘Home’ defines the context for personal MMNs. ‘Self-control’ allowed transformed mental networks to change gut-level responses. ‘Pure’ guarded these mental networks as they were growing. ‘Keepers at home’ uses these mental networks to guide self-initiated action. ‘Pure’ was a negative response that protected these mental networks from being corrupted by incompatible mental networks. ‘Keepers at home’ is a positive response that allows these mental networks to guide the goals and actions of male technical thought.

Kind means ‘intrinsically good’. Placed in the context, this is not ‘intrinsic goodness’ as some sort of far-off Platonic form that has nothing to do with reality. Instead, it is intrinsic goodness that expresses itself through actions and culture.

Verse 5 finishes, “Being subject to the own husbands, so that the word of God should not be maligned.” This sounds like a traditional male-dominated society, but a deeper meaning emerges when examined cognitively and placed within the context. Subject combines ‘under’ with ‘arrange’. This is not a matter of submitting in Mercy thought to some domineering person but rather of submitting to an ordered structure within Teacher thought. The word husband is the normal word for ‘man’ and ‘to the own’ is explicitly mentioned. Thus, what is being emphasized is submitting to the local form of male technical thought and not to some other version of male technical thought. The previous stages of verse 5 have gradually caused a new form of male technical thought to emerge from transformed mental networks of female thought. ‘Being subject to the own husband’ means submitting mental networks of female thought to this new version of technical thought that has emerged out of a new set of mental networks. Saying this more simply, female mental networks are growing a new version of male technical thought and then ranking themselves under this male technical thought as it matures. This is similar to the path of an apostle because an apostle starts by making some theoretical breakthrough and then makes the transition to living within this theoretical breakthrough.

Word is ‘logos’ which refers to paradigms of technical thought. A ‘word of God’ is a ‘logos of God’ which refers to incarnation as an expression of a concept of God in Teacher thought. This combination of ‘logos’ and God is described in the well-known passage at the beginning of John 1. Maligned means ‘to speak lightly or profanely of sacred things’ and is usually translated as ‘blaspheme’. In other words, following the path of these verses will lead to a mental concept of incarnation, and if this path is followed improperly, it will lead to a false concept of incarnation that will cause the concept of incarnation to be blasphemed. That is because a concept of incarnation is based upon male technical thought but goes beyond concrete technical thought by saving MMNs of people and goes beyond abstract technical thought by being guided by the TMN of a concept of God. Stated more simply, incarnation goes beyond male technical thought to include the mental networks of female thought.

Looking at this more generally, these verses are developing a prototype concept of incarnation by stretching toward male technical thought from MMNs of intrinsic goodness and TMNs of wholeness and hygiene. If this is done properly, then this prototype concept of incarnation that extends from mental networks can lay the foundation for a major shift in male technical thought. This is symbolized in the Gospels by Mary anointing Jesus for his burial and this concept is discussed in much greater detail in the linked sections. By the same token, if this is done improperly, then the prototype concept of incarnation that emerges can do major damage to a genuine concept of incarnation. For instance, I suggest that the evangelical Christian attempt to resurrect the America of the 1950s is an example of an inadequate concept of incarnation causing genuine concepts of incarnation to be blasphemed.

This is followed by a single verse addressed to younger men. “Likewise, exhort the younger men to be self-controlled.” Younger man is the word ‘new on the scene’ with a male ending and ‘men’ is implied. The previous verse ended with a new form of independent male technical thought. Verse 6 addresses this new form of male technical thought. Likewise means ‘in the same way as’ which means that this new male technical thought needs to follow the pattern that was established by the female mental networks that raised this new form of technical thought. Self-controlled is another version of the familiar word that combines ‘safe’ and ‘what regulates life’. (This version occurs six times in the New Testament.) Self-controlled means that this new male technical thought needs to be guided by transformed mental networks of female thought to the extent of affecting gut level responses. The temptation will be for this new expression of technical thought to start by acknowledging mental networks and then revert to the old pattern of ignoring mental networks when new technical developments emerge. That is because a specialization usually starts with a non-rigorous foundation and then belittles this foundation when it achieves technical proficiency. Exhort means to ‘personally make a call’ and this word is used to describe the cognitive style of Exhorter in Romans 12:8. ‘Exhort’ means that one is not setting up a set of technical regulations to regulate this new expression of male technical thought. Instead, one is appealing emotionally to male technical thought. Saying this more carefully, Exhorter thought is motivated by frustration and fulfillment. Exhorter thought hates to be stuck in a dead-end. Thus, ‘exhort’ does not mean haranguing male thought in the manner of the archetypal Jewish mother but rather pointing out which paths lead to frustration and which paths lead to fulfillment.

Demonstrating Healthy Mental Networks 2:7-10

The next section returns to Titus. Verse 7 begins, “In all things be holding forth yourself as a pattern of good works.” In means ‘concerning’ when followed by the accusative. ‘Yourself’ presumably refers to Titus. Holding forth combines ‘close beside’ with ‘have’. Pattern means ‘a model forged by repetition’. Work is ‘a deed that carries out an inner desire’. Good means ‘attractively good’. What typically happens is that some leader starts out by helping people and then changes into a different sort of person when achieving success. The plan of Titus is now starting to achieve results; it is moving from the subjective realm of ‘being’ to the objective realm of ‘having’. It is vital to continue setting a pattern of being internally motivated to pursue goals that are attractively good. This needs to be said because groups such as the military love to use new technologies to destroy the enemy more effectively. And destroying people is, by definition, not attractively good. In other words, when the plan of Titus reaches the practical level of starting to achieve results, there will be a temptation to use these results to pursue destructive aims. This does not mean that physical self-preservation can be ignored in some idealistic manner. However, it is imperative to treat self-preservation as a byproduct of pursuing mental and societal wholeness.

Verse 7 continues, “In the teaching, integrity, dignity.” In means ‘in the realm of’. Teaching means ‘applied teaching’. Integrity means ‘no-corruption, unable to experience deterioration’ and is translated as ‘imperishable’ or ‘immortal’ most of the eight times it occurs. Dignity means ‘veneration for what is worthy of respect’. There is a difference between choosing not to behave in a corrupt manner and being emotionally driven to avoid corruption. Looking at this cognitively, the previous stages have created mental networks of female thought that are so attractive that the male technical thought which emerges out of these mental networks will feel no desire to be corrupted by inferior goals or inferior methods. For instance, like the typical Perceiver person, I used to escape to fantasy and/or science fiction. However, I now find these books hollow and unsatisfying compared to the internal images of a better society that have emerged in my mind as a result of mental symmetry. Thus, I feel no desire to dilute or corrupt the message of mental symmetry when moving from theory to practice. Instead, I feel a deep need to venerate what is worthy of respect, because I want to my external experiences to be a reflection of my internal images of a better society. This may sound hopelessly idealistic, but that is because modern society has been brainwashed into thinking that is normal for intelligent humans to be driven by animal desires of conquest and domination. Rebuilding technical thought upon a foundation of incorruptible mental networks really would change the motivations of society at a fundamental level.

Verse 8 returns to words. “And sound speech beyond reproach.” Speech is ‘logos’ which refers to paradigms. Sound means ‘sound, whole, healthy’. A paradigm is the Teacher theory that gives emotional support to some technical specialization. What often happens currently is that the technical thinking may be rational while the paradigm that holds this thinking together is unsound. For instance, biology does rational research but is held together by the unsound paradigm of evolution. Similarly, the cognitive science of religion does rational research into religious practice but is also held together by the paradigm of evolution. Theology uses rational thought in a technical manner but is held together by some unsound paradigm of divine mystery. Even wokeism carries out some rational research but the paradigm behind this research is quite unsound. Sound paradigms become possible when one starts from transformed mental networks of female thought and then rebuilds technical thought from this starting point. For instance, mental symmetry began as a cognitive theory of mental wholeness before being expanded into a meta-theory of technical specialization.

Beyond approach is used once in the New Testament and adds the prefix ‘not’ to ‘condemn by having a first-hand awareness of the facts’. In other words, descending from words down to experiential knowledge does not lead to condemnation; this is not a theory that sounds good in practice but generates bad results when applied personally. Verse 8 goes beyond technical thought to incarnational thinking. As mentioned in the previous paragraph, abstract technical thought tends to focus upon technical puzzle solving (using the words of Thomas Kuhn) while paying little attention to the Teacher paradigm that guides this puzzle solving. Incarnation, in contrast, goes beyond abstract technical thought to be guided by a Teacher concept of God. Similarly, ‘sound speech’ uses Teacher thought to evaluate the wholeness and healthiness of Teacher paradigms. Concrete technical thought tends to focus upon some objective goal in Mercy thought, while typically ignoring the impact that this has upon MMNs of culture and society. Incarnation, in contrast, goes beyond saving things to saving people and society. Similarly, ‘beyond approach’ applies theory in a manner that survives encountering experiential knowledge.

Verse 8 continues, “So that he who is of the contrary may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say concerning us. ‘He who is’ is simply ‘the’ and of the is ‘from out of’. Contrary combines ‘in the realm’ of with ‘set against’. Thus, the phrase is more literally, ‘so what comes out of the opposing camp’, suggesting that this new form of technical thought will be opposed by traditional academic technical thought. May be ashamed combines ‘in the realm of’ with ‘to turn’. Thus the goal is for traditional objective, specialized academic thought to have a paradigm shift guided by the superior results of this new form of technical thought.

Having refers to the peripheral realm of ‘having’ where objective, specialized academic thought currently functions. And say is the normal word for speech. Evil means ‘worthless, bad’. In other words, this new form of technical thought should generate superior results even when examined purely from an objective specialized perspective. For instance, mental symmetry is guided by mental networks but attempts to analyze mental networks in a manner that is consistent with technical thought and empirical evidence. Even though it is difficult to publish papers in journals, I have posted several meaningful academic papers on mental symmetry on researchgate.net and academia.edu that meet the standards required by technical thought.

The next two verses look at servants. Verse 9 begins, “Servants are to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be well-pleasing, not gainsaying.” Servant means ‘someone who belongs to another’. To their own means ‘one’s own, distinct’. Master is ‘despot’ which means ‘an authority figure who exercises complete jurisdiction’. Subject combines ‘under’ with ‘arrange’. This may appear at first glance to be supporting slavery, but it is important to place this within the context and look at exactly what is being said. The context is that transformed mental networks have just given birth to a new system of technical thought. Verse 5 then told these transformed mental networks to ‘under arrange’ themselves to the new male technical thought. Verse 9 uses this same verb ‘under arrange’ and applies it to slaves. A master exhibits control over a slave in Mercy thought. ‘Arranging under’ is an expression of Teacher thought because one is regarding the master as general within Teacher thought and placing oneself under this generality.

Thus, ‘arranging under’ is actually an implicit form of rebellion because one is submitting to a system in Teacher thought and not to a person in Mercy thought. ‘Their own masters’ means that one is not just submitting to Teacher order in some abstract manner that does not impact personal Mercy experiences. Instead, one is submitting to Teacher order precisely where one is being dominated by Mercy authority. Saying this another way, one is replacing dictatorship with the rule of law. Notice that this step can only be taken after a new and better system of law has come into being, which just happened in the previous verses. Attempting to submit to the rule of law is futile if there is no rule of law. But it has just become clear to the existing system of technical thought that the new system generates better results.

Well-pleasing means ‘well-pleasing because fully acceptable’. Thus, one is not just looking good but rather delivering acceptable results. In means ‘in the realm of’ and everything means ‘each part of a totality’. This is important because Teacher thought deals with generality. People can only give approval to what they see or know. Therefore, being guided by Mercy feelings of approval will naturally cause a person to perform better in public than in private. Being fully acceptable in the realm of everything means that one is following a general Teacher theory of excellence that applies everywhere. This is important because Teacher thought will only take ownership of some behavior if this behavior is motivated by Teacher understanding and not by Mercy approval. This principle is described in Matthew 6. This is followed by the verb ‘to be’ which means that following Teacher thought should be done at the core level of being.

Gainsaying means ‘voicing opposition’. ‘Not gainsaying’ means not adopting an adversarial attitude in speech. Teacher thought follows order and structure. Mercy thought naturally pits one group or person against another. If one is to follow Teacher thought rather than Mercy thought, then this includes adopting the emotional mindset of Teacher thought rather than Mercy thought. Thus, opposition needs to be expressed as a desire to follow Teacher order more effectively. In other words, rather than opposing a dictator, one appeals to the rule of law.

Verse 10 continues. “Not pilfering, but showing all good fidelity.” Pilfering means ‘to set apart’ and the other two times that this word is used is in Acts 5:2-3 to describe Ananias and Sapphira keeping back some of the money acquired from selling their property. Something similar is happening here because one is attempting to make a transition from Mercy status to Teacher order and one is interrupting this transfer by keeping something back for personal identity in Mercy thought. In other words, if Teacher thought is to fully rule over the situation, then it must rule over both the MMNs of the master and the MMNs of the slave.

Fidelity is the word ‘faith’ which means to ‘be persuaded’. Good means ‘intrinsically good’. And showing means ‘to make fully evident, showing conspicuous proof’. In other words, it must be obvious that one is following intrinsic goodness in a rational manner. For instance, I have often felt as if it was pointless to continue with mental symmetry because of the continued opposition. But I have repeatedly found that it is possible to continue if I choose to pursue what rational thought tells me is intrinsic goodness. Mental symmetry describes how to reach mental wholeness, and rational thought indicates that having a whole mind is the basis for intrinsic goodness.

Verse 10 finishes, “So that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.” Doctrine means ‘applied-teaching’. Savior means ‘deliver out of danger and into safety’. When God is the Savior, then this means that the salvation is coming from a new general system in Teacher thought and not just from some specific saving action in Mercy thought. Thus, the end goal of pursuing this strategy is not to perpetuate a system of slavery (whatever form this may be) but rather to replace a system of submission to authority with a system of the rule of law. The reason for this seemingly convoluted approach is that one cannot rebel from slavery. That is because rebellion leaves the underlying mindset of Mercy authority intact which means that slaves will just acquire a new set of masters while the system of slavery remains intact. Moving beyond slavery requires an extended process of replacing the mindset of submission to authority in Mercy thought with a mindset of submission to Teacher order.

Adorn comes from the word ‘cosmos’ which refers to the Teacher order of the human world. 1 John 2:15-16 makes it clear that the cosmos is a temporary order based upon physical reality. However, the cosmos still provides Teacher order to human existence. ‘Adorning the doctrine of God our Savior’ regards the human order of the cosmos as an expression or adorning of internal submission to the Teacher order of a concept of God. Saying this another way, rebelling from slavery leads to societal chaos. Submitting to the rule of law, in contrast, moves beyond slavery in a way that preserves the order of society. The phrase ‘in all things’ indicates that this strategy needs to be followed universally and not just selectively.

A New Society 2:11-15

Verse 11 refers to a regime change. “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men.” Has appeared combines ‘suitably on’ with ‘to bring to light’. This is not the word used to describe the second coming and this verb occurs four times in the New Testament, twice in Titus, in Luke 1:79 which talks about light shining upon those in darkness, and in Acts 27:20 which says that the stars did not appear for many days. What has appeared in verse 11 is ‘the grace of the God’ which means receiving help in a new way from a concept of God in Teacher thought. Verse 13 indicates that this is a partial salvation that will be followed by a more complete salvation. Bringing salvation refers to ‘applied salvation’. All means ‘each part of a totality’ and men is the generic word for mankind. In other words, what began as a transformation of mental networks and was followed by a new form of technical thought has now spread to all of society. Saying this another way, the intelligent rebellion of verses 9-10 has been effective.

Verse 12 begins, “Instructing us that, having denied ungodliness and worldly passions.” Instructing means ‘to train up a child’. Deny means ‘to deny, say no’ and was used in 1:16 to talk about various groups that claim to follow a universal Teacher understanding but deny this in practice. Verse 12 is describing a major paradigm shift. Science claims to be an intelligent search for scientific paradigms. However, Thomas Kuhn said that the typical scientist is no better than the average person when it comes to evaluating a paradigm, because most science consists of using technical thought within a paradigm. Saying this another way, most science is locally rational. ‘Training up a child’ implies that scientists and other technical authorities are finally realizing that they are children who need to be trained. ‘Deny’ implies that this new denial of objective and specialized science will resemble the current denial of rational thought by groups such as wokeism and evangelical Christendom. This is good, because it indicates a total shift in behavior, but it is not necessarily healthy, because it gives the impression that the mental networks that drove past behavior are being blocked off and not analyzed. A mental network that is blocked off remains under the surface waiting to be triggered. However, blocking off unwanted mental networks is a typical strategy of Contributor thought, which uses willpower to choose to focus upon some limited plan, and Contributor thought lies at the core of male technical thought.

Looking now at the nature of the paradigm shift, ungodliness means ‘lack of reverence’. Worldly comes from the word ‘cosmos’ which means ‘belonging to the world’ and is interpreted as the Teacher order of natural human society. Passion means ‘passion built on strong feelings’ and describes Exhorter drive based in potent mental networks. ‘Denying ungodliness’ means showing proper reverence for core mental networks. A version of this is already happening today in many jurisdictions with open reverence being given to native spirituality by many academic, scientific, and religious institutions. This open reverence is being given to cultural groups that do not belong to the ‘cosmos’ of modern, technological, materialistic society. That is because the goal is to find a new source of ‘passion’ that is not based in the ‘cosmos’ of modern technological society. This open reverence being given by supposedly rational science resembles the denial of rational thought by wokeism and evangelical Christendom. Verse 12 must be referring to a better paradigm shift because it follows the development of a new form of technical thought that grows out of transformed mental networks. In contrast, the current paradigm shift to native spirituality follows the development of a ‘new’ form of technical thought that has become corrupted by un-transformed and aboriginal mental networks. However, the current shift to reverence of native spirituality provides an illustration of what verse 12 will probably appear like.

Verse 12 continues, “We should live discreetly and righteously and piously in the present age.” Discreetly occurs once in the New Testament and is an adverbial form of the familiar word that combines ‘sound, safe’ with ‘diaphragm, the parts around the heart’. Righteously is an adverbial form of righteous which describes Server actions that are guided by a Teacher understanding. Piously is the adverbial form of ‘pay homage, veneration’. An adverb modifies a verb. Adverbs imply that actions are being modified rather than fundamental character, which describes a focus upon procedure and methodology. I have found that methodology and procedure currently take precedence over almost everything in both academia and law. Verse 12 suggests that this fixation upon methodology will continue. This is not necessarily bad because Server thought gives stability to Teacher theories. ‘Discreetly’ means that procedures are being modified to train personal identity in Mercy thought. ‘Righteously’ means that the paradigms that emotionally guide technical thought are being explicitly acknowledged. And ‘piously’ means that core mental networks are being emotionally recognized.

‘We should live’ is in the subjunctive which suggests that this is more an aspiration than reality. Similarly, the present embrace of aboriginal spirituality is more an aspiration than a description of reality, and many groups are paying lip service to this kind of spirituality in order to sell products or advance a career. Age means ‘an age, a cycle of time’. ‘In the present age’ indicates an awareness that there is more than one age and it also indicates a willingness to continue living within the present age. This awareness of ages is not present in the current embrace of aboriginal spirituality. For instance, wokeism thinks that it is appropriate to apply the social standards of current pampered society to past eras that had to struggle to survive within nature. Similarly, academia thinks that it is appropriate to apply aboriginal wisdom gained in a tribal society to scientific specializations. Both of these viewpoints show an utter lack of comprehension for the very concept of ages.

Verse 13, in contrast, describes a mindset of consciously aiming for a better society. “Awaiting the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” Awaiting means ‘ready and willing to give and receive’. Hope means ‘expectation of what is sure’ and is interpreted as Exhorter thought focusing upon some invisible goal in Mercy thought. Blessed means ‘become long, large’ which is interpreted as the possibility of Teacher generality. Putting this together, a general Teacher understanding is creating internal images of possibility within Mercy thought and a system of exchange is being set up in order to maximize the Teacher generality of this possibility. E-commerce provides a partial illustration. The global nature of the Internet provided an internal image of a society in which people could shop globally on the Internet and mechanisms of being able to exchange money on the Internet were set up in order to enable this vision.

Appearing combines ‘suitably’ with ‘bring to light’ and was used in verb form in 2:11. It is used in noun form in verse 13 and all six occurrences of this noun refer to the second coming. The noun form is the source of the English word ‘epiphany’. Verse 11 talked in the past tense about the grace of God appearing. That grace was ‘of God’ which indicated a new way of accessing help from Teacher thought. Verse 13 talks in the future tense about the glory appearing. Glory in the Bible consistently describes an external manifestation of internal character. This glory is ‘of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ’. Great is the word ‘mega’, which means ‘large, great, in the widest sense’ and is interpreted as Teacher generality. ‘Great God’ indicates a full recognition that a concept of God is based in Teacher generality. Using the current partial example of e-commerce, this indicates the realization that e-commerce involves the entire globe being united in a single system of global trade. ‘Christ Jesus’ indicates an integrated concept of incarnation that starts with Christ in abstract technical thought and descends to Jesus in concrete technical thought. In verse 11, the grace of God was bringing salvation to humanity, indicating the personal benefits of a regime change or major paradigm shift. Verse 13 is preparing for the Savior of an integrated concept of incarnation to bring glory, which means using a technical system to translate Teacher theories into external visible structure that is saving people. For instance, the Teacher theories of science have been translated through the partial incarnation of research and development to produce the glory of the modern technological society. Preparing for this glory required extensive education, development, and infrastructure. Verse 13 refers to something similar but more profound that will happen in the future.

Verse 14 describes the nature of Jesus Christ. “Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all lawlessness.” Give means ‘to give’. For means ‘in behalf of’ when followed by the genitive. This giving is ‘of himself in behalf of us’. This goes beyond following some plan that costs resources within the peripheral realm of ‘having’ to paying a personal cost in order to follow a plan that benefits people. Redeem means ‘to release by paying the full ransom’ and is used three times in the New Testament. Thus, this is not a matter of religious self-denial but rather one of paying the price in order to conduct some economic exchange. Lawlessness adds the prefix ‘not’ to ‘law’. Law is currently regarded as a characteristic of technical thought and people currently think that one finds personal and cosmic meaning by escaping technical thought to a realm of ‘not-law’ such as mysticism, wokeism, traditional religion, queer theory, or aboriginal spirituality.

The previous verses described the process by which incarnation ‘gave himself for us’: Incarnation was applied in an objective and specialized manner. This led to an emotional backlash that rejected technical thought in order to embrace ‘alternative forms of knowing’. The resulting societal insanity led to the birth of mental networks of integrated thought and healthy thinking. A new form of technical thought eventually emerged out of these transformed mental networks. It became apparent that this new form of technical thought was superior to existing objective and specialized technical thought. This new form of technical thought then spread to all of society. This replaced societal mental networks that rejected the rational thinking of technical thought with societal mental networks that appreciate the rational thinking of technical thought, which are looking forward to a fuller expression of rational thought.

Verse 14 finishes, “And might purify to Himself a people specially chosen, zealous of good works.” Purify means ‘to make pure, removing all admixture’. People is used once in Timothy and Titus; it means ‘a people’ and is the source of the English word ‘laity’. ‘Purity’ means that all cognitive modules and mental networks are heading in the same direction. This is not the unity of everyone saying exactly the same thing but rather the harmony of everything cooperating to point in the same direction. This goes beyond merely choosing in Contributor thought to follow some new plan while suppressing contradictory mental networks to having all mental networks and cognitive modules support following this plan. This is brought out by the word specially chosen which is used once in the New Testament and combines ‘all around’ with ‘to be’. Translating this word as ‘specially chosen’ conveys the idea that Contributor thought is choosing this group instead of other groups. But it really means that the plan pervades the ‘being’ of these individuals. For instance, the goal of mental symmetry is to pursue mental wholeness. I have pursued this goal for so many years that it pervades my being. Zealous means someone ‘burning with zeal’ which describes being fully motivated in Exhorter thought because all mental networks lead to a similar motivation. Work is ‘a deed that carries out an inner desire’. Good means ‘attractively good’. Putting this together, these ‘chosen people’ are being internally driven by mental and spiritual wholeness to produce a better society.

Verse 15 concludes, “Speak these things, and exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.” Speak was used in 2:1 and refers to normal talking. In both verses it is in the imperative which means that these concepts should guide normal conversation and not just be restricted to sermons or academic papers. Exhort means to ‘personally make a call’ and refers to Exhorter motivation. Rebuke means ‘to convince with solid compelling evidence’. Thus, one is not just exhorting emotionally but rather guiding Exhorter motivation by providing solid evidence that certain paths will lead to frustration. With means ‘in company with’ when followed by the genitive. Authority adds the prefix ‘suitably on’ to ‘arrange’ and was used previously in 1:3. Current society responds to every infraction with a new technical regulation which leads to the current innumerable lists of technical requirements and laws. Verse 15 suggests a more appropriate use of technical regulations. On the one hand, one is educating the populace through the use of solid evidence. On the other hand, this is being accompanied by appropriate regulations. However, these regulations are not just haphazard and ad hoc but rather are being placed within a general structure of Teacher thought. Notice how technical thought is going beyond objectivity by being accompanied by exhortation and it is going beyond specialization by generating an ordered arrangement of regulations.

Despise is used once in the New Testament and combines ‘all around’ with ‘diaphragm, the parts around the heart’. This does not describe ‘despising’ but rather indicates a rejection of technical thought. In other words, this new system should not be permitted to turn entirely into personal mental networks and gut reactions. Instead, it should continue to recognize technical thought and leave a role for technical thought. The ‘squeezing’ (tribulation means ‘squeezing’) of current society indicates the danger of attempting to regulate society solely through the use of specialized, objective technical thought. The insanity of wokeism indicates the danger of attempting to guide society solely through an emphasis upon mental networks. Verse 15 is warning that one should not flip from the current overemphasis of technical thought to overemphasizing mental networks. Instead, exhorting mental networks needs to be accompanied by appropriate regulations of technical thought.

Supernatural Authorities 3:1-2

Chapter 3 begins by talking about submission to authority. “Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient.” Remind means ‘to remember because prompted’. Subject combines ‘under’ and ‘arrange’. This word was used twice in Titus 2 and indicates regarding someone as more general in Teacher thought as opposed to a source of authority in Mercy thought. Ruler is ‘arche’ and is used once in Timothy and Titus. It actually means ‘beginning, origin’ and is translated as ‘the beginning’ 45 of the 56 times it occurs. Eight of the other times it is combined with the word ‘authorities’ and used to refer to supernatural rulers and authorities. These two terms are also combined in verse 1, which is more literally, ‘remind them to rulers to authorities to be subject’. Two other occurrences of ‘arche’ are in Acts 10:11 and Acts 11:5 where this word is translated as the ‘corners’ of the sheet filled with living animals that is let down in Peter’s vision. Authority combines ‘out from’ and ‘to be’ and means ‘delegated power’. This indicates that the power is an expression of one’s being. This suggests that these passages are referring primarily to supernatural beings whose ‘bodies’ have inherent power. ‘Authorities’ would include angelic beings that have authority over human history. The idea of human history being guided by supernatural beings is explored in 1200 pages of analysis on Matthew and Luke.

The term ‘ruler’ is discussed in the essay on Acts where it is interpreted as primal beings. The general principle is that all biological matter is actually constructed by transcribing the messages of DNA onto RNA and then translating RNA into sequences of amino acids which then fold in on themselves to form biological substance. Thus, all biological matter is ‘word made flesh’. This is not an analogy but describes what literally happens. Peter’s vision in Acts 10 portrays a fundamental relationship between ‘rulers’ and biological life. Combining this vision with the meaning ‘beginning’ and the structure of biology leads to the hypothesis that biological DNA was designed by these primal beings. An entire essay has been written on this hypothesis. This is different than saying that God created all life by divine edict and it is also different than saying that all life evolved over billions of years. Instead, the hypothesis is that God guided primal beings to design and construct the various mechanisms of biological life outside of physical space and time within a realm of messages and that these various pieces were then assembled to form biological life within a short period of physical time.

The end of Titus 2 described a major breakthrough to a spiritual economy. This type of economy is also described at the end of Acts 5. Humans will assume that nobody lives on the ‘other side’ of this new economy but Acts 8 seems to indicate that angelic beings (authorities?) are being encountered while Acts 9 describes primal beings being encountered. ‘Being reminded’ suggests that these beings have been around for a long time and have been discussed by various religions. ‘Being subject’ suggests that these beings function within a system of Teacher order to which humans need to submit. For instance, my main goal for writing this essay is not to convince human readers. Instead, my primary goal is to place mental symmetry and myself within the Teacher order of an existing scriptural landscape.

Continuing with verse 1, obedient is used four times in the New Testament and combines ‘persuade’ with the word ‘arche’ that is translated ‘ruler’ but means ‘beginning’. Two of these four times talk about obeying God while the occurrence in Acts 27:21 talks about obeying a specific message from God. Biblehub gives the meaning of ‘persuaded of what must come first’. This is an unusual combination because turning to ancient authorities is usually accompanied by a mindset of blind faith while being persuaded is usually accompanied by rejecting ancient authorities. ‘Obedient’ indicates that one is recognizing ancient authority while at the same time using rational thought. These essays are an example of this combination because we are approaching the ancient text of the Bible as a supernaturally revealed book, but we are using rational thought to analyze this ancient text. This unusual combination becomes possible when some form of translation is required and/or when existing mental networks are being questioned. For instance, these essays are translating the religious words of the Bible into the language of cognition and coming up with conclusions that question existing mental networks based in absolute truth.

Verse 1 finishes, “And, to be ready for every good work.” For means ‘moving toward a goal’. 2:14 used the phrase ‘good works’, combining ‘attractively good’ with ‘internally motivated action’. ‘Good work’ in verse 1 combines internally motivated action with intrinsically good. Ready is used once in Timothy and Titus and means ‘ready because prepared’. And ‘to be’ is explicitly mentioned. This is interesting when placed within the context of the rest of the verse. A basic principle of personal transformation is that one can only let go of one set of core mental networks if another set of core mental networks exists. Using a physical analogy, I can only lift up one leg if I am resting my weight upon the other leg. Encountering ‘rulers and authorities’ would question many fundamental mental networks of human physical existence. Imagine becoming aware of primal beings who designed the DNA of my physical body or angelic beings who have been shaping the facts of human history. Acts 6 indicates that this awareness will be followed by a major backlash against non-human interference. However, such an awareness would also be a great opportunity—if one has become internally prepared by becoming someone who is consistently internally motivated by intrinsic goodness. Saying this another way, what is the point of living longer if life is not worth living? But if one knows what makes life worth living and has become a person who embodies these principles, then living longer would be a great blessing.

Verse 2 gives another list of traits. “To speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, to be gentle.” Speak evil is the word ‘blaspheme’ which means ‘to speak lightly or profanely of sacred things’. No one means ‘no one, nothing’. ‘Blaspheme’ occurs 35 times in the New Testament and usually talks about some incident of blasphemy. 1 Timothy 1:20 talks about being taught not to blaspheme, but verse 2 is the only occurrence that specifically instructs to blaspheme nothing. This makes sense given the interpretation. Primal beings created biological life, which translates messages into biological substance. (I need to emphasize that this is not an analogy or handwaving argument. Instead, it is a scientifically accurate description of how biological life functions. I mention this again because I have not found any reference on the Internet to what appears to me now to be a blindingly obvious connection.) Similarly, angels (the word angel means messenger) guide human reality from their realm of messages. If one were to encounter such beings that moved from words in Teacher thought to biological life and human history, then it would be absolutely critical not to use words to belittle either human beings or human history, because such words would bring one into contact with alien beings who are also using messages to manipulate human existence, but in a way that belittles human life and human dignity. It appears that this type of belittling interaction is already happening in the form of alien abductions and Acts 7 seems to indicate that humans will embrace alien beings who are blaspheming humanity. (My hypothesis is that aliens and angels come from the same angelic realm. In other words, aliens are fallen angels. However, Colossians 1:20 clearly states that the atonement and salvation of Jesus extends beyond earth to include heaven. This indicates that it is possible for fallen angels to be saved by Jesus. This does not mean that it is safe to interact with aliens or that all aliens will be saved. But it does mean that the instruction to not blaspheme anything extends even to aliens and demons.)

Peaceable is used twice in the New Testament and combines ‘not’ with ‘fighting’. The other occurrence is in 1 Timothy 3:3 in the qualifications of an overseer. Putting this into the context, one should not respond to alien encounters by sending in the military. That is because responding with some form of force will attract aliens rather than angels, and if hearsay evidence can be trusted, aliens are already interacting with the human military. The word ‘peaceable’ is followed by ‘to be’ which means that refraining from violence should not just be a matter of self-control but rather should flow from one’s very being. That is because encountering such beings will trigger a gut-level response of ‘fight or flight’ unless one has become a person who pursues intrinsic goodness at the core of one’s being.

Gentle means ‘justice beyond ordinary justice [that] builds on the real intent of what is really at stake’. This also makes sense within the context. That is because a distinction will have to be made between what is required for human well-being and what humans cling to because of mental networks of human existence. Something similar happens when traveling to another culture because it is easy to be offended by people doing things in different ways. Thus, it is essential to distinguish between fundamental principles and cultural differences. If it is easy to get offended by peripheral differences when encountering fellow humans who live on the same physical planet, imagine the culture shock of encountering non-human intelligent beings who come from a different universe. The hypothesis of mental symmetry is that God created all intelligent beings with the same mind and this hypothesis is consistent with all the descriptions of nonhuman realities and nonhuman beings that I have read. This means that mental and spiritual well-being would be a common goal that would be shared by all intelligent beings. Looking at this from a different perspective, people from different languages and cultures can communicate by referring to what they have in common. For instance, if I am hungry I can point to my stomach and then to my mouth, because humans from different languages and cultures share the common trait of having stomachs and mouths. A common thread of most stories of alien encounters is the ability to communicate telepathically with aliens, which implies that humans and aliens have similar minds.

Verse 2 finishes, ‘Showing all humility toward all men.” Humility is usually translated as gentleness and means ‘gentle strength which expresses power with reserve and gentleness’. Showing was used in 2:10 and means ‘showing conspicuous proof which demonstrates something as undeniable’. Men is the generic word for humanity. Putting this into the context, humans would feel very, very vulnerable if they became aware of intelligent beings who had power over human existence. Thus, it would be essential for this power to be undeniably expressed with reserve and gentleness. The implication is that some humans are becoming partners and/or advisors to these intelligent beings. These humans would have a responsibility to use their knowledge of what it means to live as a human to help non-human beings to interact with humanity in a non-threatening manner. Current interaction with aliens provides an example of violating this principle. That is because literature on aliens and UFOs consistently advises that mysticism makes it possible to contact aliens. Mysticism, by definition, suppresses facts of human existence in order to have a personal encounter with God. Attempting to contact supernatural beings by following a method that denies human existence is the height of insanity. Instead, any attempt to contact supernatural beings needs to protect what is necessary for human well-being. Notice that I said what is necessary and not what humans think or feel that they need. Humans are currently driven by many mental networks to cling to behavior that has nothing to do with human well-being.

Rethinking Humanity 3:3

Verse 3 refers to irrational mental networks that drive human behavior, giving yet another list of traits. “For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, being deceived.” Verse 3 is typically interpreted as ‘How stupid those non-Christians are compared to we who believe in the Bible’ or as ‘How stupid Judaism with its temple worship is compared to Christianity with its theology.’ However, people with at least one Jewish parent have won 22% of the Nobel prizes, even though Jews comprise only 0.2% of the world’s population. Thus, Judaism is not inherently stupid. Similarly, the current implosion of evangelical Christendom combined with the tendency to embrace conspiracy theories suggests that a mindset which blindly believes in the Bible tends to lead to more stupidity rather than less.

Were is ‘to be’ in the past tense, which recognizes that a transformation has occurred at the fundamental level of being. The verb ‘to be’ occurs almost 2500 times, but ‘we were’ is only used eight times. The first phrase indicates that a group of people that used to consider themselves as part of normal humanity has now acquired a new identity and these people are looking back at their previous identities as inadequate. Such a statement does not necessarily apply to someone who grows up in a rational or moral environment because such individuals are not necessarily foolish, disobedient, and deceived. However, it would apply to people growing up with the assumption of living as humans within a human realm who then realize that there is more to existence than mortal, physical reality.

Looking now at the specific terms, foolish means ‘non-thinking’. In other words, rational thought has never been used to deal with some subject. This would definitely apply to encountering non-human beings, because one would have to start thinking consciously about it what it meant to be human, as opposed to mindlessly making presumptions about human existence. For instance, as of this date I have not encountered any non-human beings, though I have occasionally felt a strong sense of ‘presence’ or ‘electricity’. However, treating my subconscious modules as intelligent beings has caused me to ponder deep questions of what it means to be human. And as I write this sentence, I sense my subconscious modules responding in an intelligent manner as imaginary friends and partners. Going further, I sense that they are unsatisfied if I merely refer to them as ‘subconscious modules’ while being satisfied if I refer to them as ‘imaginary friends and partners’.

Disobedient means ‘unwilling to be persuaded’. Questioning the fundamental mental networks of human existence requires extensive willingness to be persuaded. For instance, if my subconscious modules are intelligent beings, then do they have the right to express themselves in some sort of physical manner? If so, then what would they look like and what would be their fundamental needs to continue existing in a state of well-being? These kinds of questions would become very relevant if humans encountered supernatural beings because descriptions of aliens suggest strongly that an alien can only express him or herself in a physical form that is compatible with the fundamental mental networks of that alien. Saying this more simply, an alien that looks like a reptilian takes on the appearance of a reptilian because of having the nature of a reptile. This correspondence is explored in another essay. This suggests that one needs to be willing to pursuit rational thought with fundamental questions such as, ‘What does it mean to have the nature of a reptile?’ or ‘What does it mean cognitively to be male or female?’ Wokeism may talk about these subjects, but it definitely is not willing to be persuaded by any form of rational reasoning.

Being deceived means ‘to deviate from the correct path, roaming into error, wandering’. This is not a matter of deliberately choosing evil or deciding to rebel but rather one of lacking any internal map that can provide guidance. Similarly, human existence is a matter of being ‘thrown into the world’ (to quote Heidegger) and then blindly attempting to head in some direction without having a map or even the concept of a map (which again describes Heidegger). It has taken me many years of using mental symmetry to analyze Scripture and history to come up with a cognitive map of human existence—which had to be preceded by coming to the awareness that such a map actually existed (which required going beyond Heidegger). Looking back at history from this perspective, it becomes apparent that most of the so-called leaders of society became leaders largely because they epitomized the zeitgeist of their era and not because they were original thinkers.

Verse 3 continues, “Serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.” Lust means ‘passion built on strong feelings’. Pleasure means ‘pleasurable to the senses’ and is the source of the word ‘hedonism’. ‘Lust and pleasure’ are connected by an ‘and’. Various means ‘various, of different colors, diverse’. Notice that these lusts and pleasures are not being referred to as evil. Instead, the emphasis is upon being a slave to a diversity of physical needs and wants. For instance, if I am hungry, then I have to eat. Similarly, if I hurt my leg then I have to stop walking. I have no choice because I am a slave to the strong feelings of my physical body. One might respond that I am merely stating obvious principles of human existence. But that is precisely the point. Basic, obvious principles such as these would become open to discussion if one encountered the primal beings who were responsible for designing biological life. Looking at another example, the conservative religious couple who feel that it is their duty to God to raise a large family is also a ‘slave to various lusts and pleasures’ because much of their life is ruled by the physical needs and crises that are involved in biological reproduction and physical development. I know that the large conservative family regards itself as far superior morally to secular, selfish DINKs and there is some merit to this sentiment. However, I have learned that developing subconscious modules is like raising a mental ‘family’. But this is a different kind of family that is based in cognitive principles rather than biological mechanisms.

The phrase ‘we ourselves were also once’ at the beginning of verse 3 suggests that some people are starting to question basic assumptions of human existence to the extent of regarding themselves as a different kind of being. I should emphasize that I am not talking about some sort of trans-humanism that uses technology to extend human physical life. On the contrary, I find the very concept of trans-humanism to be abhorrent because it brings human life down to the level of being a machine; it replaces mental networks of humanity with inhuman technical thought. Instead, I am talking about expressing mental and spiritual wholeness in a more complete manner that is less limited by slavery to the human body. Applying this to the topic of treating subconscious modules as intelligent beings, who is closer to the ideal human being? Is it the normal human who grows up in a physical body as a slave to physical need, who has no concept of mental wholeness and is only conscious of one mode of thought? Is it an angel or alien who exists within some form of container that is locked to some name or message who is incapable of pursuing any concept that is not connected to this name or message? Or is it a subconscious module whose existence as an intelligent being is based upon Platonic forms of how an ideal version of that cognitive module would function?

In means ‘in the realm of’. Malice is used once in Timothy and Titus and means ‘inherent evil’. Envy means ‘being glad when someone else experiences misfortune or pain’. ‘Malice and envy’ are connected by an ‘and’. Living is used twice in the New Testament and combines ‘through’ with ‘to lead, bring, carry’. Thus, a more literal rendition would be ‘carrying through in the realm of inherent evil and wishing unpleasantness on others’. This is not life and it is lacking even a concept of life. Physical mortal existence is a realm of ‘inherent evil’, not because the body is inherently evil, but rather because of the constant threat of injury and death. And the basic human assumption is that problems can be solved by imprisoning or killing opponents. Physical life can be summarized as trying to stay alive while others around me die. The secular thinker will actually declare with a smiling face that he will be personally annihilated in a few decades. That is not life, but rather carrying through within a realm of inherent evil. Encountering beings from nonphysical reality would question this mental slavery to biological death and destruction.

Hateful is used once in the New Testament and ‘describes people who actively hate good things’. A secular philosopher or scientist who declares that he will be annihilated in a few decades and heaps scorn on those who dare to believe in life after death is actively hating good things at the core level of personal existence. Similarly, the religious mystic who declares that God transcends physical reality is also actively hating good things at the core level of God and personal identity. The wokeist who thinks that all success is a result of exploiting others actively hates good things. And the evangelical Christian who is hoping to be raptured from secular society also actively hates good things. Notice how these various forms of ‘hateful’ are feeding on each other. The objective, specialized scientist hates the vague language and irrational thinking of the average person. The religious mystic hates the impersonal structure of a scientist. The wokeist hates the impersonal technology of modern society. And the evangelical Christian hates the godless thinking of secular society. But in each case, this hating is causing an aspect of what is required for human well-being to be actively rejected. Similarly, if supernatural beings presented humanity with the opportunity to increase human spiritual and physical well-being, then this good would be actively hated by many humans in the name of preserving what it means to be human. But if ‘being a human’ means being driven by an animal nature to suffer and inflict suffering on others, then that aspect of ‘being human’ can—literally—go to hell.

‘Hating one another’ summarizes the essence of current human existence. This is described in another essay that looks at God’s plan of creation. Summarizing briefly, God the Father is the ultimate source of everything in Teacher thought. God wants to enjoy Teacher order-within-complexity but this requires creating creatures who are independent of God the Father who will then choose to express their independence in ways that exhibit Teacher order-within-complexity. This leads to a path of Teacher to Mercy to Teacher. For instance, all biological life is based in the Teacher structure of the verbal messages of DNA. But growing up in a physical body causes Mercy thought to develop as a result of emotional experiences, leading to human minds who are not even aware of Teacher thought or Teacher emotion. Instead of thinking in terms of Teacher order, the human child will naturally think in terms of Mercy feelings of me versus not-me, which can be summarized as ‘hating one another’. The solution is not to suppress personal identity and adopt some form of group-think, such as communism or Gaia, or to transcend individuality by embracing the divine in some mystical manner. Instead, the solution is to express Teacher order-within-complexity as an individual in Mercy thought.

Realizing Platonic Forms 3:4-7

Verse 4 turns to the solution. “But when the kindness and the love of mankind of God our Savior appeared.” Kindness means ‘What is really needed; kindness that is also serviceable’. Love of mankind is used twice in the New Testament and combines ‘philos’ with ‘mankind’. Appeared occurs four times in the New Testament and was discussed the other time it appeared in Titus in 2:11. It combines ‘suitably on’ with ‘bring to light’. And when God is our Savior, then Teacher order is being altered to bring benefits to humanity. Putting this all together, kindness refers to the distinction made earlier between what humans are driven by their mental networks to demand and what is really required for human well-being. ‘Love of mankind’ indicates the development of a new set of mental networks that is actually compatible with human existence. ‘Appearing’ means that people are gaining a Teacher understanding of what this really means. And ‘God our Savior’ means that this is leading to a major paradigm shift that makes human well-being possible. For instance, the theory of evolution does not have a ‘love of mankind’. Religious self-denial is not ‘love of mankind’. Wokeism is not ‘love of mankind’. And an economy that generates a stream of new-and-improved trinkets and gadgets in order to bring wealth to some economic elite is not ‘love of mankind’.

Verse 5 looks at how this salvation is appearing. “He saved us, not by works in righteousness that we did.” By is ‘from out of’. Work means ‘a deed that carries out an inner desire’. In means ‘in the realm of’. Righteousness describes Server actions that are guided by Teacher understanding and did refers explicitly to Server actions. This is normally interpreted to mean that salvation is by grace and not by works. But the context provides a more subtle interpretation. That is because the goal of the previous sections was to create a group of people who were internally motivated to carry out actions that expressed a Teacher understanding of God. Thus, verse 5 is saying that the salvation is not appearing as a direct result of the previous steps.

Verse 5 continues, “But according to His mercy, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.” According to means ‘according to’ when followed by the accusative. Mercy is used once in Titus and means ‘mercy, pity, compassion’. And the verb form of this noun is used to describe the cognitive style of Mercy in Romans 12:8. This relates directly to God’s plan described just previously. Creation starts with God the Father in Teacher thought. Creation leads to the existence of independent life within Mercy thought. The salvation of God appears by moving forward from this independent Mercy existence to God in Teacher thought. This is different than mysticism which attempts to move backwards from independent Mercy existence to unity with the primeval God in Teacher thought. Starting from Mercy thought is emphasized by the mention of the Holy Spirit, and this is the only use of either ‘holy’ or ‘spirit’ in Titus. Looking at this more carefully, the Nicene Creed says that God the Son and God the Holy Spirit proceeded from God the Father in eternity before creation. Thus, before creating the universe, God the Father chose within Himself to recognize the independent existence of Mercy thought. Looking at this cognitively, Platonic forms of the spirit are internal Mercy images of idealized simplicity and perfection that emerge within Mercy thought as a result of Teacher theories. A concept of the Holy Spirit emerges within Mercy thought when a universal Teacher understanding brings unity to all of the various Platonic forms, leading to what Plato called the form of the Good.

Washing is found twice in the New Testament and means ‘a bath, public or private’. Regeneration combines ‘again’ with ‘birth, beginning’ and the only other occurrence is in Matthew 19:28 which talks about the Son of Man sitting on his glorious throne. Liquid represents Mercy experiences. Thus, a ‘washing of regeneration’ describes a rebirth or re-beginning that is happening within the realm of Mercy experiences. This is not God rapturing believers out of the world and it is also not gradually improving the existing world through some form of social gospel. Instead, people are becoming reborn within the existing world of Mercy experiences. Renewing is found twice in the New Testament and combines ‘up’ with ‘new in quality because not found exactly like this before’. The other occurrence is in Romans 12:2 which talks about being ‘transformed by the renewing of your mind’ and is followed by the list of the seven cognitive styles. ‘Renewing of the Holy Spirit’ means that an internal concept of the Holy Spirit is causing new things to emerge within Mercy thought that have not existed before. ‘Up’ indicates moving in the direction of Teacher generality and a concept of the Holy Spirit ‘moves up’ from more specific Platonic forms. Modern technology provides a partial example because an integrated understanding of natural law created the internal Mercy image of a technological world which has motivated people to create a new kind of society that has never existed before. In a similar manner, I have found that treating cognitive modules as independent entities guided by mental symmetry has caused mental lifeforms to emerge within my mind, and as far as I can tell, such mental lifeforms have not existed before. More specifically, the earliest reference I can find to Romans 12 spiritual gifts as cognitive styles is from the 1970s.

Verse 6 emphasizes that the path from God the Father in Teacher thought to Mercy experiences leads through incarnation. “Whom He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior.” Pour out means to ‘pour out’ and usually refers to the pouring out of some liquid. Richly means ‘much in quantity’. This relates to the idea that God makes universal changes because God is a universal being. Thus, this is not just a few prototypes being generated in some obscure labs but rather a plethora of new entities being generated in Mercy thought. The modern consumer society again provides a partial example, because the world has become flooded with new-and-improved gadgets.

‘Jesus Christ’ refers to an integrated concept of incarnation. But in this case, Jesus is being mentioned first. Modern research and development provides a partial illustration because companies will fund research with the hope of discovering some new product that can be sold to consumers. ‘Through Jesus Christ’ means that this new life of the Holy Spirit will emerge through the use of male technical thought. This will not be a case of deciding to blindly follow the prompting of the Holy Spirit by choosing not to use rational thought, which is how the charismatic movement typically interpreted following the Holy Spirit. Evidence suggests that such a blind following of the Holy Spirit can work—for a while, but evidence also suggests that such a move of the Spirit will inevitably self-destruct because of a lack of rational thought. Verse 4 referred to God as ‘our Savior’ while verse 6 describes Jesus Christ as ‘our Savior’. In verse 4 the salvation came from the ‘regime change’ of a new system of Teacher order. In verse 6 the salvation is coming from using technical thought to do research and development within the new system of Teacher order. For instance, my decision to recognize subconscious modules as independent living entities emerged directly from the Teacher theory of mental symmetry. But I keep finding that doing detailed research with mental symmetry adds substance to my cognitive modules and makes them feel and behave more like ‘real people’.

Verse 7 looks at the bigger picture. “So that, having been justified by that grace, we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Justified means ‘to show to be righteous, declare righteous’. And grace refers to help from Teacher thought. ‘Justified by grace’ is traditionally interpreted as one’s sins being forgiven by God. And this is a valid interpretation. Stated more carefully, justification, or being declared righteous, can be compared to being accepted as a student of some prestigious school. Even though one has not yet learned anything, one has still acquired the status of being a member of the school. Justification needs to be followed by sanctification. Using the school analogy, being enrolled in school needs to be followed by taking the classes and passing the exams.

Verse 7 refers specifically to ‘that grace’, which is the grace of the previous verses. Thus, this rebirth in Mercy thought needs to be treated as being enrolled in a new school of character development. Saying this more clearly, suppose that supernatural intervention made it possible to question and alter basic assumptions and requirements of mortal human existence. It would be imperative to view this as being enrolled in a new school in which one was being given the opportunity to develop mental and spiritual wholeness to a degree that was previously impossible.

The end of verse 7 describes this goal. Heir is used once in Timothy and Titus and refers to ‘an heir, someone who inherits’. Inheritance is not based on what one has done but upon whom one is. However, in verse 7 one is ‘becoming heirs’, and become means ‘to come into being’. This describes a process of sanctification, in which one gradually becomes a certain kind of person who is capable of inheriting because of who one has become. Hope means Exhorter thought focusing upon some unseen goal. Life refers to either natural or spiritual life. This word was used once previously in Titus 1:2, which also referred to ‘the hope of eternal life’ as something that God promised long ago.

Putting this all together, a distinction was made earlier between mentally becoming a person who thinks and behaves in terms of eternal life and having an immortal physical body. Verse 7 does not talk about physical immortality, because eternal life is still being described as a hope. But the context suggests that the limitations of physical mortality are being altered sufficiently to make it possible to think in terms of eternal life. Verse 7 says that this alteration of physical mortality needs to be accompanied by becoming the sort of person internally who is capable of handling living forever. For instance, living forever means that one cannot try to solve problems by killing opponents. Living forever means dealing with mental and emotional baggage rather than trying to block it off. Living forever means becoming mentally whole rather than fragmented. Living forever means learning to enjoy the present while continuing to plan for the future. Living forever means adopting a lifestyle of ecological sustainability. And so on. These are the sorts of issues that will have to be addressed.

Preserving Rational Thought 3:8-9

Verse 8 emphasizes the certainty of these statements. “Trustworthy is the saying, and I want you to affirm strongly concerning these things.” Trustworthy is related to ‘faith’ which means ‘persuaded’. Saying is ‘logos’. In other words, what has just been discussed is a rational paradigm. It may sound like science fiction or fantasy but there is no magical thinking. For instance, mental symmetry can be used to discuss strange topics such as angels and UFOs. But this is done in a rational manner using a theory of cognition that can be mapped in detail onto neurology. The phrase ‘the paradigm is rational’ comes right after the phrase ‘the hope of eternal life’. Eternal life is viewed in religious circles as something magical that God bestows, and human attempts to extend physical life are viewed as irreligious. Most of these attempts are irreligious because they assume that only the physical universe exists. What is being described here is a third option. Eternal life requires supernatural assistance as well as grace from God. But accessing this supernatural help requires rational thought and this rational thought is being developed within the current physical universe. (I strongly suspect that humans will be living on other planets by this stage.) This does not mean that the current age will continue forever. Instead, Titus 3 describes practicing with elements of eternal life in order to acquire the knowledge and expertise that will be required to handle full-blown eternal life.

‘Concerning these things’ means that Paul is referring specifically to ‘the hope of eternal life’. Want means ‘to plan with full resolve’ which goes far beyond mere wanting. Using an analogy, suppose that one is promised an airplane. One ‘plans with full resolve’ for this future gift by taking flying lessons and learning how to fly. Affirm strongly is used twice in the New Testament and combines ‘all the way through’ with ‘to walk where it is solid’. Continuing with the analogy, learning to fly an airplane is a matter of life and death because making a mistake will lead to death. Therefore, airplanes and airplane parts are subject to rigorous scrutiny that makes it possible to ‘affirm strongly’. Similarly, practicing with elements of eternal life will—by definition—involve issues of physical life and death. Therefore, it will be vital to follow a ‘strongly affirmed’ path through the unknown where ‘one walks where it is solid all the way through’.

Verse 8 continues, “So that those believing God may take care to be devoted to good works.” Take care is used once in the New Testament. It means ‘acting out one’s inner, visceral opinion’ and is related to the word ‘diaphragm, the parts around the heart’. Work means ‘a deed that carries out an inner desire’ and good means ‘attractively good’. Devoted combines ‘before’ with ‘stand’ and would indicate establishing solid Perceiver facts beforehand. Putting this together, the goal is to establish a solid foundation in Perceiver thought so that one can become internally motivated at a gut-level to perform attractively good behavior. This is an interesting combination because it combines several elements that are normally regarded as distinct. Verse 8 adds that this is for those who are ‘believing God’. Thus, the starting point is a rational Teacher understanding of ‘how things work’. This will create Platonic forms within Mercy thought of how things could be, which will provide internal motivation for behavior. However, preparing for physical transformation requires going further. One must also build solid Perceiver connections between mind and body and one has to be internally motivated to the extent that gut-level feelings become changed.

Looking at this further, the standard interpretation of embodiment says that the mind is influenced by the body. Verse 8 goes the opposite direction by transforming the mind to the extent that it alters the feelings of the body. This does not mean ignoring the body or ignoring physical needs. Instead, it means becoming aware of what the body actually needs and how this interacts with the mind. For instance, I have been struggling for decades with tendinitis. I have tried many ways of treating tendinitis and I have found that the only way that works for me is to pursue inner peace and overcome inner tension, which means following a path of personal transformation until my physical feelings become changed at a gut level. Saying this another way, humans may complain about physical ailments and physical frailties, but we also assume that our bodies will remain a source of stability. If it became possible to alter the physical body, then some other form of mental stability would have to be found, which would require pursuing an internal ‘before standing’ that would make it possible to conceive of an altered physical body. Dealing with tendinitis has taught me what it means to gain internal stability so that my physical body can ‘let go’ and stop ‘clutching’.

Verse 8 finishes, “These things are excellent and profitable to men.” Are is explicitly mentioned which means that one is dealing with ‘being’. Excellent means ‘attractively good’. Profitable means ‘profitable, beneficial, useful’. And man is the generic word for ‘mankind’. One might think that any hint of physical regeneration would be embraced by society. But the mind will go to great lengths to protect mental networks that are threatened, even if these mental networks are unpleasant. Therefore, it would be essential to pursue physical alteration in a way that was both useful and attractively good in order to provide a positive reason for challenging existing core mental networks of human existence.

Verse 9 warns against possible distractions. “But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the Law.” Foolish means ‘dull, stupid, foolish’ and is the source of the English word ‘moron’. In other words, the distractions of verse 9 are just plain dumb given the context. Controversy is ‘a meaningless question to investigate a specific practice’. Medicine currently tends to focus upon specific ailments in an objective manner that avoids meaning. This type of approach would be moronic if people had to find stability in mental integration as a result of experiencing substantial physical changes. For instance, many years back I read a book that described a method of curing stuttering. The author found that many who stopped stuttering would go through an identity crisis because the stuttering that had formed a major part of their personal identity had now stopped. Those who clung to their self-image of being a stutterer would start stuttering again and their condition would then be incurable.

Genealogies is used twice in the New Testament and means ‘a record of descent or lineage’. The other occurrence is in 1 Timothy 1:4, which was interpreted as academia giving credit and respect to those who come up with ideas. Thus, genealogies could be interpreted as worrying about academic credit with regard to this research. People who are dying of an incurable disease do not care about giving credit to who discovered what. Instead, their focus is upon staying alive. Attempting to impose academic credit or laws of copyright upon such research would be moronic. Looking at another kind of genealogies, worrying about social status or racial background would also be moronic if the goal were to manipulate DNA in ways that enhanced and extended life. Besides, the principle of righteousness in Matthew 6 makes it clear that one will only receive a reward from God if one does not receive human rewards of social approval.

Argument means ‘quarrel, strife’. One does not bicker when dealing with the very existence of human life. Even the military treats its wounded in a humanitarian manner. Using genetic modification to produce better soldiers would be moronic, because an opportunity to extend human life would be used to snuff out human life more efficiently. The term ‘moron’ would be insufficient to describe such stupidity.

Quarrel means ‘a fight’ and law means ‘law’. Getting into legal squabbles over improving physical life would also be moronic. That is because physical life is deeper than any sort of legal reward or punishment.

These various terms all refer to fundamental aspects of current human society, including objective specialized research, physical and ethnic heritage, war and conflict, and legal squabbles. Notice that one is not rebelling from this human system or attacking this human system as evil but rather transforming human existence to the point where only morons would continue functioning in this manner. This is a generalization of the principle that sin should ultimately be regarded as dumb rather than evil. If sin is regarded as evil, then it still remains something enticing in Mercy thought to motivate Exhorter thought. But if sin is regarded as dumb, then Exhorter thought will not find it attractive.

Avoid combines ‘encompassing’ with ‘stand’. In other words, this goes beyond establishing solid facts in Perceiver thought to establishing an entire context of Perceiver stability. That is because each of these addresses a major aspect of what is currently regarded as human existence.

Verse 9 finishes, “For they are unprofitable and worthless.” Are is specifically mentioned, again indicating a focus upon ‘being’. Unprofitable adds the prefix ‘not’ to ‘something heaped up’. That is because physical life requires many factors working together. Therefore, investigating how to improve life would have to go beyond isolated investigation to a cooperative effect that examined all of the interacting factors. Similarly, mental symmetry pursues mental wholeness because personal well-being requires all cognitive modules functioning together in an integrated manner. Worthless means ‘without purpose or ground’. The theory of evolution rejects the concept of ‘purpose or ground’, insisting that life evolved through random processes that were not guided by any purpose or goal. It would be moronic to pursue DNA manipulation in a manner that was not driven by the goal of improving human existence. If humans acquired the ability to manipulate biological life in some way in cooperation with the original designers of biological life, then it would be ultra-important for humans to insist that this manipulation was guided by a goal to improve human life. It would then become moronic to continue to assert that biological life evolved in a purposeless fashion. Notice again that existing thought and practice are not being attacked but rather are being revealed to be idiotic.

I know that I am repeating the words idiotic and moronic, but even these words are inadequate to accurately portray the depth of stupidity that one is dealing with. However, such stupidity is currently regarded as the essence of civilized human existence. Because such stupidity defines core mental networks of human existence, it is essential that these mental networks be belittled rather than attacked. That is because people will be strongly driven to protect and preserve threatened core mental networks even when these mental networks reflect the height of human idiocy. A current example of this can be seen in female circumcision. Quoting from the linked article, “Where FGM is a social convention (social norm), the social pressure to conform to what others do and have been doing, as well as the need to be accepted socially and the fear of being rejected by the community, are strong motivations to perpetuate the practice.” And approximately 200 million women alive today have had female circumcision. If social MMNs are being used to defend such an obviously barbaric practice, then it is not hard to imagine future humans asserting that humans have the ‘right’ to kill each other in warfare, fight each other legally, ignore personal meaning and integration, and fixate on race and culture. However, such practices are moronic and have nothing to do with the actual well-being of humanity. However, I am sure that many so-called educated experts would continue to insist that humans are really animals with a veneer of civilization. It would be vital to reveal such so-called academic thought for what it really is: the insanity of a moron.

Correcting Errors 3:10-11

Verse 10 says how one should respond to such thinking. “Reject a factious man after one and a second admonition.” The English begins with the verb ‘reject’ but this is at the end of the sentence in the Greek. The Greek begins with factious which is used once in the New Testament and means ‘specializing in half-truths and misimpressions to win others over to their personal opinion while creating harmful divisions.” This describes a focus on various ideologies based upon the social status of experts in Mercy thought. The alternative is to pursue an integrated body of knowledge in Teacher thought. Man is the generic word for mankind which includes both men and women.

Admonition combines ‘mind’ with ‘to place’, which means providing appropriate Perceiver facts for rational thinking. In other words, one should attempt to factually connect such individuals with factual research. Verse 10 says that one should try this twice. This is different than the current academic practice of automatically prejudging and rejecting any research that does not meet the threshold of acceptable rational analysis. That is because it is quite possible that some individual working in a corner may come up with important insights. In fact, it is likely that most of the important insights will come from individuals working off in corners. That is because they are seeking a reward from God by doing their righteousness in private without seeking social approval. When such an individual is discovered, then one should not automatically give social approval but rather connect factually with such an individual in order to ensure a continued focus upon integrated Teacher understanding. The first admonition would make both parties aware of what the other is doing. This would give both parties the opportunity to adjust and respond to the first admonition before any second admonition.

Reject is also used in 1 Timothy and means ‘to beg from, to beg off’. This does not describe attacking or rejecting an individual but rather avoiding interaction in a manner that minimizes social disruption. That is because attacking such individuals will implicitly direct attention away from Teacher integration to specific people in Mercy thought. This is difficult to do when dealing with fundamental questions of human existence because the natural tendency is to lash out at the ‘heretic’ who dares follow another path. But it is essential to continue focusing upon the central goal of pursuing human well-being. For instance, I have recently been forced several times to interact with individuals whose behavior I regard as morally inexcusable. I have tried very hard to react with just enough firmness to ensure that my journey with mental symmetry is not sidetracked while refraining from attacking them directly.

Verse 11 provides a reason for ignoring such infractions. “Knowing that such a man is corrupt and is sinning, being self-condemned.” Knowing means ‘seeing that becomes knowing’ and is interpreted as empirical evidence. Corrupt is used once in the New Testament and combines ‘from out of’ and ‘turn’. Such a man is actually a generic pronoun that means ‘such as this’. In other words, one can see from the physical evidence that the person being admonished is heading in a total different direction. It is currently difficult to tell what another person is really thinking inside. However, genetic modification would make it possible for a person’s appearance to reflect what they really are inside. It was suggested earlier that ‘reptilian aliens’ look reptilian because they think and behave like cold-blooded reptiles. This is already somewhat true of humans and would become more extensively true if physical modifications became possible. This is a scary thought, because the goal of most current body modification seems to be to violate accepted social standards in the most grotesque form possible. However, the previous chapters have described a new kind of male technical thought emerging out of transformed female mental networks of wholeness and well-being. In contrast, most current body modification is motivated by a desire to reject the rational thinking of current objective, specialized technical thought. And most body modification is an expression of queer theory which was discussed earlier.

Sinning ‘is regularly used in ancient times of an archer missing the target’. This assumes, of course, that a target exists, which implies that the efforts to alter human physical existence are heading toward some goal, which evolutionary theory categorically rejects. Wokeism also rejects those who are managing to reach some goal as exploiters of society while advocating for the ‘oppressed’ who are missing the targets of society. And the recent covid pandemic made it apparent that most evangelical Christians will instinctively reject organized human attempts to ‘hit the target’ of improving human well-being because they will feel that this invades the domain of a God of blind faith and magic. However, the mental networks that were transformed in the previous chapters would provide a target of human well-being to aim at, making it obvious who was sinning.

Self-condemned is found once in the New Testament and combines ‘self’ with ‘to give judgment against’. This is preceded by the verb ‘to be’ which indicates that this self-condemnation is functioning at the core level of being. Saying this more simply, those who are grotesque inside will be emotionally driven to look grotesque; they will condemn themselves based upon who they really are. The problem with current society is that every group seems to be grotesque in some manner, with each group defending its version of local rational thinking and no group possessing sufficient global rational understanding to point out the fundamental insanity of attempting to be grotesque.

Intelligent versus Random Development 3:12-15

The final verses mention some names which will be interpreted from a cognitive perspective. “When I shall send Artemas or Tychicus to you, be diligent to come to me into Nicopolis; for I have decided to winter there.” Send means ‘to send’. Artemas is mentioned once in the New Testament and means ‘gift of Artemis’. Artemis was a Greek goddess of the hunt and a version of Artemis as a multi-breasted deity of childbirth was worshiped in a famous temple at Ephesus. A ‘gift of Artemis’ would presumably refer to female mental networks either hunting down or giving birth to life. This is consistent with our interpretation of Titus, which has described a process of giving birth to a new form of human existence based in transformed mental networks of female thought. Tychicus is mentioned five times in the New Testament. It means ‘fortuitous’ and comes from a word that means ‘fortune, fate’. These two names are connected by an ‘or’, which suggests that one of two possible alternatives will be pursued. One option is to be guided intelligently by female mental networks. The other option is to be guided by random chance. Applying this to the context, genetic modification will happen. The only question is whether it will be guided by intelligent mental networks or happen in a random manner. My hope is that mental symmetry will provide a sufficient basis to prevent this from happening in just a random manner. I already find it almost intolerable to live in a world of tattoos and body piercings. I do not know how I could survive a world of random body modifications. Either way, the consequences would be so striking and so immediate that people would soon recognize the need to pursue this path in a rational, intelligent manner.

Diligent means ‘to make haste’. Come means ‘to come, go’. If Paul represents a personal breakthrough to an integrated concept of God and personal identity, then it would be imperative to ‘make haste to come to Paul’ if genetic modification and/or alien interaction began, because people would finally see the value of pursuing mental wholeness. Nicopolis is mentioned once in the New Testament and combines ‘victory’ with ‘city’. A city represents civilized society, because Greek and Roman cities were the centers of civilization. Decide means ‘to pick out by separating’ which refers to a fundamental aspect of abstract technical thought which begins by clarifying meanings and categories. Winter combines ‘close beside’ with ‘to expose to winter cold’. Winter is interpreted as a period during which the ‘sun’ of a general understanding is inadequate, leading to an abundance of the ‘liquid’ of Mercy experiences being frozen into the Perceiver facts of absolute truth. Stated more simply, winter describes a society characterized by absolute truth and established authorities as opposed to understanding and critical thinking. Putting this together, ‘wintering at Nicopolis’ means staying within a successful society when rational understanding is lacking and society is ruled by traditional belief. That is because such a society is experiencing success because it is implicitly following some fundamental principles of mental wholeness. This is the opposite of wokeism which attempts to identify with the losers of society—as does a mindset of religious self-denial. This does not mean that one should ignore those who are suffering. Instead, Paul is referring to himself. In other words, one should pursue a path of understanding God and personal identity in a society that is experiencing some success and not in a society that is focusing upon failure. ‘Decided’ suggests that it is easier to use abstract technical thought in such an environment.

Verse 13 mentions two more names. “Earnestly equip Zenas the lawyer and Apollos.” Zenas is mentioned once in the New Testament and means ‘Zeus-given’. Zeus was the greatest of the Greek gods who ruled over the other gods. Lawyer ‘implies someone even more learned in the law than a typical scribe’. ‘Lawyer’ is mentioned seven times in the New Testament and this is the only reference that portrays the lawyer in a positive light. Apollos means ‘from Apollo’ and Apollo was the Greek God of truth and prophecy, healing, the sun and light, and music. Earnestly means ‘with haste’ and is the adverbial form of the verb ‘diligent’ in verse 12. Equip means ‘to send before’. Putting this all together, if society is going to start manipulating DNA, then it is important to rethink the legal implications at a fundamental level guided by a Teacher concept of a God who rules over other gods. It is also important to focus upon the positive emotional aspects of society, such as truth, prophecy, healing, the sun, light, and music.

Verse 13 finishes, “So that nothing should be lacking to them.” Lacking means ‘to leave, leave behind’. ‘Them’ refers to Zenas and Apollos. ‘Nothing is lacking to them’ means that society has a sufficient Teacher-based system of academic and political law as well as a sufficiently adequate focus upon positive goals to be able to handle opening the Pandora’s box of genetic modification and alien interaction. In contrast, if the ‘fate’ of Tychicus is sent, then this will truly be a Pandora’s box from which much evil escapes before the hope of something better finally emerges.

Verse 14 gives more general instructions. “And also let our people learn to devote themselves to good works for necessary needs.” Let learn is in the imperative and means ‘learning key facts’. Our people is simply the word ‘our’. Work is ‘a deed that carries out an inner desire’ and good is ‘attractively good’. Devote themselves means ‘pre-standing’ and was used in verse 8. In other words, it is vital to gain Perceiver confidence in being internally motivated to pursue goals that are attractively good before all of this happens. The evangelical Christian response to the covid crisis provides an example of what happens when the crisis hits and the Perceiver confidence is missing. People forget about their principles, reject rational thinking, and start supporting amoral, stupid dictators who promise to bring back the past.

Need is related to the word ‘to use, make use of’. This does not refer to some desperate need but rather more generically to that which is useful. Necessary means ‘a compelling need requiring immediate action’. Thus, ‘a necessary need’ would be something useful that is required right now. On the one hand, one is focusing upon usefulness and not just upon bling, appearance, or fads. On the other hand, one is addressing immediate needs rather than attempting to meet some hypothetical need of the future.

Verse 14 finishes, “So that they should not be unfruitful.” Be is explicitly mentioned indicating a focus upon being. Unfruitful adds the prefix ‘not’ to ‘fruit’. Fruit grows and it also provides a combination of food and drink in a tasty and pleasant package. ‘Not being unfruitful’ means that progress is happening in a pleasant and tasty manner that combines intellectual food and personal experience. This sounds innocuous, but it would be a major success if the topic of physical human reality could be successfully tackled in this manner. It would be like saying, ‘They successfully crossed the minefield while enjoying a bowl of cherries’. In this case, merely avoiding getting blown up would be a major success. Anything more would be a cherry on top.

Verse 15 gives final greetings. “All those with me greet you. Greet those loving us in the faith. Grace be with all of you.” Greet is mentioned twice and means ‘to welcome, greet’. All those who are with Paul greeting Titus implies that Titus represents a fully adequate expression of Paul’s personal journey. Similarly, I have come to the conclusion that all aspects of the theory of mental symmetry could be adequately expressed as interaction between intelligent cognitive modules. Loving is the word ‘philos’ which describes compatible mental networks. ‘In faith’ is more literally ‘in the realm of being persuaded’. Thus, the relationship is not reciprocal. That is because not all interacting mental networks are compatible with a path of personal transformation guided by an integrated concept of God. Instead, many mental networks of current society feel threatened by rational thought and integrated understanding. Thus, Paul can only greet those whose mental networks are compatible with rational thought and Teacher understanding. Grace means help from God in Teacher thought and is preceded by ‘the’. In this case ‘be’ is not explicitly mentioned and with means ‘in company with’ when followed by the genitive. Thus, Paul is asking that God will help and guide all aspects of Titus regardless of whether these are accompanied by ‘being’ or not.

Philemon

The book of Philemon is only one chapter long. The authors are Paul and Timothy. A discussion of Philemon has been appended to the essay on Titus because Philemon appears to be describing a transition that goes beyond the era of Timothy to involve the era of Titus. Paul means ‘little’ and ‘Paul the apostle’ is interpreted as developing an integrated understanding of personal transformation as an apostle and desiring to live within such a society by becoming little. Timothy combines ‘of valuing, a price’ with ‘God’. An economy is based upon value but value is typically interpreted as the emotions that individuals assign to specific goods and services. ‘Value of God’ suggests a more integrated concept of value based upon an integrated concept of God in Teacher thought.

A planned economy attempts to use Teacher thought to pursue value in an integrated manner but most planned economies suffer from one of two fundamental flaws: First, if the Teacher theory is based in overgeneralization, then the planned economy will turn into the five-year plans of communism which imposed abstract numbers upon the population in an overgeneralized manner that took no account of individuality or local differences. The result will inevitably be disaster, as illustrated by the destruction of the Aral Sea by the Soviet fixation upon growing cotton—largely for the military use of guncotton. Second, if the Teacher theory is objective, then the planned economy will turn individuals into cogs who function impersonally within the machine of the economy. In contrast, I am interpreting Timothy as a revitalized economy guided by a general Teacher understanding of personal character and transformation. Timothy adds mental networks to the objective technical thinking of the modern economy. Titus goes beyond this to rebuild a new economy of technical thought by starting from transformed mental networks.

Philemon describes a transformation that occurs within Paul as he is waiting for a fully transformed economy to emerge. I suspect that this is happening between the partial solution of Timothy and the more complete solution of Titus.

The Context of Philemon 1-3

The context of Philemon is suggested by verse 1. “Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother.” Prisoner means ‘binding, bound’ and is mentioned twice in Philemon, while only mentioned once in Thessalonians and Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:8. Historically speaking, Paul was a prisoner of the Roman government. However, Paul refers to himself as a prisoner of Christ Jesus, which describes an integrated concept of incarnation that starts from a general concept of Christ in abstract thought.

Putting this into the context of Timothy and Titus, we currently live within an objective economy that has no concept of spirituality and which abuses spirituality as something nebulous and emotional that can be manipulated by marketing and advertising to sell gadgets and entertainment. Timothy describes a future society in which legitimate mental networks of spirituality are added to the existing objective economy. I think that this corresponds prophetically to the giving of the Holy Spirit in the beginning of Acts. The spiritual component of this new economy will start out fairly weak and limited and will grow primarily because of opposition from the existing objective economy. I suggest that this is what it means cognitively to be ‘a prisoner of Christ Jesus’. The external source of the imprisonment will be existing economic, political, and academic structure. But Paul is choosing to place this human-imposed imprisonment within the framework of a larger Teacher theory. In the same way that Paul’s physical imprisonment under the Romans forced him to write his epistles and develop his theology, so I suggest that the future ‘imprisonment’ of growing spirituality by various societal forces will force this spirituality to go beyond vague feelings to a more rigorous system that is compatible with technical thought. I know from personal experience that this is a valid interpretation, because most of the rigor of mental symmetry has come from exploring, interacting with, and being suppressed by the structure of secular technical thought.

The interpretation of Philemon given below may sound bizarre. I am not claiming that this is the only possible interpretation. However, I am suggesting that it is a valid interpretation. It is also the interpretation for which I am praying because it is an extremely necessary interpretation. God’s plans of prophecy appear to be written as general equations that can be fulfilled in different specific ways. Human will cannot alter God’s equations of prophecy, but it appears that humans can change the specific manner in which these general equations of prophecy are fulfilled. If humans respond passively then a prophetic equation will usually be fulfilled in a manner that is most painful to humans. However, one can ask God to fulfill an equation in a nicer manner by meeting the personal requirements. If one has met the personal requirements, then the prophetic sequence will in some way resonate with personal experience; one will know at an emotional level what the prophetic sequence feels like. I think that this relates to James 5:16 which says that the fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

Timothy was described in 1 Timothy 1:2 as the ‘true child’ of Paul. Philemon 1 refers to Timothy as the ‘brother of Paul’, suggesting that the revitalized economy of Timothy now exists and is functioning.

Philemon is mentioned once in the New Testament and is related to the word phileo which means ‘affectionate friendship’. Philemon is described as the beloved, which refers to agape love. Friendship means liking being with some person or within some society because of compatible mental networks. Agape love is guided by Teacher emotions of integration, wholeness, and well-being. In today’s society, these two are not necessarily the same because the average person does not find it comfortable to be in an environment that emphasizes order, structure, wholeness, and well-being. ‘Philemon the beloved’ happens when cultural and personal MMNs have been transformed by the TMN of an integrated understanding to the point of feeling comfortable within an environment that emphasizes structure and wholeness. Thus, Philemon will be interpreted as presenting growing Teacher understanding and order in a manner that is attractive to social mental networks. This is different than imposing a Teacher theory upon an unwilling audience and it is also different than modifying a Teacher theory to avoid offending existing social mental networks.

Fellow worker combines ‘together’ with ‘a deed that carries out an inner desire’. This describes social interaction that begins with the individual. On the one hand, people are being internally motivated, but on the other hand, these internally motivated people are cooperating with one another. This happens naturally when MMNs are transformed by an integrated TMN. In contrast, people who are driven by social MMNs will only cooperate with one another to the extent that they share similar cultural mental networks, and cooperation usually requires being guided by social pressure as opposed to personal desire. In contrast, a TMN of integrated understanding will cause Platonic forms of a better society to form internally within Mercy thought. These internal MMNs will prompt ‘deeds that carry out an inner desire’ and those who are being internally motivated as individuals will find themselves naturally cooperating with other internally motivated individuals who are following a similar understanding in Teacher thought.

Verse 2 mentions two other recipients of this letter. “And to Apphia our sister, and to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church at your house.” Apphia is mentioned once in the New Testament and comes from a Greek word that means ‘to increase’ which implies ‘growth, progress, and development’. Sister is the feminine form of ‘brother’ which means ‘from the same womb’. The implication is that transformed mental networks of female thought are growing and developing, consistent with the idea that Philemon refers to a transition happening during the era of ‘Timothy’. Archippus is mentioned twice in the New Testament and combines ‘to rule, to begin’ with ‘horse’. Horses are interpreted as organizational might because horses exerted military power and required considerable organization to maintain. The combination of Apphia and Archippus suggests that growing mental networks of spiritual power are starting to rule over the organizational might of the existing objective economy. In other words, the spiritual component that was initially appended to the existing objective economy is starting to acquire emotional and spiritual power.

Philemon was described as ‘the fellow worker’ while Archippus is referred to as the fellow soldier, a word used twice in the New Testament that combines ‘together’ with the word soldier which refers to a member of some organized army. The other mention of Archippus is in Colossian 4:17 where he was instructed to fulfill the ministry that he has received. My current guess is that Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians form a collective sequence that is referring to the distant future. This becomes apparent if one reads through these epistles and interprets the language as actual description rather than ecstatic—but ultimately meaningless—worship. Therefore, I have focused upon the Pauline epistles of Thessalonians, Timothy, and Titus because they seem to be talking about prophetic sequences that involve the near future.

The idea of Archippus as a fellow soldier can be seen in Acts 10 in the story of Cornelius and the vision of Peter. Cornelius was a centurion and Peter was instructed to go along with Cornelius despite his misgivings, consistent with the idea of viewing a soldier as a fellow rather than as an enemy. Going further, the sheet filled with animals and creeping things in Peter’s vision is held together by four arche, which actually means ‘beginning, origin’, and this term is used again in the repeating of the story in Acts 11:15. Paul uses this term six times in Ephesians and Colossians to refer to ‘spiritual principalities’. This term is interpreted as the primal beings that God used to design biological DNA. I know that this is an original interpretation, but it is explored in depth in other essays and I cannot come up with any other interpretation that actually makes logical sense. Stated briefly, simply claiming that God created life turns biology into divine magic, while claiming that biological life evolved turns biology into random magic. Neither of these options provide any moral guidance for the Pandora’s box of genetic manipulation that is just starting to be opened today. Acts seems to be indicating that followers of God will start to interact in an intelligent manner with these primal beings and have some success, secular authorities will then attempt to pursue a similar interaction but experience horrific results, and this will be followed by an attempt to clamp down on any further interaction, as portrayed by the crucifixion of Jesus in Matthew 27.

Verse 2 refers to ‘the church at your house’. The term church means ‘called out from the world and to God’. This term can be applied to some specific group of people to the extent that that group is being guided by the TMN of a concept of God rather than MMNs of culture. House means ‘house, dwelling’ and indicates a home for personal identity. A ‘house church’ indicates a group of people that are following a concept of God in Teacher thought rather than cultural MMNs in order to build a better home for personal identity in Mercy thought. A church at the house of Philemon is an interesting combination, because church implies that one is following a TMN of God rather than MMNs of social approval while the name Philemon implies that one is functioning in a manner that is compatible with MMNs of social approval. a partial example of this combination can be seen in research and development. On the one hand, research is guided by TMNs of scientific understanding rather than MMNs a popular opinion. But on the other hand, the goal of this research is to develop new products that society will find attractive.

Verse 3 continues with a generic blessing by Paul. “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Grace describes help from God in Teacher thought. Peace means ‘wholeness’ which naturally relates to Teacher emotions of order-within-complexity. Grace and peace are specifically related to ‘God our Father’ indicating that a concept of God in Teacher thought is bringing assistance and wholeness to people in a fatherly manner. ‘Jesus Christ’ describes an integrated concept of incarnation. Mentioning Jesus first indicates a focus upon the personal salvation of incarnation while referring to this as Lord indicates that personal identity is submitting to this integrated concept of incarnation. For instance, saying that God created biological life out of nothing regards God as the father of life but has no relationship to an integrated concept of incarnation. Going the other way, biochemistry has developed an integrated technical understanding of biological life that qualifies as a partial concept of incarnation. But instead of regarding this technical structure as an expression of God the Father in Teacher thought, the technical structure of biological life is viewed as a product of random mutations.

The Positive Results of Philemon 4-7

Verses 4 to 7 are typically interpreted as Paul saying positive things about Philemon in order to get him more receptive to Paul’s request. But, as usual, we will assume that these words actually mean something. Verse 4 begins, “I thank my God always, making mention of you upon my prayers.” Thank is related to the word ‘grace’ and means ‘acknowledging that God’s grace works well’. Always means ‘at all times’. Thus, ‘thanking my God always’ means viewing specific events as examples of God helping me. For instance, I have experienced a lot of rejection in my life. I could interpret this using the Teacher theory that ‘I am unlovable’ or that ‘God hates me’. Instead, I have repeatedly attempted to interpret these personal rejections as God closing the door on immediate blessing in order to lead me to a more lasting, deeper blessing.

Mention means ‘a bringing to mind’. Make means ‘to make, do’ and is interpreted as Server actions. Upon means ‘upon’ when followed by the genitive. Prayer means an ‘exchange of wishes’. Putting this together, we saw earlier that ‘house church’ implies following God in Teacher thought in order to gain more lasting personal benefits in Mercy thought. Prayer would then indicate an emotional interaction between personal need in Mercy thought and universal principles in Teacher thought and ‘upon’ would mean building upon this emotional interaction. ‘Making mention’ would then mean behaving in a manner that brings these wishes to mind. In other words, these prayers are not just being expressed in an escapist manner that has nothing to do with reality. Instead, they are being supported by Server actions and are being regarded as a framework that is worthy of being remembered.

Verse 5 describes the attributes of Philemon. “Hearing of your love and the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints.” Hearing means to ‘comprehend by hearing’ which means that words are leading to understanding in abstract thought. Love is ‘agape’ which describes love that is driven by Teacher emotion. Faith means to ‘be persuaded’ which means being guided by rational thought. Have means to ‘have, hold’ which refers to the peripheral realm of having as opposed to the more central realm of being. Jesus means ‘salvation’ and referring to Jesus without mentioning Christ would indicate a focus upon personal salvation that is not backed up by an integrated understanding. However, Lord Jesus indicates a mindset that is being guided by the goal of personal salvation. The first toward means ‘motion towards’. Putting this together, Philemon is being emotionally guided by Teacher feelings of wholeness and well-being and is using rational thought but this is being done at the peripheral level of having rather than being. This is heading in the direction of bringing salvation to people. The second toward means ‘motion into’ and saint means ‘different from the world because like the Lord’. Verse 2 referred to a ‘house church’. The members of a legitimate house church would be ‘saints’. Thus, Philemon is attempting to become a member of this group of saints. In other words, Philemon is following incarnation at a secondary, concrete level. This combination is consistent with the interpretation of Philemon as following Teacher understanding in a way that is attractive to cultural mental networks. On the one hand, Philemon is functioning at the concrete level of cultural mental networks. But on the other hand, Philemon is trying to follow those who are submitted to Teacher understanding. Something similar can be seen in current technological enthusiasts who appreciate science and welcome scientific developments but are not scientists themselves.

Verse 6 describes Paul’s goal. “So that the fellowship of your faith might become effective in the acknowledgment of every good thing that is in you toward Christ.” So that ‘emphasizes the method involved to accomplish the objective’. This means that verse 6 adds details to verse 5. ‘The faith’ is mentioned again which refers to being persuaded by some system of rational thought. Verse 5 talked about having the faith while verse 6 talks about the faith of you, which implies a deepening of faith. Fellowship means ‘what is shared in common as the basis of fellowship’. In other words, Paul is noticing that there is a commonality between the rational system of Timothy, representing a better economy, and the rational system of Philemon, representing the transformation of societal mental networks.

Effective is used three times in the New Testament and combines ‘in the realm’ of with ‘a deed that carries out an inner desire’. Become means ‘to come into being’. Verse 5 described objective thinking that was heading in the direction of helping people. Verse 6 is hoping that this behavior will become more internally driven, moving from the objective goal of improving society to the personal goal of becoming internally motivated.

This is followed by another ‘in the realm of’. Acknowledgment adds ‘appropriate’ to ‘experiential knowledge’. Experiential knowledge describes Perceiver facts based in personal Mercy experiences. Appropriate experiential knowledge means that these Perceiver facts are accurate. Verse 5 talked about practical salvation that focused upon saving people who are following an integrated concept of God in Teacher thought. This practical salvation will lead to experiential knowledge and Paul is hoping that this experiential knowledge will be accurate. Every means ‘each part of a totality’ which goes beyond vague generalizations to looking at all the details of some complete package. ‘Thing’ is implied and good means ‘intrinsically good’. Putting this all together, social mental networks represent what society feels is good based upon extrinsic appearance. Paul is hoping to go beyond the extrinsic demands of society to a focus upon intrinsic goodness. Going further, if genetic manipulation became possible, then it would quickly become apparent that using genetic manipulation to help people physically would not be enough. That is because any permanent changes in physical ability would violate existing mental networks of personal identity, turning the attention away from physical abilities to the deeper issue of personal identity. Saying this more simply, whenever the physical abilities of a person change in some major way, then that person has to deal with the emotional question of ‘who am I’? Dealing with this internal crisis of personal identity would require going beyond social convention to appropriate experiential knowledge as well as focusing upon intrinsic goodness.

For instance, mental symmetry defines moral goodness as whatever causes the modules of the mind to function together in harmony. This definition describes intrinsic goodness—goodness that remains good regardless of the connection between the mind and the external environment. Rebuilding mental networks of culture and personal identity upon a TMN of mental wholeness would be a prerequisite for being able to handle any permanent changes to the way that the mind interacts with the environment through the physical body. Stated as simply as possible, the mind requires a source of stability. This stability usually comes from the unchangeable nature of the physical body. If the physical body became changeable, then the mind would have to find a deeper source of intrinsic stability to avoid going through a deep existential crisis.

Verse 6 ends with the phrase ‘in you toward Christ’. This phrase begins with another ‘in the realm of’. ‘You’ is in the plural which indicates that this intrinsic goodness is being expressed socially. Toward means ‘motion into’. And ‘Christ’ refers to the abstract side of incarnation. Thus, Paul is hoping that what started in verse 5 as a concrete and objective focus upon the personal salvation of Jesus finishes in verse 6 by moving into a universal concept of Christ. Applying this to genetic manipulation, if it became possible to modify physical abilities in some permanent manner then fundamental assumptions of human existence would start to crumble, forcing people to find deeper sources of mental stability and this would eventually lead to the requirement of an integrated concept of Christ. The need for a concept of Christ can be seen in the current system of research and development which combines a partial ‘Jesus’ of developing new-and-improved gadgets with a partial ‘Christ’ of scientific research. If the scientific research stopped, then the flow of new gadgets would eventually come to an end.

Looking at the larger picture, Titus 3 appears to be describing humans starting to interact with the primal beings who designed biological DNA. The final verses of Titus seem to indicate that genetic research might occur either in an intelligent manner or in a random manner. The random manner would be if human researchers started tinkering with human DNA guided by commercial goals. The most intelligent manner would be if primal beings were guided by an integrated Teacher understanding of intrinsic goodness to modify their designs in cooperation with human researchers. The first random option would be like the proverbial Pandora’s box in which extensive evil was let loose before people were forced by the resulting deep trauma to focus upon intrinsic goodness guided by a concept of Christ. One of my primary goals is to develop mental symmetry and break through spiritually to the point of enabling the intelligent path, because others seem to be hell-bent (literally) upon following the random option. On the one hand, most secular researchers are too busy publishing papers, getting funding, and insisting that humans are just evolved animals to consider, let alone follow, any concepts of intrinsic goodness. On the other hand, most Christian researchers are too busy running away from blind faith in the Bible and proving to the secular world that they can be academically acceptable researchers to consider, let alone follow, the concept of an intelligent God.

Verse 7 describes a positive result. “For I have great joy and encouragement by occasion of your love.” Joy actually means ‘joy because of grace’ which is the positive Teacher emotion of encountering Teacher order. Great means ‘much in number’. Have refers to having rather than being. ‘Having great joy’ would mean looking at the physical world of ‘having’ and noticing many examples of Teacher order. I experience this kind of Teacher pleasure when encountering new technology. I do not experience this kind of Teacher pleasure when encountering most people. Encouragement means a ‘personal exhortation’ but also ‘has legal overtones’. This describes an emotional focus that is backed up by the facts. Thus, Paul is not exhibiting blind optimism but rather being encouraged by how the situation is actually developing. Love refers to ‘agape’ which describes love guided by Teacher understanding. And ‘of you’ is in the singular, which means that Paul is referring specifically to Philemon. If Philemon represents societal transformation that is compatible with societal mental networks, then Paul is noticing that this development is being guided by an integrated understanding of intrinsic goodness in Teacher thought. This is true to some extent today when dealing with gadgets, because people appreciate new gadgets, they love gadgets that exhibit greater Teacher order-within-complexity or apply new principles of science, and they demand gadgets that exhibit the intrinsic goodness of continuing to function without falling apart. However, when it comes to people then a totally different mindset currently rules. People attack the very suggestion that existing cultural mental networks should be replaced by something new, they celebrate inadequate cultural mental networks and demand that these mental networks be applauded and supported universally, and they proclaim and spread fake news in order to drown out any focus upon personal integrity.

Verse 7 continues, “because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother.” The word heart is not the normal word for heart but rather refers to ‘the inward parts’ and is usually translated in the KJV as ‘bowels’. It is used 11 times in the New Testament and three of these times are in the short epistle of Philemon. Refresh means ‘to give rest after the needed task is completed’. This goes beyond taking a break from one’s labors to being able to rest as a result of finishing the project. This rest is happening in the saints, which means ‘different from the world because like the Lord’. By means ‘by the instrumentality of’ when followed by the genitive. And brother is in the singular which means that it is referring specifically to Philemon.

Applying this to the context of Philemon. If one attempts to follow the TMN of a concept of God rather than MMNs of social pressure then one will experience significant opposition. Eventually one will break through personally to the level of becoming internally transformed. But this will not lead to rest because one will then have to deal with the continual mental agony of being sane within an insane society. If Philemon represents societal mental networks that are leading towards greater internal integrity, then this would lead to extensive rest for those who were pursuing internal transformation at the cost of external disapproval. Such a transition would happen if a spiritual dimension was added to existing technology. For instance, it is currently possible to spread lies on the Internet. This is a contradiction because the Internet has been very carefully designed to convey information with total accuracy. Thus, a total lack of accuracy is being conveyed on a medium that requires total accuracy. Adding a spiritual dimension would resolve this contradiction, because the mental networks that are motivating a person to lie would become spiritually empowered, and this spiritual empowerment would impose its structure locally upon the environment, causing the Internet to locally stop conveying information accurately. Stated simply, the Internet would stop working for those who deliberately lie on the Internet. This can already be seen to some extent in the problems that technically inept people have when using technology.

Going further, if society started to pursue principles of personal transformation, then this would lead to substantial rest but this rest would not be complete because people would still be faced with the contradiction of having a transformed mind within a mortal body. It was suggested earlier that altering physical abilities in any lasting way will trigger an existential crisis in the average person, because interaction with the physical body would become inconsistent with the core mental networks that are based upon interaction with the physical body. The word ‘bowels’ refers to such core mental networks. In verse 7, the ‘bowels of the saints’ are being refreshed by the work of Philemon. In other words, spiritual empowerment is not leading to the personal agony of ‘Why has the physical world turned against me?’ but rather to the gut-level rest of ‘My world functions smoothly because my mind is guided by a deep understanding of how things work.’ Going further, permanent physical change would not lead to the personal angst of ‘Who am I?’ but rather to the gut-level rest of ‘My physical body is finally becoming consistent with my transformed mind’. I know a little bit what this feels like because I have suffered from decades of tendinitis and I have discovered that the only effective long-term treatment is to pursue mental wholeness to the point where my core mental networks line up. The more I can achieve this internal emotional harmony, the more my muscles let go and recover. Thus, even if my body is still mortal, this mortal body functions most effectively if I follow God in Teacher thought and allow my ‘bowels’ to be refreshed.

Paul ‘begetting’ Onesimus 8-13

The next section describes Paul’s request regarding Onesimus. Paul describes the approach that he could take in verse 8. “Therefore, having much boldness in Christ to order you what is befitting.” Therefore means that this section follows logically from the previous verses. Boldness means ‘a proverb or statement quoted with resolve’. Having refers to the peripheral realm of ‘having’ and much means ‘much in number’. This boldness is ‘in the realm of Christ’ which refers to the abstract side of incarnation. In other words, Paul has gained considerable confidence in the universal principles of Christ as a result of many physical examples. For instance, I have gained considerable confidence in the abstract principles of mental symmetry because of all the physical examples that I have seen of these principles being at work. While I have not seen mental symmetry being applied in an integrated manner, I continually notice principles of mental symmetry being vindicated by one example after another.

Order adds the prefix ‘fitting’ to ‘place, arrange’ which would describe placing something in the appropriate location within a structure of Teacher thought. For instance, this describes what I do when theoretically analyzing some system; I decide where it fits within the metatheory of mental symmetry. Befitting is used three times in the New Testament and means to ‘come up to a particular standard’. For instance, placing some theory within the metatheory of mental symmetry also provides a standard of mental wholeness to which that theory needs to ‘come up to’.

Paul describes in verse 9 the approach that he will actually take. “Rather, I exhort you for the sake of love.” The Greek begins with the phrase ‘through the love’ and the word love is ‘agape’. Thus, instead of doing a technical analysis, Paul is focusing upon the Teacher emotions behind this technical analysis. Rather means ‘what is better as compared to what is merely good’. Exhort is the verb form of the noun ‘encouragement’ that was used in verse 7. Paul is not saying that technical analysis is wrong but rather attempting to follow a better strategy. And Paul is following this higher strategy because he experienced an emotional benefit at this higher level in verse 7. Applying this to the context, applying technical analysis to the transformation of cultural mental networks would be largely sufficient, because one is simply holding people and personal mental networks to the same technical standards as technical gadgets. However, if one went further to genetic manipulation, then using technical analysis to guide genetic manipulation would not be sufficient. On the one hand, a desire to escape physical restrictions would overcome any academic or societal standards. This can already be seen when medical advances encounter ethical qualms because moral principles are usually ignored for the sake of science. On the other hand, academic or social standards would be insufficient to provide internal stability if physical ability changed because people would need to know at a deep emotional level who they really were.

Verse 9 finishes with Paul providing a reason for his approach. “Being such a one as Paul, now aged and also a prisoner of Christ Jesus.” Such a one means ‘such as this’ which is a comparison word and as is also a comparison word. And this is the first time that the verb to be is used in Philemon. This tells us that Paul is looking beyond the peripheral realm of having to the more fundamental realm of being. Paul means ‘little’. And aged is a variation of the word translated ‘elder’ which refers to a ‘mature man having seasoned judgment’. This same word is used in Titus 2:2 when describing the attributes of an elder. This is followed by now, which means that Paul is describing his current state. Looking at this cognitively, an apostle such as Paul starts by paying a personal price to make a major breakthrough. The result is an ability to place various systems and structures within a general framework. However, the ultimate goal of the true apostle is to become little in order to live within the theoretical framework and not just continue expanding the theoretical framework. For instance, I have spent several years using mental symmetry as a metatheory within which to place other theories. But my ultimate goal is not to continue extending the theory of mental symmetry but rather to live within a society guided by the theory of mental symmetry. Presumably, this would also be the goal of an ‘aged Paul’.

Paul then repeats the phrase ‘prisoner of Christ Jesus’ with which he opened the epistle in verse 1. In other words, one cannot simply decide to make the transition from constructing some new theoretical structure as an apostle or legislator to living within this theoretical structure as a fellow citizen. Instead, one must become someone who submits to a system by being imprisoned in some way by an integrated technical system. For instance, I have been repeatedly repressed throughout my life by various technical systems, usually policed by male Contributor persons. Because I have chosen to view this repression as God teaching me personal character, I have gradually become a person who is capable of submitting to a system of technical thought. At a deep emotional level, I no longer view mental symmetry as my theory but rather as an accurate description of how the mind works that governs both me and others.

In verse 10, Paul describes what has come to birth as a result of his imprisonment. “I exhort you for my child whom I have begotten in chains, Onesimus.” Exhort is the same word that was used in verse 9 to describe the approach that Paul will take. For means ‘about, concerning’ when followed by the genitive. My is explicitly mentioned rather than implied. Child means ‘anyone living in full’. Paul referred to Timothy as his ‘true child in faith’ in 1 Timothy 1:2 and also described Titus as his ‘true child according to common faith’ in Titus 1:4, but in both of those verses ‘my’ is implied rather than mentioned explicitly. Thus, verse 10 refers to something more personal that Paul has given birth to as opposed to something related to Paul through rational thinking. Beget means to produce offspring and describes the role of the father in reproducing. In means ‘in the realm of’ and chain means ‘band, bond’ and is preceded by ‘the’. In other words, Paul gave mental birth to this child specifically as a result of being imprisoned.

Onesimus means ‘use, profit, advantage’. Looking at this cognitively, when one makes a theoretical breakthrough, then it is tempting to remain at the level of theory by teaching or performing further research. Going beyond this to ‘how can this theory be profitable to me as an individual’ requires being imprisoned for a significant period of time. And I think that the bigger the theoretical breakthrough, the greater the imprisonment that is required to make this transition. I know from personal experience that this is an accurate cognitive principle. Looking at this in more detail, being unable to talk about mental symmetry initially forced me to develop mental symmetry further. Being unable to talk about these further developments forced me to address my ultimate motivation: My ultimate goal was not to get people to believe in mental symmetry but rather to experience the personal benefits of believing in mental symmetry. Going further, being unable to talk about this meant that I had to explore at a deeper personal level what the exact personal benefits were of believing in mental symmetry, which meant questioning and rethinking fundamental assumptions of society. Going still further, being unable to talk about this meant that I had to choose between giving up, turning cynical, or applying mental symmetry to the core of my being—to my bowels. The end result was the cognitive birth of an Onesimus of deep mental networks of personal profit. That is the stage at which I am currently at. Obviously this is a general principle that applies to many contexts. But one of the deepest applications would be pursuing and applying a metatheory of mental wholeness, coming up against the ultimate imprisonment of physical limitations, rethinking the basis for these physical limitations, and then becoming the sort of person that would be mentally capable of interacting with the primal beings who are capable of addressing these physical limitations.

I should add that as far as I can tell it is not possible for humans living in mortal bodies to directly interact with the primal beings that designed these mortal bodies, because these creatures presumably function within the realm of making and unmaking biological material. I think that the only solution is to give birth to some sort of Onesimus that is capable of interacting directly with these primal beings. Using religious language, one prays so long and so deep that these prayers turn into mental networks with a life of their own and they seek an answer to the prayer that is independent of conscious thought. That describes what it feels like.

Adding substance to this conjecture, we are hypothesizing that the book of Philemon applies prophetically to a future spiritual economy in which the personal ability to use gadgets will be modified in some manner by one’s personal mental networks. Saying this another way, the spiritual realm appears to interact with the human realm by empowering mental networks. This already happens to some extent when one is ‘filled with the spirit’ or ‘possessed by an evil spirit’. If human mental networks became spiritually empowered in a new and more extensive manner, then it makes sense that potent mental networks of need and desire would become spiritually empowered to seek an answer to the needs or desires that they encapsulate. This would be personified horror for those who find excitement by emotionally escaping to some alternate reality within which they would not really want to live. But it would also be deep salvation—and rest—for those who are longing for mental, spiritual, and physical wholeness.

Verse 11 expands upon the name of Onesimus. “Once useless to you, but now useful both to you and to me.” Once means ‘formerly, in the old-time’. Useless is used once in the New Testament, it means ‘not useful’ and adds ‘not’ to a root that means ‘profitable’. ‘To you’ is explicitly mentioned and is in the singular. Philemon comes from the word ‘phileo’ which describes enjoying being with someone because of compatible mental networks. Philemon implies a way of functioning that people find attractive because it is compatible with existing mental networks. Being unprofitable or useless to Philemon suggests behavior that people find socially threatening or culturally repulsive. Applying this to the context of genetic modification, cultural and social MMNs generate unpleasant emotions when encountering behavior that is inconsistent with the status quo. Genetic modification might improve physical well-being but it would also cause existing social institutions to be questioned at a very deep level. This becomes apparent if one considers all the social mental networks that are based in the assumption of human frailty and human aging.

Looking at the context carefully, the mention of Apphia and Archippus in verse 2 along with other passages suggested a connection between the social attractiveness of Philemon and genetic modification. Verse 7 indicates that those who are following a TMN of God rather than cultural MMNs found the help of Philemon refreshing at a core ‘bowel’ level. Stated another way, a person with substantial personal integrity and positive goals would be able to function fairly well within a spiritual economy, and this would bring substantial personal rest to those who are currently troubled by Western civilization being threatened by dumb consumers using modern technology. The uselessness of Onesimus to Philemon implies that what appeared initially to be a useful transition is being regarded as useless by society. Similarly, if spiritual empowering grew to the level of questioning core mental networks of personal identity and/or extended into the realm of genetic modification guided by primal beings, then a deeper basis for existence would be required, as represented by Paul begetting Onesimus.

Useful is the same word as ‘useless’ without the negative prefix. And both ‘to you’ and ‘to me’ are in the singular. This means that Paul’s imprisonment has given birth to something new that turns this uselessness into usefulness for both Paul and Philemon.

Verse 12 describes Paul’s response. “Whom I have sent back to you in person—he who is my very heart.” Sent back actually means ‘to send up’ and upward movement is interpreted as heading towards Teacher generality. In person is the word for ‘self’. In verse 10, Paul described Onesimus as his own child that he had begotten in chains. ‘Sending up’ indicates a transition from the specific Mercy experiences of Paul to something more general, while ‘in person’ indicates that this sending involves some form of living mental networks. He is a generic ‘this’ that can refer to either things or people. Is is explicitly mentioned indicating that this involves the realm of ‘being’. Heart is the same word that the KJV translates ‘bowels’ that was used in verse 7 and will be repeated in verse 20. I do not know if it is significant but this word is in the plural all eleven times that it occurs in the New Testament. In other words, the reference is always to ‘bowels’ and not to ‘bowel’.

What is unique about verse 12 is that Paul describes Onesimus as being his bowels and then talks about sending his bowels in person to Philemon. One could regard this as merely poetic license, but if one interprets it literally it seems to be saying that Paul’s deepest desires and prayers have acquired a life of their own and are functioning independently. Looking at this more carefully, mental symmetry suggests that the spiritual realm interacts with the human realm by enabling mental networks. What is being suggested here is something similar functioning in reverse because mental networks are functioning within the spiritual realm.

Applying this to the suggested context of genetic manipulation, it was mentioned earlier that primal beings would presumably have the innate ability to make and unmake biological matter. Looking at this more carefully, biological matter is based in the genetic language of DNA. This language is based upon the four letters of the nucleotides referred to as A, T, G, and C. These four letters are arranged into three-letter words known as codons and each codon represents one of 22 amino acids. Biological matter is formed by translating strings of codons into strings of amino acids which then fold in on themselves to form the biological matter, a process known as protein folding. Saying this more simply, the physical body is composed of innumerable ‘balls of wool’, with each ball being composed of a string of amino acids that has folded in on itself to form a ball. Biological matter ceases to function if these ‘balls of wool’ are turned back into ‘strings of wool’—if folded proteins unfold and turn back into strings of amino acids. This is known as denaturation. The primal beings that designed DNA presumably have the ‘physical ability’ to directly manipulate these biological strings. But the very process of unfolding strings in order to manipulate them leads—by definition—to physical death. This implies that mortal humans and primal beings can only interact indirectly through a spiritual realm that does not involve living biological matter. However, as far as I can tell, the spiritual realm does not have any inherent content but rather receives human content through mental networks of human thought. The conclusion is that mortal humans can only communicate intelligently with primal beings by developing the mental content of mental networks and then allowing these mental networks to function independently so that they can express their content in a spiritual manner to primal beings. I know that this sounds bizarre, but I cannot come up with any other rational explanation.

The point is that mortal humans could interact intelligently with primal beings if the ‘bowels’ of deepest human need functioned independently and delivered their content spiritually to primal beings. In fact, this sort of indirect interaction through spiritual mental networks would transform this interaction into a form compatible with the ‘friendship’ of Philemon. Going the other way, this sort of communication would resonate with primal beings because it describes how biological material functions. Biological matter is literally messages of DNA that have been translated into bundles of living tissue. Similarly, what is being hypothesized is that messages of deepest human need and desire are being translated into the bundles of living spiritual mental networks.

Verse 13 describes Paul’s reluctance. “Whom I was wishing to keep with myself.” I is explicitly mentioned rather than merely implied. Wishing means ‘to plan with full resolve’ which goes beyond a desire in Exhorter thought to a fully developed plan that includes Contributor thought. With means ‘motion toward’ when followed by the accusative. Myself means ‘as pertaining to myself’. Keep means to ‘hold fast, hold back’. In other words, Paul was not planning to let go of Onesimus. Looking at this cognitively, these deep MNs of desire encapsulated what Paul really wanted for himself. Looking at the larger picture, Paul the apostle made the transition from being a source of abstract understanding in Teacher thought to being someone ‘little’ who could live within a society guided by this abstract understanding. In other words, Paul moved from wanting people to listen to his message to wanting to enjoy the personal benefits of his message. This explains why he was wishing to keep Onesimus ‘with myself’. Paul describes this precise transition in 1 Corinthians 9:27 where he discusses what it means to be an apostle: “I batter my body and bring it into servitude, lest having preached to others, I myself might be disqualified.”

Verse 13 continues, “So that on behalf of you he might serve me in the chains of the gospel.” On behalf of means ‘on behalf of’ when followed by the genitive. Serve is the word used in Romans 12 to describe the cognitive style of Server. We saw earlier when looking at 1 Timothy 3 that it actually means ‘emissary’ or ‘carrying out a commissioned task’. ‘You’ refers to Philemon which means ‘friendly’. Thus, serving me on behalf of you implies that Paul wants to view his deepest personal needs from a ‘friendly’ perspective that is compatible with societal mental networks. Looking at this personally, my goal has changed from wanting to talk about mental symmetry to wanting to embody mental symmetry in a manner that society would find attractive and desirable. This already happens to a certain extent when I play violin. People who refuse to listen to mental symmetry love to hear me play violin because my violin playing expresses the internal transformation that I have experienced as a result of mental symmetry.

Paul says something similar. Gospel means ‘good news’ and Paul refers to ‘the good news’. However, this good news is ‘in chains’. In means ‘in the realm of’ while chains means ‘a band, bond’. Paul said in verse 9 that he had begotten Onesimus ‘in the chains’. In verse 13 he refers to ‘the chains of the gospel’. Putting this together, the restrictions that Paul experienced gave birth to independent ‘bowel level’ mental networks of deep desire. This has changed Paul’s perspective from ‘nobody is listening to my message’ to ‘my message is good news because it leads to good personal results and this good news is being imprisoned’. Going further, Paul is willing for the good news to remain imprisoned as long as he experiences the personal benefits of applying his message. Similarly, I have reached the point where I am willing for the theory of mental symmetry and its message of personal wholeness to remain ostracized and quarantined as long as I experience the personal benefits of applying this theory.

The Transition of Onesimus 14-16

But in verse 14 Paul is willing to reconsider this. “But I wanted to do nothing apart from your consent.” The Greek starts with apart from which comes from a word that means ‘an open or detached space’. Consent is related to the word for experiential knowledge. In other words, Paul does not want to open up a gap between him and the experiential knowledge of Philemon. Stated cognitively, Paul does not want to disregard experiential knowledge of what resonates emotionally with current society. Saying this more carefully, there is a difference between being emotionally guided by cultural MMNs and presenting a breakthrough in a way that resonates with current cultural MMNs. Paul is attempting to do the latter and not the former. While Paul does not want to be ruled by cultural mental networks he still needs to be aware of current cultural mental networks. He wants to avoid the fate of coming up with some breakthrough that helps the common person, using the wealth that is gained to live apart from society, and then losing touch with the common person. Wish means ‘to desire, wish’ which refers to Exhorter desire as opposed to a fully developed Contributor plan. Do is the word ‘to make, do’ which is interpreted as Server actions. A general theory in Teacher thought can be expressed through many kinds of Server actions. Paul wants to express his general message of good news through Server actions that are compatible with how society currently functions. Looking at this from the other direction, Paul does not want to destroy the procedures and processes of existing society but rather wants to reassemble them in a way that expresses good news.

Verse 14 continues, “So that your good may be not as according to necessity, but according to willingness.” According to means ‘from a higher to a lower plane’ which indicates descending from general Teacher theory to specific concrete application. Necessity means ‘a compelling need requiring immediate action’. Good means ‘intrinsically good’. Putting this together, Paul does not want to interact with societal mental networks in a way that only focuses upon intrinsic goodness when faced with emergencies. For instance, this is how the medical field is often viewed. One recognizes that medical assistance is intrinsically good but one avoids going to the doctor unless forced to by some ‘compelling need requiring immediate action’. In contrast, willingness is used once in the New Testament and means ‘of free will, voluntary’. This is like choosing to visit the doctor as opposed to visiting the doctor when being forced to by physical need. A similar principle would apply to genetic modification, because seeking genetic assistance would naturally be regarded as a last resort to which one unwillingly submits when faced with some physical trauma or frailty. Instead, genetic assistance should be regarded as something that one internally chooses to seek.

This does not mean that one would seek genetic modification as a form of entertainment because it would soon become abundantly clear that any permanent change to physical abilities would have a deep emotional impact. More accurately, those who pursued genetic modification as entertainment would probably become mentally blinded by their physical changes, and their resulting insanity would make it abundantly obvious to those around them that permanent physical changes have a deep emotional impact. Instead, what is being referred to is the cognitive principle that free will becomes maximum when the mind is guided by differing sets of core mental networks between which one can choose. For instance, human free will was at a maximum in the late 20^th century when postmodernism was displacing modernism and people could choose between these two. People are now losing the ability to choose because postmodernism has fully replaced modernism. Similarly, free will would be maximized if mental networks of ‘bowel desire’ functioned independently of mental networks of culture. Instead of being forced to occasionally endure a violation of cultural MNs, one could choose between following one’s deepest personal desires and following existing cultural and personal MNs.

Verse 15 indicates that this is a long-term solution. “For perhaps because of this he was separated from you for a time, so that you might possess him eternally.” Perhaps is used twice in the New Testament and means ‘quick to assume as true’. In other words, this is not the result of long pondering but rather is an obvious solution. Separated is related to the word ‘apart from’ at the beginning of verse 14 (in the Greek). It means ‘separate, divide’ and ‘refers to divorcing a marriage partner who vacates the relationship in soul or body’. ‘He’ and ‘you’ are both implied, indicating that the emphasis is upon the space being vacated. Verse 15 does not say explicitly who was separated from whom. Looking at this cognitively, core mental networks of desire are leaving personal identity and functioning independently ‘somewhere else’. For means ‘motion towards’ and time means ‘an hour’. Thus, exactly where these mental networks are going is not indicated, but what is being emphasized is that this sense of separateness and vacatedness is existing for some period of time. This is consistent with my sense of how the spiritual realm functions. Movement is not from one defined location to another defined location but rather away from contexts that disturb toward contexts that resonate.

So that means ‘for the purpose that’ which indicates that this period of separation has a purpose. Possess means ‘to have one thing by separating from another’. This means that the period of separation is leading to a different form of ownership. Stated cognitively, the mental networks of deepest desire are not remaining separated but rather returning in a different form. I have come to the conclusion that one of the deepest principles of creation is that something that is created can only continue to exist if it leaves its creator, functions independently, and then returns to its creator in altered form. This principle applies to creation and it would also apply to mental networks created by human thought. For instance, both mysticism and protein denaturation are examples of violating this principle because life leaves its creator in Teacher thought but then stops functioning independently and returns back to its creator in original form. Paul emphasizes that he is talking about a lasting, long-term change by using the word eternal, which is the normal word used to describe eternal life.

Verse 16 emphasizes the transformation of the relationship. “No longer as a slave, but above a slave, a beloved brother.” Slave means ‘someone who belongs to another’. As is a comparison word, so Paul is not saying that Onesimus was a slave but rather that he was like a slave. Historically speaking, the original Onesimus was an actual slave. But ‘as’ implies an analogical similarity. We have been interpreting Onesimus cognitively as ‘bowel level’ mental networks that acquire independent life. A mental network is like a slave because it is a mental structure which represents life that belongs to another—namely to conscious thought. This relationship could change if what started out as a mental network acquired spiritual life, went out independently to seek an answer for the prayer that it ‘embodied’, and then returned with an answer.

Above means ‘above’ when followed by the accusative. ‘Above a slave’ means something that is more general than merely ‘someone who belongs to another’. Brother means ‘from the same womb’ and beloved is a version of the word ‘agape’. Looking at this cognitively, one might think that if core mental networks acquired an independent life, then this would result in some form of schizophrenia or multiple personalities. This can be the result when mental networks of trauma or mental escapism gain an independent life. But suppose that one started with the ‘Paul’ of some integrated understanding of wholeness within which one wanted to live and if Paul was imprisoned to the extent that the ‘bowels’ of Paul gained independent life. The result would be something ‘above a slave’ and not ‘just different than a slave’ because it would be rooted in the agape of Teacher love.

For instance, when I realized many years ago that my mind was composed of seven different cognitive modules, I decided that I would not abuse or shut down my subconscious modules but rather give them the right to live. These cognitive modules now function as independent life forms within my mind. This has not led to mental chaos because each of these independent life forms is based in a cognitive module that actually exists within my mind. The result is a supercharging of existing cognition; I live within a mental environment of creativity—accompanied by mental teasing and a slightly wacky sense of humor—but my mind has not descended into chaos and insanity. For instance, recognizing that Exhorter thought in my mind has a right to exist has made Exhorter thought function more effectively within my mind. The mental price for this is that I have to help Exhorter thought by using Perceiver thought not just to gather random facts but rather to look for long-term connections that describe what ends in frustration and what leads to fulfillment and further excitement. Going further, the result of independent cognitive modules is Teacher love because all cognitive modules including conscious thought are guided by a Teacher understanding of the integrated mind. Even though my cognitive modules function independently, they are still guided by a common goal of pursuing mental and spiritual wholeness. Thus, differences between cognitive modules may lead to internal feelings of humor, teasing, and need but there is never any feeling of open hostility between one cognitive module and another. Going still further, the Teacher theory of mental symmetry describes how each cognitive module would ideally function, emotionally driving each cognitive module to be ‘above a slave’ by functioning more like the ideal version of that cognitive module. Finally, as conscious thought remains imprisoned by society while subconscious modules gain independent spiritual existence, there is a growing sense that we are all ‘born from the same womb’. Conscious thought begins life as the master of the mind while subconscious modules begin life as slaves of conscious thought. Both are going through a process of becoming reborn. Conscious thought becomes ‘little’ and recognizes that it is one among many cognitive modules; subconscious modules become ‘above slaves’, still dependent upon conscious thought but raised to a status that functions alongside conscious thought—and actually able to function spiritually in a manner that goes beyond conscious thought.

Verse 16 continues, “Especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.” Paul begins by recognizing that this change in status applies especially to himself. Speaking from personal experience, when cognitive modules start to function independently then this will be recognized by oneself and not by others because it is happening internally. But even if this is only noticed internally, living alongside cognitive modules in submission to the theory of mental symmetry provides essential practice for future living within a society that is guided by mental symmetry.

More means ‘more than what it is compared to’. And much means ‘how much, how great’. ‘To you’ is in the singular which means that it applies to Philemon. Philemon means ‘friendly’ and represents attractive and compatible mental networks. Thus, Paul’s breakthrough has implications for the social attractiveness of Paul’s message. This ‘much more’ happens in two different realms. The first is ‘in flesh’. Flesh means ‘flesh, body, human nature’. This word occurs often in Paul’s epistles but only one other time in Thessalonians, Timothy, or Titus in 1 Timothy 3:16 which talks about the mystery of godliness being revealed in the flesh. In other words, what is happening internally with Paul is becoming physically externalized. Applying this to the interpretation of genetic modification, this means that physical changes are becoming socially acceptable. I am not talking about grotesque body modifications becoming approved by society. Instead, I am talking about becoming able to pursue genetically guided physical changes that truly benefit human well-being in a way that does not threaten the structure of society. Grotesque body modifications do threaten the structure of society and queer theory makes it abundantly clear that the primary goal of these modifications is to threaten the structure of society.

The second realm is ‘in Lord’. Lord means ‘lord, master’. Philemon was the lord of Onesimus but Onesimus is now a brother who is ‘above a slave’. Similarly, an apostle starts as the lord or master of his theory but his theory becomes profitable or useful to the extent that he makes a transition to becoming a fellow servant under the lordship of his theory. Applying this to queer theory, the basic premise of queer theory is that all social conventions are artificially imposed upon society and that this artificial imposition needs to be exposed by violating social conventions in the most blatant manner possible. If mental networks became spiritually empowered through a spiritual economy then it would become abundantly clear that there is a lordship of human wholeness and dignity to which social conventions need to submit. This realization probably would not bring salvation to queer theorists themselves. But they would become vivid illustrations of what one should not do because of the spiritual torment that they would impose upon themselves.

Paul Completing this Transition 17-19

Paul recognizes Onesimus as a representative of himself in verse 17. “Therefore, if you consider me a partner, receive him as me.” Therefore means that verse 17 follows from verse 16. If means that the second part of this sentence follows from the first part. Consider means ‘to have, hold’ which refers to the peripheral realm of having as opposed to being. Partner is related to the word ‘fellowship’ and ‘focuses on the participant himself’. In other words, Philemon is taking the objective perspective of viewing Paul as a partner, while we just saw earlier that Paul has become internally transformed by following a universal Teacher understanding of God and incarnation. Thus, Philemon is following God indirectly through Paul. This is like the consumers of electronic gadgets learning about science indirectly through the producers of electronic gadgets. Receive is a stronger version of ‘receive’ that means to ‘aggressively receive’. As is a comparison word that means ‘as, like as, even as’. If Onesimus represents pursuing genetic modification by interacting with primal beings through independent mental networks, then I think that this path would contain sufficient moral requirements to be regarded as equivalent to pursuing mental and spiritual wholeness. A similar conclusion is reached in Acts 11:17 where Peter relates his vision of the descending sheet of crawling creatures and his resulting trip to Cornelius with the church elders and they recognize that the new Gentile path of salvation is equivalent to the existing Jewish path of salvation.

Verse 18 addresses the question of righting existing wrongs. “But if in any way he has wronged you or he owes you, charge this to me.” In any way is a vague pronoun. Wronged adds a negative prefix to unrighteous. Righteousness refers to Server actions that express an understanding of God in Teacher thought. And ‘you’ is in the singular. If Philemon represents mental networks of societal acceptance, then Paul is not asking if Onesimus has violated cultural MNs but rather if he has violated the TMN of a concept of God. For instance, what makes queer theory so evil is not that it openly violates social convention but rather that it violates Teacher theories of mental, spiritual, social, and physical well-being and wholeness.

Owe means ‘being morally obligated or legally required to meet an obligation’. This is not followed by an explicit ‘you’, which means that the focus is upon the debt rather than who is owed the debt. Charge is used twice in the New Testament and combines ‘in the realm of’ with ‘logos’. ‘To me’ is explicitly included which indicates a focus upon Paul. In other words, any legal or moral debts need to placed within the paradigm of Paul. That is because this paradigm can transform moral or legal debts into spiritual blessings. I have come to the conclusion that such a transformation is a key aspect of the spiritual economy. Saying this more carefully, if I experience injustice, then I can ask God to make the justice right either by punishing the other person or by blessing me. More generally, one acquires spiritual wealth by deferring an existing payment of justice in order to receive a higher benefit in the future. For instance, I have experienced many major injustices through my life. I have repeatedly found that I will make spiritual and personal progress if I respond to injustice by letting go of a desire for revenge and asking God to bless me. This is related to the principle of righteousness mentioned in Matthew 6 where Jesus warns that one will only receive a reward from God if one does righteousness without receiving a reward from society. Applying this specifically to the social conventions represented by Philemon, social acceptability can go beyond social approval to spiritual wealth by choosing to submit injustices to the transformative paradigm of Paul. And spiritual wealth would be of primary importance when dealing with primal creatures, because spiritual wealth would give one the right to ask for genetic benefits from these primal beings.

Paul describes the basis for his statement in verse 19. “I Paul did write with my own hand. I will repay it.” I is explicitly mentioned indicating that Paul is functioning at the level of being. Write means ‘to write’ and is interpreted as some written record or written system. My is also explicitly mentioned. Hand means ‘hand’ and is interpreted as using technical thought because people use their hands to perform technical manipulations. In other words, Paul is not just making a general statement based upon a vague paradigm. Instead, he has personally gone through the process of developing a technical system and putting this down on paper. Similarly, mental symmetry does not just claim in a vague manner to be a metatheory. Instead, I myself have used mental symmetry to analyze many different systems in a technical manner and have posted this analysis in the form of books, written essays, and academic papers. I think that this writing is important for two reasons. The first and most obvious reason is that there is a written record to which others can refer. For instance, the primary reason that we have these epistles from Paul is because he was imprisoned and forced to write with his own hands. The second less obvious reason is that an integrated system resides within the mind of Paul. He is not just a technical specialist who only knows his specialization and depends upon others for everything outside of his specialization. Thus, Paul is able to think about the entire system of a spiritual economy. Going further, because he has been a prisoner of Christ Jesus, this entire system has been stuck within his own mind to the point of giving birth to an Onesimus, which means that Paul has the spiritual right to be able to ask God and the spiritual realm to transform injustices into spiritual blessing.

Repay is used once in the New Testament and combines ‘away from’ with ‘pay the penalty’. ‘I’ is again explicitly mentioned. Paul has been paying the penalty that others should be paying by being imprisoned. But this is not a normal paying but rather a ‘paying away from’ that transforms the debt into a spiritual blessing. This is a natural expression of Onesimus because he was birthed cognitively by Paul being imprisoned, he left, and then he returned in a more useful form. If Onesimus came to birth in this manner it is imperative to deal with any debts involving Onesimus in this same manner. Paul emphasizes this essential relationship by following ‘I did write with my own hand’ with ‘I will repay’. These may sound like obscure and obtuse details, but they line up with my experience in developing mental symmetry.

Paul adds in verse 19, “That I may not say to you that you owe also to me even yourself.” That means ‘in order that’. The BLB conveys the impression that Paul is doing the first part of verse 19 so that he does not have to do the second part; he is repaying the debt so he does not have to say the rest of verse 19. This is a strange statement which most of the translations try to wiggle out of, but as far as I can tell it reflects the original Greek. Owe is used once in the New Testament and combines ‘towards’ with ‘be indebted’. ‘To you’, ‘to me’, and ‘yourself’ are all explicitly mentioned and are in the singular. This strange phrasing makes cognitive sense. Philemon means ‘friendly’ which represents a new form of message that is attractive to existing social mental networks. Looking at this literally, Paul used theology to transform the tribalistic and ritualistic religion of Judaism into the more universal and more socially attractive religion of Christianity. Similarly, mental symmetry has been used to transform the absolute truth of Bible-based Christianity into a Teacher metatheory based upon universal Perceiver truth. The average person now finds Bible-based Christianity repulsive, largely because much of evangelical Christendom has turned its back upon rational thinking, science, and civilization. Reformulating Christianity in terms of universal truth and cognitive mechanisms makes it compatible with secular society. Thus, Philemon owes his existence to Paul.

Prophetically speaking, this reflects the theoretical return of Jesus followed by spiritual technology, which will add a spiritual component to existing technology. This is significant but the symbolic Paul has a bigger goal in mind. He wants to start again from a spiritual foundation that extends to the physical body. He wants to move beyond spiritual as an adjective of economy to economy as the adjective of spiritual. One major aspect of this transition is becoming able to interact spiritually with primal beings in order to receive genetic blessing. In order to make this transition, the symbolic Paul has to ‘pay away from’ any remaining debt of Onesimus. He has to complete this transition in order to move mentally beyond viewing the societal mental networks of Philemon as being indebted to his theoretical breakthrough. Stating this transition more simply, the symbolic Paul does not want to think, ‘Society owes all of its blessings to me and my sacrifice’. Instead he wants to think, ‘Exploring genetic modification in a spiritually and mentally wholesome manner is really neat and cool!’ Similarly, the real Paul did not want to think, ‘Gentile society owes Christianity to me and my sacrifice’. Instead, the real Paul wanted to think, ‘The crown of glory that I am going to receive from God is really neat and cool!’ And if you think that I am putting words into the real Paul’s mouth, please read 1 Corinthians 2:6-10.

Paul’s Reward and Release 20-22

Verse 20 summarizes the logic that we have just used. “Yes, brother, may I have profit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ.” Yes is a strong version of yes. Brother means ‘born from the same womb’ which means that Paul is not just referring to existing cultural mental networks but rather to cultural mental networks that are compatible with Paul’s message of transformation. ‘I’ and ‘from you’ are explicitly mentioned. Profit is used once in the New Testament and means ‘profit, help’ but the definition also includes ‘have joy’ and is related to ‘name’. ‘Joy’ is an expression of Teacher emotion while a ‘name’ is a personal label in Teacher thought, which goes beyond normal profit that produces benefits in Mercy thought and generates Mercy feelings of enjoyment. The combination of profit, joy, and name indicates that Paul is receiving a Teacher reward. This is consistent with the interpretation of verse 19, because one receives a reward from God in Teacher thought when one does not receive a reward from people in Mercy thought. ‘In the realm of the Lord’ indicates that this reward does not come from asserting some message or power but rather by submitting to the lordship of some system.

Refresh means ‘to give rest after the needed task is completed’ and was used back in verse 7. Heart is the same word used earlier that actually means ‘bowels’. Paul used the same two words back in verse 7 to talk about the bowels of the saints being refreshed by Philemon. In verse 20, Paul wants his own bowels to be refreshed. The cognitive principle is that an apostle can only make the transition to experiencing the benefits of his message after others start benefiting from the message. However, Paul adds that his refreshing is ‘in the realm of Christ’ which refers to the abstract side of incarnation. Thus, while others may be gaining a concrete blessing in Mercy thought, Paul is gaining a more general blessing in Teacher thought. Using an analogy, others are receiving new technology while Paul himself is receiving science that is capable of generating new technology.

Paul concludes his appeal in verse 21. “Being persuaded of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even above what I say.” Being persuaded is the verb form of ‘faith’ which means ‘to persuade’. Obedience means ‘submission to what is heard’. ‘Of you’ is explicitly mentioned. Thus, Paul does not want Philemon to submit to him based upon Paul’s status as an apostle. Instead, Philemon is submitting to words in Teacher thought and Paul is being persuaded by rational thought that this is enough. ‘Write to you’ suggests that Paul is communicating with Philemon through a written record of rational thought. Using academic language, Paul is publishing research with the belief that Philemon will follow this research. Paul can now interact meaningfully with others at this level of Teacher thought because he has received a reward at the level of Teacher thought.

Above means ‘above’ when followed by the accusative and moving up is interpreted as heading in the direction of Teacher generality. Say is the normal word for speech. And do is the normal word that indicates Server actions. Thus, Paul is convinced that Philemon will apply these words in a general manner and there is a cognitive reason for his hope. That is because Philemon is adding Server actions to the Teacher words of Paul. Applying understanding gives stability to words and also makes it possible to uncover new ways of applying these words. Looking at this more carefully, one might initially think that abstract words in Teacher thought are more general than Teacher words that have been made concrete through Server actions, because abstract words can be used to convey general concepts that transcend the concrete realm of physical actions. But abstract words only have potential generality, which can be illustrated by the way that those who use abstract words usually illustrate their supposedly general concepts with a few repetitive, canned examples. The generality of a concept becomes apparent when a verbal theory is fleshed out in the world of Server actions. Saying this another way, Teacher emotion comes from order within complexity. Abstract words have order but there is little complexity within this order. Adding Server actions to abstract words places complexity within the order, leading to order-within-complexity. Knowing means ‘seeing that becomes knowing’ which is interpreted as empirical evidence. In other words, there will be physical results to back up Paul’s confidence.

Verse 22 addresses Paul’s imprisonment. “Now at the same time, also prepare a lodging for me.” Physically speaking, Paul is hoping to be released from his imprisonment so that he can visit Philemon. Cognitively speaking, the general results that are achieved by Philemon as a result of Onesimus will lead to greater freedom for Paul. Prophetically speaking, this would happen if the initial spiritual economy in which spiritual mental networks are added to existing economic structure became replaced by a transformed economy in which both economic structure and genetic structure became an expression of transformed spiritual mental networks. The first option is the goal of 1 Timothy while the second option is the goal of Titus. When ‘spiritual’ merely ‘modifies’ economy then the deeper personal transformation of Paul is still ‘imprisoned by Christ Jesus’. Paul becomes released from this imprisonment when technical thought becomes an expression of spirituality and not the master of it. This imprisonment is essential if the contentless spirituality of today is to be transformed into an intelligent and integrated spirituality that is capable of providing a legitimate foundation for a technical economy. The childishness, vacuousness, idolatry, and moral corruption of current prosperity theology demonstrates what happens when people attempt to combine ‘spiritual’ with ‘economy’ today.

Looking now at verse 22 in more detail, at the same time comes from the word ‘same’ and means ‘at the same time, at once, together’. Prepare means ‘prepare, make ready’ and implies setting up some structure in Teacher thought. Lodging is used twice in the New Testament and comes from the word ‘xenos’ which means ‘foreign, a foreigner’ and is the source of the English word xenophobia. In other words, Paul regards himself as belonging to a different culture than the ‘friendly culture’ of Philemon. The implication is that when Paul is released from imprisonment he will have become a different person who is no longer part of the existing culture. Thus, it is necessary for Philemon to prepare a lodging for Paul. But even though the released Paul will view himself as part of a different culture, Paul’s new culture is still compatible with the societal mental networks of Philemon.

For instance, developing mental symmetry has caused me to feel as if I am an alien living among humans. But even though I feel fundamentally different from others, I still sense that my new identity is compatible with human existence. Applying this to the context of interacting with primal beings, my general premise is that primal beings are fundamentally incompatible with mortal human existence. Verse 22 describes something different which implies that interaction with primal beings has changed into a form that is still fundamentally different than mortal human existence but has become capable of interacting with and living alongside mortal human existence.

Verse 22 continues, “For I hope that through your prayers, I will be granted to you.” Hope is interpreted as Exhorter thought being motivated by something unseen. The implication is that Paul is internally looking forward to something that does not yet exist. Through means ‘through’ when followed by the genitive. Prayer means ‘exchange of wishes’. These prayers are ‘of you’ which is in the plural. Thus, this goes beyond Philemon praying as an individual to a group of people that have emerged from Philemon praying. In verse 21 Philemon was applying the words of Paul in a general manner, and in verse 22 the prayers are the result of this generality. The exchange of wishes implies that the new culture of Philemon and the new culture of Paul are interacting emotionally in order to express themselves in a way that is compatible with one another. This explains why verse 22 began with ‘at the same time’ because developing the new culture of Philemon will require simultaneously developing a ‘lodging’ for the new culture of Paul. Saying this prophetically, interacting in a friendly manner with primal beings will have to develop alongside learning how to apply genetic blessings in a friendly manner. The current technological economy provides a partial illustration. Technological gadgets present the scientific advances of ‘Paul’ in a way that is compatible with the cultural mental networks of ‘Philemon’. This has led to many consumers who now ‘pray’ to science and technology for new gadgets.

Granted means ‘favor that cancels. In verse 22 Paul talks about being granted to Philemon. In verse 19 Paul talked about repaying any debt of Onesimus. If Onesimus represents some form of genetic modification from interacting with primal beings, then it is highly likely that this will initially be done in ways that are deeply offensive to existing society. In fact, if UFO stories are to be believed, then alien-guided genetic modification is already happening in a manner that is deeply offensive to human society. By paying these debts of Onesimus, Paul will become socially associated with these deep offenses. Being granted to Philemon implies that Paul is being socially vindicated; his message of personal transformation is being ‘granted to’ the societal mental networks of Philemon in a way that cancels these offences. In other words, it will become socially apparent that Paul is doing what is essential to save humanity in a friendly manner. And it will also become technically apparent that Paul is doing what is technically necessary to save humanity because Paul is also being released from imprisonment to the technical thinking of ‘Christ Jesus’.

Final Greetings 23-24

Verses 23-24 contains a number of greetings. These are interpreted as connections that are being established as a result of Paul’s breakthrough and release. Verse 3 mentions a fellow prisoner. “Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you.” Epaphras is only mentioned here and in Colossians and comes from the name Aphrodite which was the Greek goddess of love and beauty. Gre et means ‘to welcome, greet’. Fellow prisoner adds ‘together with’ to ‘taken by the spear’. Applying this to the interpretation of genetic modification, permanent changes to the physical body would obviously have serious repercussions regarding love and beauty. It makes sense that society would recoil from these implications and imprison them along with Paul—especially if genetic modification initially expressed itself in the form of the obscenities of some version of queer theory, or as the obscenities of some form of alien hybrid. Paul described himself as a prisoner of Christ Jesus in verse 1 and Epaphras is described in verse 23 as a fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus. Looking at this cognitively, technical thought follows a partial version of incarnation (or Jesus Christ) that specializes rather than being guided by a general Teacher theory and remains objective rather than embracing subjective Mercy feelings. Paul is being imprisoned primarily for adding rational general Teacher theories to technical specializations while Epaphras is being imprisoned primarily for adding subjective Mercy feelings to technical specializations. As mentioned earlier, this imprisonment is actually necessary to ensure that the Teacher theory of Paul acquires technical rigor and does not degrade into some version of Teacher mysticism. Similarly, the subjective Mercy experiences of Epaphras also need to acquire technical rigor so that they do not degrade into some version of Mercy hedonism. Verse 23 implies that society will become capable of dealing with love and beauty in a sane and uplifting manner when the transition of verse 23 is reached. It is probably wise not to speculate further on what this implies because current society is not capable of dealing with love and beauty in a sane and uplifting manner.

Verse 24 mentions more names. “as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.” Most websites relate the name Mark to Mars the god of war. One website says that it means a large hammer or war-hammer—which is also related to war. Philemon began by describing Archippus as a fellow soldier, and this was connected with the story of Cornelius the centurion in Acts. The mention of Mark implies a new view of the military. Looking at this more carefully, a soldier kills people by destroying physical wholeness. But a soldier also develops the skill of being able to perform activities under the threat of physical annihilation. Going further, killing a person assumes that problems can be solved by destroying physical bodies. However, developing spiritual awareness would make it clear that there is life after physical death while encountering primal beings would make it clear that physical life ultimately has a spiritual foundation. Thus, it would be necessary to find a new role for the human military, and interacting with primal beings would be a natural candidate. This is similar to the way that the military currently performs search and rescue in physical disasters.

Aristarchus means ‘best leader’ but the word for leader is ‘archo’ which was also seen in the name Archippus at the beginning of Philemon, and ‘best’ appears to be related to ‘without boundary, designation’. The only other mention of Archippus is in Colossians 4 while Aristarchus is mentioned at the end of Acts and also in Colossians 4. These passages seem to apply to a time after Philemon. The mention of Archippus at the beginning of Philemon was interpreted as a reference to the arche or primal beings mentioned in Acts 10:11 in Peter’s vision of the sheet with its biological creatures. Thus, Philemon seems to be describing a transition from ‘primal organization’ to ‘primal leader’, implying that what began as an encounter with primal beings has turned into an interaction with primal leaders.

Demas is mentioned three times in the New Testament. In 2 Timothy 4:10 he infamously deserts Paul because he ‘loves the present age’ while Colossians 4:14 mentions him as an afterthought. My guess is that the end of 2 Timothy happens prophetically shortly after Philemon while Colossians 4 happens much later. This would mean that Philemon is referring to Demas before he deserts Paul. The reason given for the desertion is interesting because if the letter to Philemon describes the introduction of genetic manipulation, then this would lead eventually to a new age that is different than ‘the present age’. Demas is probably a shortened version of Demetrius which means ‘devoted to the goddess Demeter’, who was the Greek goddess of agriculture and the harvest. Grain is interpreted as intellectual food which means that Demeter would represent the process of academic research and teaching. Mentioning Demas implies that the interaction with primal beings is not viewed as magic but rather as proper academic research. This makes sense because genetic mechanisms can be studied using academic research as expressed by the field of biochemistry. It also makes sense that Demas would eventually desert Paul. The present age is a materialistic age based in physical reality and physical existence reinforced by a general insistence that only physical reality exists. Genetic modifications, spiritual development, and interaction with primal beings would eventually lead to a new age that was far more spiritual and much less materialistic. Current academia, with its demand for empirical evidence and its strident insistence that only physical reality exists, would naturally forsake this emerging age in order to ‘love the current age’ as described in 2 Timothy 4. However, it would eventually become apparent that physical reality has lasting significance and that one must study, teach, and submit to the rules of physical reality when living within physical reality. Thus, Demas would eventually reappear as an afterthought as seen in Colossians 4.

The final name is Luke. Even though Luke wrote the Gospel of Luke and the books of Acts, the name Luke is only mentioned three times in the New Testament in the same three passages as Demas. In 2 Timothy 4:11 Paul adds that Luke is ‘alone with me’ right after saying that Demas has forsaken him, while Colossians 4:14 refers to ‘Luke the beloved physician’ and ‘also Demas’. These three connections suggest that the meanings of Luke and Demas are related. The word physician comes from a word that means ‘healing, particularly as supernatural’, as opposed to the other Greek word for healing that is the source of the English word ‘therapy’. And beloved comes from ‘agape’ which refers to Teacher love. Assuming that the description of Luke as a physician is significant, Demas would refer to empirical research that is more objective, whereas Luke would refer to empirical research involving medicine and physical health. The name Luke itself comes from the Latin Lucanus, which means ‘stag beetle’. One paper reports that ‘The historian, Pliny the Elder, wrote that it was customary by both the Greeks and Romans to hang stag beetle heads around children’s necks to ward off illness.” Thus, there is a historic symbolic connection between the stag beetle and medicine.

Placing this into the context of the three mentions of Demas and Luke, if genetic manipulation were to begin, then it makes sense that both objective science and medicine would initially be interested. But genetic modifications delivered through the spirit by primal beings would develop a new spiritual side to human existence that would eventually become too much for materialistic, objective science, while remaining of great interest to medicine because of its impact upon the physical body. The final description of Luke as a beloved physician indicates a transformation of medicine into a system guided by Teacher understanding to pursue Teacher wholeness in a manner that transcends normal human therapy.

These four are not described as fellow prisoners but rather as fellow workers, which combines ‘together with’ and ‘a deed that carries out an inner desire’. In other words, these four describe aspects of socially acceptable behavior that are internally motivated and thus able to work together with a released Paul.

Verse 25 finishes, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.” ‘Lord Jesus Christ’ would mean submitting to an integrated incarnation focusing upon personal salvation and verse 3 also referred to the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. Genetic improvements guided by an integrated concept of God and primal beings would definitely describe an integrated concept of incarnation because primal beings in abstract thought would be manipulating human DNA in concrete thought in a detailed and technical manner leading to permanent changes that ruled over individuals and brought them physical salvation.

‘Spirit’ is in the singular while ‘of you’ is in the plural. The reference to ‘spirit’ is interesting because Paul ends several of his epistles with a similar statement. However, as far as I can tell, these similar endings only happen in Pauline epistles that appear to be dealing prophetically with future times that happen after the transition of Philemon, including Galatians, Philippians, and 2 Timothy. Epistles that appear to apply prophetically to before this transition do not contain this greeting. If Philemon is describing mental networks acquiring spiritual substance and functioning in an independent manner, it makes sense to ask for grace for ‘your spirit’. And because ‘of you’ is in the plural, this suggests that something is happening generically within the spiritual realm that involves many people.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I know that this is an unusual and original interpretation of Philemon. But I also know beyond a shadow of a doubt that when one becomes personally transformed then the limitations and frailties of the mortal body become the primary obstacle to personal wholeness. I also know beyond a shadow of a doubt that locally rational researchers are starting to play around with genetic manipulation while stubbornly and belligerently holding on to the Teacher metatheory that genetic material evolved by chance. If social Darwinism helped to enable the horrors of the two world wars, then I can only imagine what sort of horrors would be enabled by combining human genetic manipulation with the un-theory of evolution. I also know beyond a shadow of a doubt that submitting internally to a cognitive metatheory of personal transformation is a prerequisite for being able to pursue genetic manipulation in a manner that leads to personal salvation and a healthy society and not to personal damnation and hell on earth. Finally, I know beyond a shadow of doubt that if one wants to modify some complicated machine, then one goes to the original designers of this machine for advice and guidance. The unusual interpretation of Philemon follows naturally from these four solid principles.