Wednesday, October 14, 2020

Reflection - Redemptive Relationships - Losing Humanness

Source (book): "Growing Old Gracefully", Following Jesus to the End, PART III: REDEMPTIVE RELATIONSHIPS, Chapter 17, "Discovering the Hearts of Being Human", Question 1, Page 116.
By Robert M. Solomon, Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore from 2000 - 2012


Do you agree that much of life in this world turns us into less than human?
PHOTO: Do you agree that much of life in this world turns us into less than human?
Some people have a mistaken idea of Christian maturity; they think it is something that makes us super-spiritual angelic beings. But that is not what the Bible says. Being saved in Christ and being made holy actually makes us true human beings. I am defining "true human being" as the state God first created us to be in - perfect and in perfect union with Him. That was God's intention for humans, how He wanted us to be. But we lost this humanness in the Garden of Eden, when God's image in us became marred.

We were all created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), but that image has been lost because of our sins. The heart of the human race has become deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9).


What evidence can you think of to support or refute this idea?
We are born into a sinful, noisy, crowded, and competitive world. In this Darwinian jungle, we learn quickly, in the words of Darwinian atheist Richard Dawkins, to be "survival machines", and in so doing, we become less than human - sub-human. We become members of the rat race, competing for advantageous positions (whether it is wealth, power, position, or influence) as we fight for territory, space, and worldly success.

If this is our view of life, then we might agree with the British philosopher Thomas Hobbes who described the natural state of life as "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short". He therefore argued for society to be organised such that life could become more civilised. But even in our most organised societies, we find selfishness, meanness, violence, and crime. Can we become more human - more of what God intended us to be - simply by organising ourselves, or through education and better healthcare?

Further reflection will lead us to the conclusion that no amount of civilising actions can alter the sub-human reality in us. We may dress up nicely and relate to each other with courtesy, but in our private and unguarded moments, ugliness will still rear its head. Even the most civilised of groups can transform into a violent mob when exposed to stressful situations or deceptive slogans. The sight of hundreds of thousands mesmerised by a madman such as Hitler, or scores of American young men fighting in Vietnam and degenerating into cruel killing machines, as seen in the infamous My Lai massacre of 1968, are examples of this.
Photo by Ekaterina Belinskaya, Model: Kseniya Rubtsova – Ghost
Picture posted by Dark Beauty on 05 May 2014
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https://www.darkbeautymag.com/2014/05/ekaterina-belinskaya-ghost/
 

In his book, Becoming Human, Jean Vanier wrote about how "we cannot grow spiritually if we ignore our humanness, just as we cannot become fully human if we ignore spirituality". [60] Though he lived in a different era, John Calvin, the great reformer, said the same thing when he wrote, "Without knowledge of self there is no knowledge of God" and "Without knowledge of God there is no knowledge of self". [61]


In his book, Becoming Human, Jean Vanier wrote about how 'we cannot grow spiritually if we ignore our humanness, just as we cannot become fully human if we ignore spirituality'.
PHOTO: In his book, Becoming Human, Jean Vanier wrote about how "we cannot grow spiritually if we ignore our humanness, just as we cannot become fully human if we ignore spirituality".
Picture posted by Saint Mary's Press - illustration of Jean Vanier, a Catholic philosopher, humanitarian, and founder of L'Arche communities
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf_drl289_1KVV7_Gq1hcIxiLSk0AdaEq03S1unag9ggPr07CHwiD5nm0bOL8sq9BJK31iBl0fr2WiI0uQXRT4rbeYHKUChs4mrsiz0X_8fWRnSKMmD3s-s8HCl-9tMePi5iyrd0xCDyg/s2048/Jean_Vanier_1.jpg
https://www.smp.org/dynamicmedia/files/5e2b434c7480717beb704be0e0f09266/Jean_Vanier.jpg
https://www.smp.org/resourcecenter/resource/48/


Do you agree that much of life in this world turns us into less than human? What evidence can you think of to support or refute this idea?

Do you agree that much of life in this world turns us into less than human? [1]
Some people have a mistaken idea of Christian maturity; they think it is something that makes us super-spiritual angelic beings. But that is not what the Bible says. Being saved in Christ and being made holy actually makes us true human beings. I am defining "true human being" as the state God first created us to be in - perfect and in perfect union with Him. That was God's intention for humans, how He wanted us to be. But we lost this humanness in the Garden of Eden, when God's image in us became marred.


True human being
PHOTO: "True human being" as the state God first created us to be in - perfect and in perfect union with Him. That was God's intention for humans, how He wanted us to be.  But we lost this humanness in the Garden of Eden, when God's image in us became marred.
Picture posted by Fonwall
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDLypfXbfv27CRuXAitcEAHP3ydFifzqTx-UtnMC7V1Jng7KHSeXf9M-h0rCNKCYbL_z-IAp714FZS7e7CiMmWL7raJ5qMSEcFp3oAj2te7SFdV_T9rsw0P19mv5EEWHI0rQrYhkM2eds/s2048/devushka-skaly-oblaka-zamok.jpg
https://img.fonwall.ru/o/te/devushka-skaly-oblaka-zamok.jpg
https://fonwall.ru/en/wallpaper/devushka-skaly-oblaka-zamok.html


We were all created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), but that image has been lost because of our sins. The heart of the human race has become deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9).


We were all created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), but that image has been lost because of our sins. The heart of the human race has become deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9).
PHOTO: We were all created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), but that image has been lost because of our sins. The heart of the human race has become deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9).
Picture posted by Web Designer Depot
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO8LvSk1XvP_tw1rmv-32JoKoGdDr-ex4dFoUoIfqPH0JOF_KNfp2nSq6b_CVX6cOt-UeIldcIWtKOQ4pzukb149d3MMWx-SkbfTbnZR60r2gCF-qtKwo8GSJZJNSlyw-2937xQGKzmIg/s860/13.jpg
https://www.webdesignerdepot.com/cdn-origin/uploads/2009/03/13.jpg
http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2009/03/20-beautiful-photoshop-montage-tutorials/


What evidence can you think of to support or refute this idea? [1]
We are born into a sinful, noisy, crowded, and competitive world. In this Darwinian jungle, we learn quickly, in the words of Darwinian atheist Richard Dawkins, to be "survival machines", [62] and in so doing, we become less than human - sub-human. We become members of the rat race, competing for advantageous positions (whether it is wealth, power, position, or influence) as we fight for territory, space, and worldly success.


We are born into a sinful, noisy, crowded, and competitive world.
PHOTO: We are born into a sinful, noisy, crowded, and competitive world. In this Darwinian jungle, we learn quickly,  to be "survival machines", and in so doing, we become less than human - sub-human.  We become members of the rat race, competing for advantageous positions (whether it is wealth, power, position, or influence) as we fight for territory, space, and worldly success.
Picture posted by Ameblo
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizoUi_PrdUWhwSlXIQtZE4IWyq8iQZ4d5YyhyphenhyphenfqGaNOUHPSpY_Y2AAU5KwgXJLvXtY3ctGdiMDs6AKcBKE4qsaDpuHOmgwhl3Z97_UN2cVWQn1Ds5cnWqgauzy4dBhWAyEa5HddaTzXf8/s720/t02200165_0720054012388961585.jpg
https://stat.ameba.jp/user_images/20130123/18/diveheart-yokohama/a2/ab/j/t02200165_0720054012388961585.jpg?caw=800
https://ameblo.jp/diveheart-yokohama/entry-11454875449.html


If this is our view of life, then we might agree with the British philosopher Thomas Hobbes who described the natural state of life as "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short". [63] He therefore argued for society to be organised such that life could become more civilised. But even in our most organised societies, we find selfishness, meanness, violence, and crime. Can we become more human - more of what God intended us to be - simply by organising ourselves, or through education and better healthcare?


The natural state of life is described as 'solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short'.
PHOTO: The natural state of life is described as "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short". Even in our most organised societies, we find selfishness, meanness, violence, and crime. Can we become more human - more of what God intended us to be - simply by organising ourselves, or through education and better healthcare?
Picture posted by Sara (Angel)🎤✝️@Jane61758176
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3pei6d76hYzt7lB_RYrg_2kgup1UQiNywAty1Ynxvn9R0M-MGUWrVuaW6EVM4lf1u4BH_WaB8INVjbJazOXB5PlotUOfHOCDXzdzVAZgdMr2yo8DKU8KqAeD8Spdn2JqcvnXoZrHMYDg/s1920/Dsd9FIXWsAcgRT5.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dsd9FIXWsAcgRT5?format=jpg&name=large
https://twitter.com/jane61758176/status/1064957374405009408


Further reflection will lead us to the conclusion that no amount of civilising actions can alter the sub-human reality in us. We may dress up nicely and relate to each other with courtesy, but in our private and unguarded moments, ugliness will still rear its head. Even the most civilised of groups can transform into a violent mob when exposed to stressful situations or deceptive slogans. The sight of hundreds of thousands mesmerised by a madman such as Hitler, or scores of American young men fighting in Vietnam and degenerating into cruel killing machines, as seen in the infamous My Lai massacre of 1968, are examples of this.


Further reflection will lead us to the conclusion that no amount of civilising actions can alter the sub-human reality in us.
In some types of vaccines the virus is killed and then injected into our bodies so that our bodies can produce the necessary antibodies. PHOTO: Further reflection will lead us to the conclusion that no amount of civilising actions can alter the sub-human reality in us. Even the most civilised of groups can transform into a violent mob when exposed to stressful situations or deceptive slogans.
Picture posted by Iván Herranz, Freelance Illustrator, Comic Artist and Concept Artist - Jörmungand God Of War
Dear Lord
PHOTO: "Dear Lord, we have a mistaken idea of Christian maturity. We thought it is something that makes us super-spiritual angelic beings. But that is not what the Bible says. Being saved in Christ and being made holy actually makes us true human beings. God first created us to be in - perfect and in perfect union with Him. That was God's intention for humans, how He wanted us to be. But we lost this humanness in the Garden of Eden, when God's image in us became marred.

We were all created in the image of God, but that image has been lost because of our sins. The heart of the human race has become deceitful.

We need Your help to become more human. We are born into a sinful, noisy, crowded, and competitive world. In this Darwinian jungle, we learn quickly to be survival machines. We become less than human - sub-human. We become members of the rat race, competing for advantageous positions as we fight for territory, space, and worldly success.

Lord, help us not to have a natural state of life that is solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short. Our society tried to be organised such that life could become more civilised. But even in our most organised societies, we find selfishness, meanness, violence, and crime. We are unable to become more human - more of what God intended us to be - simply by organising ourselves, or through education and better healthcare.

Even the most civilised of groups can transform into a violent mob when exposed to stressful situations or deceptive slogans. Some war time young men have degenerated into cruel killing machines. We have no other way than to conclude that no amount of civilising actions can alter the sub-human reality in us.

Please help us to return to the state God first created us to be in - perfect and in perfect union with Him.

Through Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen!"
Illustrated by Grégory Delaunay - Censure
Picture posted by Dark Beauty on 08 September 2017
Reflection - Redemptive Relationships - Losing Humanness
Source (book): "Growing Old Gracefully", Following Jesus to the End, PART III: REDEMPTIVE RELATIONSHIPS, Chapter 17, "Discovering the Hearts of Being Human", Question 1, Page 116.
By Robert M. Solomon, Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore from 2000 - 2012

 




Also from the same author, Robert M. Solomon

"Faithful to the end", A Preacher's Exposition of 2 Timothy, @ 2014 by Robert M. Solomon

'Faithful to the end', A Preacher's Exposition of 2 Timothy, @ 2014 by Robert M. Solomon<br>
Reflection - Faithful to the end (Links)
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2017/06/reflection-faithful-to-end-links.html


"Finding rest for the soul" Responding to Jesus' Invitation in Matthew 11:28-29, © 2016 by Robert M. Solomon

Reflection - Finding rest for the soul (Links)
Reflection - Finding rest for the soul (Links)
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/10/reflection-finding-rest-for-soul-links.html


"God in Pursuit" Lessons from the Book of Jonah, © 2016 by Robert M. Solomon

'Reflection - God in Pursuit (Links) - PART I-III, posted on Saturday, 10 August 2019
Reflection - God in Pursuit (Links) - PART I-III, posted on Saturday, 10 August 2019
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/08/reflection-god-in-pursuit-links-part-i.html


"God in Pursuit" Lessons from the Book of Jonah, © 2016 by Robert M. Solomon

'Reflection - God in Pursuit (Links) - PART IV, posted on Saturday, 10 August 2019
Reflection - God in Pursuit (Links) - PART IV, posted on Saturday, 10 August 2019
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/08/reflection-god-in-pursuit-links-part-iv.html 


"Songs of Christmas", The Stories and Significance of 20 Well-Loved Carols, © 2018 by Robert M. Solomon

Reflection - Songs of Christmas (Links), posted on Friday, 24 April 2020
Reflection - Songs of Christmas (Links), posted on Friday, 24 April 2020
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2020/04/reflection-songs-of-christmas-links.html
 


Reference
[1] From "Growing Old Gracefully", Following Jesus to the End, Copyright © 2019 by Robert M. Solomon, ISBN 978-981-14-1836-5, PART III: REDEMPTIVE RELATIONSHIPS, Chapter 17, "Discovering the Hearts of Being Human", Page 111-113.

[60] Jean Venier, Becoming Human (Mahwah, New Jersey: Paulist Press, 1998), 2.

[61] John Calvin, Institutes of the Christians Religion, trans. Henry Beveridge (London, 1559), book 1, 1-2, https://reformed.org/books/institutes/books/book1/bk1ch01.html.

[62] Richard Dawkins, The Selfish Gene (New York: Oxford University Press, 1976), 2.

[63] Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan (London, 1651), Chapter XIII, "Of the Natural Condition of Mankind As Concerning Their Felicity, ad Misery", http://www.gutenberg.org/files/3207/3207-h/3207-h.htm#link2HCH0013.


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