Values Based Belonging

 

I believe that humans are social animals driven primarily by compassion, not greed. Cooperation, not competition, is the basis for all the extraordinary accomplishments of our species. That is why we have created a god based on love and mercy, not power and domination. Greed and other self-defense mechanisms are only triggered when we experience the world as a hostile place. 

I also believe that we have been told that the purpose of life is to get ahead as much as possible. That can only happen at the expense of other people. Because some will experience it as an overwhelming burden, an unachievable goal, they lose hope and give up. They may feel less worthy or discarded by the world. Perhaps they turn to crime, drugs or self-harm for relief. 

Every once in a while someone comes around who can see clearly that we can achieve more with compassion and cooperation than with greed and power. God wants the whole world to be saved. No one is expendable. Jesus had the solution, but people couldn't get out of fear mode long enough to actually try it. They kept focusing on their own circumstances instead of the community's. Once in a while, someone will start a food pantry or a clothing drive. Those are nice, but they treat the symptoms of a broken world, not the cause. 

Jesus says things like: "Seek first the Kingdom of God," "Love God with all your heart" and "Love one another." 

What he means is, the solution for us is to accept that community, not individualism, is the way, the Way of Jesus. We need to quit idolizing power and wealth and collectively find ways to make sure everyone is cared for.

Science and Religion

 

Image by fernando zhiminaicela from Pixabay

Almost all modern religions are based on some kind of scripture often rooted in ancient oral traditions. Religion deals mostly with the supernatural or spiritual way of understanding the world. 

Some form of science has also been practiced for thousands of years, but most major breakthroughs have occurred in the last 500 years or so. Science deals mostly with an understanding of the world that can be observed or measured.

Anyone with a social media account will know how difficult it is to separate fact from fiction, truth from lies. Extraordinary imaginative abilities are not reserved for modern day science fiction writers. The ancients possessed them in rich measure as well. The lines between fact and fiction were as blurred back then as they are today. Making lies masquerade as truth or mistaking fiction for reality is timeless. Deliberately or accidentally confusing one for the other is easy and happens all the time. 

If we want to know something about events in historic times, we go to the archives. We look at multiple sources to get as close to the truth as we can. Sometimes new evidence appears and the stories have to change.

If we want to know something about prehistoric times, we go to archeologists with expertise in extracting the stories behind artifacts. Sometimes these stories also have to change when new technologies and techniques become available.

The bottom line is that people are storytelling creatures. We have an ability to think in abstract terms far outperforming any other species and we are not afraid to use it - for good or for bad. Thinking critically is essential. Indiscriminately accepting everything you hear or see is hazardous. 

The Bible is an impressive collection of stories collected over centuries. There is history, fiction, fact, drama, poetry and possibly many other genres causing great debate, even wars, about what is what. Interpretations are seemingly endless.

The Golden Rule

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Is the Golden Rule in the Bible? Yes, it is. It can be found in Matthew 7:12 and in Luke 6:31. It can also be found in other places. Most major religions have a version of the Golden Rule. You could say it is practically universal.

There are three major versions:

1. Positive, e.g. Do to others as you would have them do to you

2. Negative, e.g. Do not do to others what you would not have them do to you

3. Neutral, e.g. What you wish upon others, you wish upon yourself

What difference does it make how it is worded? As it turns out, quite a bit, actually.

Apparently, the neutral version is the oldest. It implies some measure of reciprocity. Relationships are transactional.

Then came the negative version. It is individualistic and self-centered. You can do whatever you want as long as it doesn't hurt anyone, it seems to say. The big question is, how do you know when and how your actions impact others? Self-centered individualists aren't likely to recognize that everything you do impacts someone somewhere.

The gospel writers both use the positive version. It exemplifies the command to love one another. It is other-centered, pointing to the community. It is not just aiming at maintaining peace or cordial relationships, but actively being a blessing for others, to enhance their lives, a relationship like that of family. 

The difficulty is that humans, by nature, have a survival instinct that causes compassion to yield to self-preservation at the slightest hint of attack. How do you eliminate this fear of attack? By loving one another. Recognize that love is an action, not a feeling. Actions can be controlled, feelings cannot.