Truly human

[markdohle]

Truly human

Being human, truly human, is an enterprise that I believe we are all on. There are cultural customs that will often stop this process, or slow it down considerably. We are like rough pieces of furniture, unvarnished, waiting for the finishing touches to be applied so that we can be what we were made to be. How do we fail? All that is needed is to look at any cultural throughout history, or religion, or philosophy and yes ideologies, to see how easy it is to fail. They seem to need to have an ‘us’ and a ‘them’. Today that seems to be getting worse. Even the New Atheism that is purported to bring some rationality to mankind is turning into just another ideology that separates us even further; they are after all ‘brights’, which makes the rest of us ‘dims’ I suppose. There seems to be no end to it.

There are people with whom I have met who show the way. They have something about them that invites openness and trust. They listen, seek to understand and do not think they have to change others. Though they may have deep roots in a religion, or other system of belief, to which they hold to with their whole heart, mind and soul. They are not threatened by other people’s paths, but seek to learn from them, and to also impart some of their wisdom. These persons are often quiet and will not share their insights unless they are asked; such is their respect for others. They do not need to write about themselves or their struggles, they just ‘are’.

They are this way because they know themselves, their struggles and also they have no illusions on what they are capable of if they ever lose their way. They know this about themselves and because of this, they are accepting of others, loving and compassionate when they fail or fall away. They are in touch with reality and are not brittle when it comes to experiencing the fear, pain and darkness in others. They stay with their group, their religion or ideology and seek to transform it from inside, instead of leaving and become angry and self righteous. They can’t because they know themselves.

There are of course times when leaving a group is necessary, the problem is in knowing when it is right to do so, or not. Each has to discern that on their own.

They have humility, a virtue that is often mocked and ridiculed, that is until they meet one of these people; which are more numerous than one would think. I am still on the way and have not yet reached that place, perhaps I never will, but when I meet people like this it gives me hope and a deeper trust in God’s love for all of us. We can be lights for another, instead of becoming nags. My inner nag is still alive and kicking, but I have learned to no longer hate that part of me, it is a very young part, trying to make me believe in its immature rantings. I have found loving that parts of me, more helpful than trying to repress it, or treat it as some kind of demon within my soul. It is a wound, one that is healing…..perhaps we are all like that, slowly healing hopefully as we mature and move toward the event that will encapsulates our whole lives which is of course our death.

The more we know ourselves; to face our inner light and darkness without running away, the more we understand others as well…..this leads to mercy and love, for ourselves and others. To know all, is to forgive all. If we try to live the quote below, there will be little time to looking down and judging others…it is a hard struggle, at least for me and my failures to do deter me from my endeavor to grow in the love of God and others.

(13 Cor 4-13)

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

⁸ Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. ¹¹ When I was a child, I talked like a child; I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. ¹² For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

¹³ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

[Ciss]

Beautiful read!

"How do we fail? "

What if we never fail, what if it is impossible for us to fail...if I say and believe that I am a failure then something makes it so that I achieve just that, success at being a failure...

I suppose when we have finished dividing and separating ourselves out to the point that we stand alone with only ourselves for lack of anyone else to categorize the thought and knowledge of "it's not good to be alone" may kick in...

Would share your thoughts on the difference between "do not think they have to change others" and "seek to transform it from inside"

[markdohle]

Beautiful read!

"How do we fail? "

What if we never fail, what if it is impossible for us to fail...if I say and believe that I am a failure then something makes it so that I achieve just that, success at being a failure...

I suppose when we have finished dividing and separating ourselves out to the point that we stand alone with only ourselves for lack of anyone else to categorize the thought and knowledge of "it's not good to be alone" may kick in...

Would share your thoughts on the difference between "do not think they have to change others" and "seek to transform it from inside"

Thank you for your input, it was thoughtprovoking. I will try to ponder what you ask me to do my friend. Maybe in the next few days. Like the slant of the question.

peace

mark

[Marcion Meets E. Sibyl]

Truly human

Being human, truly human, is an enterprise that I believe we are all on. How do we fail? Today that seems to be getting worse. There seems to be no end to it.

There are people with whom I have met who show the way. They have something about them that invites openness and trust.

They are this way because they know themselves, their struggles and also they have no illusions on what they are capable of if they ever lose their way.

They have humility, a virtue that is often mocked and ridiculed, that is until they meet one of these people; which are more numerous than one would think. I am still on the way and have not yet reached that place, perhaps I never will, but when I meet people like this it gives me hope and a deeper trust in God’s love for all of us. We can be lights for another, instead of becoming nags. My inner nag is still alive and kicking, but I have learned to no longer hate that part of me, it is a very young part, trying to make me believe in its immature rantings. I have found loving that parts of me, more helpful than trying to repress it, or treat it as some kind of demon within my soul. It is a wound, one that is healing…..perhaps we are all like that, slowly healing hopefully as we mature and move toward the event that will encapsulates our whole lives which is of course our death.

The more we know ourselves; to face our inner light and darkness without running away, the more we understand others as well…..this leads to mercy and love, for ourselves and others. To know all, is to forgive all. If we try to live the quote below, there will be little time to looking down and judging others…it is a hard struggle, at least for me and my failures to do deter me from my endeavor to grow in the love of God and others.

Hi,

There seems to be no end to it; however, I come across people who are consciously struggling to be just, forgiving, and benevolent. On the other hand, it dumbfounds me how the universe or nature can be so mechanically brutal...at the same time. I've realized that human beings (at least the ones I have come to know) are the same. We all have our days. In fact, I was just in a "friendship." Half of me didn't want it to work out, and the "friendship" ended. Anything romantic (at its zenith) is selfish by nature, at any rate. It's a long complicated story, just like the history of humanity. Saints, sinners, players, and gamblers have hopes of heaven and the rage of hell in them. Regardless.

There are special few who are willing to go beyond the surface and the tedium. They forgive, wholeheartedly. Forgiveness is a 2-edged sword, yes. The recipient has to go through atonement. Atonement is not punishment; it is self imposed, ultimately. Nevertheless, the journey of atonement seeks the promise of a profound outcome.

"Piles of toast and broken promises among the books and pens and reading glasses, it seems there's no escape from the humdrum. IT'S OVER AND DONE. The Prophets all predicted extinction; the Virgin spoke in apparitions; and if it all came to pass now, you feel we'd all deserve it somehow. If someone cried, you'd sympathize. It's just a boy or a girl. It's not the end of the world -- it's not the end." PSB

Excellent post, Mark. Thank you.

Paul

Edited November 13, 2012 by braveone2u

[markdohle]

[/center]

Hi,

There seems to be no end to it; however, I come across people who are consciously struggling to be just, forgiving, and benevolent. On the other hand, it dumbfounds me how the universe or nature can be so mechanically brutal...at the same time. I've realized that human beings (at least the ones I have come to know) are the same. We all have our days. In fact, I was just in a "friendship." Half of me didn't want it to work out, and the "friendship" ended. Anything romantic (at its zenith) is selfish by nature, at any rate. It's a long complicated story, just like the history of humanity. Saints, sinners, players, and gamblers have hopes of heaven and the rage of hell in them. Regardless.

There are special few who are willing to go beyond the surface and the tedium. They forgive, wholeheartedly. Forgiveness is a 2-edged sword, yes. The recipient has to go through atonement. Atonement is not punishment; it is self imposed, ultimately. Nevertheless, the journey of atonement seeks the promise of a profound outcome.

"Piles of toast and broken promises among the books and pens and reading glasses, it seems there's no escape from the humdrum. IT'S OVER AND DONE. The Prophets all predicted extinction; the Virgin spoke in apparitions; and if it all came to pass now, you feel we'd all deserve it somehow. If someone cried, you'd sympathize. It's just a boy or a girl. It's not the end of the world -- it's not the end." PSB

Excellent post, Mark. Thank you.

Paul

Thank you Paul, nice comment my friend. Yes, we all struggle, hopefully we are all on the way.

peace

mark

[markdohle]

Beautiful read!

"How do we fail? "

What if we never fail, what if it is impossible for us to fail...if I say and believe that I am a failure then something makes it so that I achieve just that, success at being a failure...

I suppose when we have finished dividing and separating ourselves out to the point that we stand alone with only ourselves for lack of anyone else to categorize the thought and knowledge of "it's not good to be alone" may kick in...

Would share your thoughts on the difference between "do not think they have to change others" and "seek to transform it from inside"

It is impossible to change others directly. However I have been inspired to transform myself by the loving, gentle example of others. They for the most part being unaware of their effect on me… They let me be, did not judge, and in that reality their light allowed me to see ways that I could better myself. Knowing people like that is a true gift, a grace and a call to inner and outer conversion, all at the same time.

Edited November 14, 2012 by markdohle

[Ciss]

Thank you so much for sharing, your words resonate with me and I found myself saying "Yes!" I asked for your thoughts because moments before I had read your opening post I had started to ponder my narrow thinking and use of the word change and in allowing the meaning/s to expand I ended on the description of "transformation."

​I couldn't agree more, the people that have inspired and stirred the spirit within me are those that never knew and never tried to cause a change in me. For all our good efforts of "try, try, try" to be a light for others only wanes the flame of our brightness. Those peeps you call a true gift and a grace are the ones I describe as being beacons who's flames are fueled by an inner honesty and truth that gives them courage to see themselves in others.

I didn't mean to stray from the subject of your opening post but so much jumped out at me that was for me!

Why and what compels the need for humans to have the "us against them" mentality ... maybe I didn't stray too far off subject when I mentioned the phrase "it's not good to be alone"...fear of that maybe..

[markdohle]

Thank you so much for sharing, your words resonate with me and I found myself saying "Yes!" I asked for your thoughts because moments before I had read your opening post I had started to ponder my narrow thinking and use of the word change and in allowing the meaning/s to expand I ended on the description of "transformation."

​I couldn't agree more, the people that have inspired and stirred the spirit within me are those that never knew and never tried to cause a change in me. For all our good efforts of "try, try, try" to be a light for others only wanes the flame of our brightness. Those peeps you call a true gift and a grace are the ones I describe as being beacons who's flames are fueled by an inner honesty and truth that gives them courage to see themselves in others.

I didn't mean to stray from the subject of your opening post but so much jumped out at me that was for me!

Why and what compels the need for humans to have the "us against them" mentality ... maybe I didn't stray too far off subject when I mentioned the phrase "it's not good to be alone"...fear of that maybe..

No I enjoyed your input and also your question. They help to look at the issue from a different slant, so thank you very much.

peace

mark