The Human Choice - 3
What is this wisdom of Jesus actually telling us? It is the essential kind of instruction you might get in any good instruction book with any complicated piece of equipment: if you want good service from this equipment, accept its designed nature and purpose and obey the operating and maintenance instructions; i.e. make an effort to use it correctly.
It is the structure of the instrument that decides its purpose and its value is in the skill of its use; the success of its use depends on keeping to manufacturer's instructions as these are based on a true knowledge of its structure, design and purpose.
Many today will easily accept that true knowledge is essential to beneficial decision-making, for this reason true science prospers. But people, when it comes to social order, are still governed by beliefs and attitudes that are based on a religious faith in the human desires and ideologies of arrogance and greed - ideologies and desires that ignore the relationships of life's structure.
How, in such circumstances, can we be puzzled that science is misused and culture disintegrating?
Would we not think mad a person who tried to use a car as a lawn-mower, or a stove as a refrigerator? Yet we persist to ignore our own true nature and our Maker's guidance.
Is it not rationally inarguable that the way to a more complete, advanced and rewarding life is through finding and accepting the truth of life's nature and creation? In common terms: by worship of truth.
What is truth? Truth is the reality of the order in which we exist, just as also it is with a stove or refrigerator. Were that to be understood and practised in day-to-day living, benefits beyond present human understanding would accumulate.
Yes, "I am the way ..." is just a simple common-sense statement but people, at that time or since, have not been prepared to make the sacrifice of a continuing rebirth that is needed for an advancing understanding of the practical worldly purpose of the Master's visit.
Because of the insight shown by Jesus I have, from the time I read the Gospels, acknowledged this Master and found no other teacher to rival Him.
OUR PROBLEMS BEGIN WITH OURSELVES
Some may think that in this prologue I am "making mountains out of molehills". We have been conditioned to imagine that all important issues are major issues - that the great crimes of our century have been committed by the Stalins, Hitlers and Pol Pots of the world. Perhaps we should see such people as nature's predators preying on the slothful-unthinking, foolish-prideful, covetous-blinded and lust-crippled.
Why do predators, doing their natural job in the natural world of our present humanist attitudes, not suit our humanist society? Is it pride that insists we pretend to be caring or do we cater to a suppressed conscience?
The great crimes of the world are the consequence of an accumulation of little crimes by little people; but we don't want to admit to that, do we?
Little crimes are the base of all crime, but we hate the thought of social responsibility and self-discipline.
We will gladly go to extremes of self-discipline in the interests of sporting glory, or beauty and health, or even business success, but when it comes to human social welfare the "seven deadly sins" are virtually unknown and very unwelcome. We don't want to know that, as we glory in our selfish instincts, we create pain for others; or that our own pain is the natural consequence of others giving preference to their selfish instincts. We are even so self-deceptive as to call some of our worst transgressions 'victimless crimes'.
So let's list the seven common crimes so that we may have less excuse for not knowing how to create a better, more just, more rewarding and less crime-ridden, world.
The seven are:
- Pride: are we too proud to admit our faults?
- Covetousness: does greed overcome our scruples?
- Lust: does animal desire blind us to responsibility?
- Anger: does self-righteousness dominate?
- Envy: are we consumed by jealousy?
- Sloth: are we too lazy to think, or look for answers?
- Gluttony: have we a consuming passion? choice3.htm