Human Relations
Part of what religions speak to is the relationship between humans and each other, and humans and the greater world. We do not live in isolation, but instead are deeply nested in a world of overlapping responsibilities and friendships that ripple outwards, linking every person to everyone else.
What does this mean? Humanity is interdependent upon each other, and upon the planet on which we live. All is part of the Divine, and we are all part of each other, unable to survive without the rest of creation. We believe in self-reliance and self-sufficiency, but the only way we can believe such a thing is by viewing all that we do rely on as nonexistent and unworthy of consideration. We are part of a greater world, and it is through seeing our interrelation we can find our true selves and how to interact with others.
We like to see ourselves as individuals, in control, having the power to change our lives and the lives of those around us. The problem with this view is not that it’s false, but that the power that we have is not always what we think it is. We have ultimate control over our emotions, over our actions and reactions, although we do not always have control over what the choices for those actions are. We are not responsible for the choices set before us, however, only the ones we choose to take.
Power is responsibility. The two cannot be separated out, one cannot have responsibility without the power to do something about it, nor can one have power without the fact that how you use that power will affect other people. As we have power over ourselves, so do we have responsibility for ourselves, for being what we desire to be and making the choices we believe are right.
Seeing ourselves, our powers and responsibilities, in a clear manner is essential to improving our relations with other people and the world around us. When we ignore our responsibilities, we betray ourselves and the world around us, causing a rippling effect. Even as the Divine teaches us, so do we teach the Divine, and when we betray, and are untrustworthy, and claim that power is not linked inexorably to responsibility, we tell the Divine and the world around us that their power is not linked to their responsibility either. We do not exist in a vacuum. Everything we do affects others, teaches others, and we must be careful to make sure the life we lead is one we have no shame of being used as an example to others.
Questions:
How are we related? How are we separate?
Why are we not responsible for the choices set before us? Why are we responsible for which choices we take?
How does having power over ourselves give us responsibility? What responsibilities does it give?
What does this mean? Humanity is interdependent upon each other, and upon the planet on which we live. All is part of the Divine, and we are all part of each other, unable to survive without the rest of creation. We believe in self-reliance and self-sufficiency, but the only way we can believe such a thing is by viewing all that we do rely on as nonexistent and unworthy of consideration. We are part of a greater world, and it is through seeing our interrelation we can find our true selves and how to interact with others.
We like to see ourselves as individuals, in control, having the power to change our lives and the lives of those around us. The problem with this view is not that it’s false, but that the power that we have is not always what we think it is. We have ultimate control over our emotions, over our actions and reactions, although we do not always have control over what the choices for those actions are. We are not responsible for the choices set before us, however, only the ones we choose to take.
Power is responsibility. The two cannot be separated out, one cannot have responsibility without the power to do something about it, nor can one have power without the fact that how you use that power will affect other people. As we have power over ourselves, so do we have responsibility for ourselves, for being what we desire to be and making the choices we believe are right.
Seeing ourselves, our powers and responsibilities, in a clear manner is essential to improving our relations with other people and the world around us. When we ignore our responsibilities, we betray ourselves and the world around us, causing a rippling effect. Even as the Divine teaches us, so do we teach the Divine, and when we betray, and are untrustworthy, and claim that power is not linked inexorably to responsibility, we tell the Divine and the world around us that their power is not linked to their responsibility either. We do not exist in a vacuum. Everything we do affects others, teaches others, and we must be careful to make sure the life we lead is one we have no shame of being used as an example to others.
Questions:
How are we related? How are we separate?
Why are we not responsible for the choices set before us? Why are we responsible for which choices we take?
How does having power over ourselves give us responsibility? What responsibilities does it give?
posted by Vieva @ 3:55 PM
5 Comments:
At 2:05 PM,
Star said…
Good points all. This one was a bit easier to read for me, but that's because it's not so relevant to my personal situation at the moment, so I wasn't sitting here getting hit in the gut with stuff all the time. *G* Following up on your reply from the last one, it's good to hear that this is part of a cycle of three--I think at least these two definitely make more sense as parts of a whole than as stand-alones. Well, not that any of this really stands alone, since it's all connected as part of Flamekeeping, but hopefully you know what I mean.
Study Questions:
1. Well... That's a bit of a big question to answer here. We are related because we all have to share this planet with one another, I suppose. We are bound together because we must be. But we're individuals too, each person unique. Even identical twins have different personalities. That puts us in an odd position, I think--I think it's crucial that we retain our induviduality, but at the same time we have to learn to function as part of a greater whole. We must be both one and many.
2. You can't be responsible for something you have no control over. (But of course that's only if you truly have no control over it.) Hence, you can't be responsible for choices presented to you, except to whatever extent your previous decisions brought those choices about. However, at the point where you make a decision, you do have control. You are therefore responsible for the consequences. (And sometimes you may have two choices and one seems impossible, because it will lead to death or ruin or something... But you know, that doesn't mean it's not a choice. If you choose not to take it, you are still responsible for the other choice, no matter how vile it might be.) Of course, there's a whole other discussion about what exactly "responsible" means there... It doesn't necessarily mean that you're to blame or whatever if what you chose is not a good thing, but you do have to own up to the fact that you made the decision, and you do have to accept the consequences, good or bad.
3. I'm not sure how to put my answer into words as to the first part. Normally I believe power means responsibility because it's an exchange... Someone is giving you that power, and they trust that in return you will do something for them. (Protect them, make good laws, whatever--something.) I don't think it's possible to worm out of that obligation. But power over oneself... Where does that come from? I suppose from the Universe, but that doesn't feel right somehow. It doesn't seem like it's something that's given, it's just there.
Of course, that might be my biased view, having grown up in a country which at least purports to prize freedom so highly.
I think if nothing else, we have a responsibility to ourselves because... Well, if we don't take care of ourselves, who's going to? I think that responsibility includes doing what we can to make sure that we are well--in body, in spirit, in mind, in heart, etc.--as much as possible. (Including asking for help if it's needed.)
Beyond that, I guess I'm a little muddy here. I obviously have some thinking to do...
At 2:41 PM,
Vieva said…
Amazing how much easier it is when it's not personal, isn't it?
and yeah .. it's a lot easier to focus on the self when it's not ALL that you're doing. I'm familiar with the weird feeling of selfishness. :)
At 3:01 PM,
Star said…
It really is amazing how much easier it is when it's not personal. *sigh*
My brain's tired now. *naps on Shadow* (Well, actually I'm just tired. Ooof, what a day.)
At 3:33 PM,
Vieva said…
{{{{{Star}}}}}} I'm online and in chat, if you need to talk, sweetie ..... :)
At 3:48 PM,
Star said…
((((Shad)))) Can't, I'm at work, and then I have a dental appt. Gah. Ick. Just what I wanted to do today, you know?
I'll catch ya sometime, but for now I think I'm all right... Just tired. And I think that's as much physical as anything. There are other components to it, of course, but it doesn't help that I'm practically falling asleep anyway! I've been like this all day, really.
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