I'd like to say that this point of view is simply an exploration, not necessarily my personal belief or ultimatum on this issue.
First of all, the word blood represents a physical substance. Everything that has been referenced has been of kin. In that sense, it is impossible for anyone other than genetic family to be of the same blood.
However, I realize that is not what is important here. As I understand it, what you parents are getting at is they think that nobody should be held as highly as genetic family. I think that adoption is a very valid point. What is interesting is that family in many people's case seems to be somewhat permanent, not unlike blood. Most families, even though they may not be the best of friends in comparison to traditional friends, stick together no matter what.
This is because humans are socially needy and dependent. When friends fail, we turn to family. Why do friends fail? I would venture to say, that in most cases friendships fail, on the deepest level, in connection with a disruption in a emotionally involved relationship. One guy dates a girl, they brake up for whatever reason, but then the girl falls for the X's best friend. As a result, the friendship is damaged.
This could suggest that the reason that you always fall back to your family is because people typically don't date their family members. Because of this, the most harmful cause of a failure in a friendship is avoided. Family members are most exempt from internal major relationship failure. I hope this makes sense...
That said, friends come and go, but family will stay through thick and thin. Under this assumption...
However, while family relations and friendships can be broken down in different ways, they are formed in different ways. It could be argued that the sublime moments that are shared between people can occur more often and more intensely through friends than family. Usually friends are of a similar age and can more directly relate than a parent and a child or siblings of different ages. If sublime moments can occur more frequently and intensely between friends, then it is possible for the bond between friends to be as strong or stronger than family, but possibly not as permanent.
I completely agree with you on the commandments. I think direct step by step thinking as your dad has suggested is rather primitive compared to what is possible. Nature does not work that way. From a very simple level it does, but when examined closer, there are always exceptions and new possibilities that are constantly changing and adapting. That is the best thing about nature is that it has the ability to adapt. As should our approach to our lives, ideas, and organizational approaches. This is why the constitution as a document is quite brilliant.
In my personal idea of belief I think that the question of whether you are being Christian or not is not the right question. You say that what Jesus is God who is also the Holy Spirit. In very simple terms, I believe directly in the Holy Spirit. Not that I feel it should be called that. It just the thing that is of all people. The essence of life and our world. On some level we are all connected and made up of the same energy, spirit, or essence. Animals, plants, rocks, people; everything. That said, your friends are just as important as your family.
This goes back to what I said about no one person having more validity in their belief than the next person. All religions considered every one has some merit. Who is to say that they are ultimately correct? We are just humans with brains that can barely fathom the wonders of what is around us. All possibilities open.
Let me also say, God created nature. This is a prime example to display how nothing should fit to a T. Nature is infinitely diverse and no one creation is exactly like the next.
I understand what you are saying about the "universal" spirit... but you can't call this the Holy Spirit. Just like I can't say Michael Jordan and Michael Jackson are the same person. The Holy Spirit, as I am writing, is a proper noun that is not ambiguous.
I also caution everyone to not look for the answers to life within ourselves... to look at humanity for solutions... that is a major problem. Many people think that we can look at the human race and understand the best of the best... when, that is extremely pompous and also the human race is stricken with sin, discord, war, lust, murder, ignorance, and lies. Even when we are at our "best", even if you look at Ghandi... it isn't Ghandi who we need to be looking at for the answers, they are the teachings of the teachers.
Of course... my belief is that my ultimate teacher, Jesus Christ, is God in human form, so there is the one and only exception.
I'm not sure that I agree what more sublime moments occur among friends vs. family... but there definitely is the age aspect that plays an important role.
I also, feel like I fall in a different category... lies are what destroys relationships. I will be down for my brothers and sisters until I die, same as my family... unless they begin to destroy what is between us with deceit, manipulation, malice, belligerence, etc. This applies to family and to friends. If my own mother started taking advantage of me in the most heinous of ways... I will maintain a love for her, absolutely, do I desire reconciliation? Yes. I desire reconciliation with my friends as well. But, without this reconciliation, the love I maintain for my family member will be finite, shoddy, and a poor excuse for the word. It won't be illustrious, encompassing, sublime, pure, and unrelenting... as love should be. This same principle applies to my friends. I will maintain a love for them always. If I do love now, I will always love.
"There's so much nonsense about human inconstancy and the transcience of all emotions...I've always thought that a feeling which changes never existed in the first place." Remember that quote? I am holding fast to that conviction.
" Everybody looked at eveyone else, and at the various institutions that irritated us, and demanded that the social structures reform. In essence, we looked around us at society and said to others, "You should change." While this activism certainly led to basic legal reforms that were helpful, it left untouched the more personal problems of insecurity, fear, and greed that have always been at the core of prejudice, inequality, and environmental damage." ..."To change the world, we first had to change ourselves."
I've only read the first 2 chapters and the preface ( which is where all these quotes came from) so i can't describe it in great detail. You should just read it. Only part of it is about religion and the rest is very interesting. The Celestine Prophecy is next on my list.
First of all, the word blood represents a physical substance. Everything that has been referenced has been of kin. In that sense, it is impossible for anyone other than genetic family to be of the same blood.
However, I realize that is not what is important here. As I understand it, what you parents are getting at is they think that nobody should be held as highly as genetic family. I think that adoption is a very valid point. What is interesting is that family in many people's case seems to be somewhat permanent, not unlike blood. Most families, even though they may not be the best of friends in comparison to traditional friends, stick together no matter what.
This is because humans are socially needy and dependent. When friends fail, we turn to family. Why do friends fail? I would venture to say, that in most cases friendships fail, on the deepest level, in connection with a disruption in a emotionally involved relationship. One guy dates a girl, they brake up for whatever reason, but then the girl falls for the X's best friend. As a result, the friendship is damaged.
This could suggest that the reason that you always fall back to your family is because people typically don't date their family members. Because of this, the most harmful cause of a failure in a friendship is avoided. Family members are most exempt from internal major relationship failure. I hope this makes sense...
That said, friends come and go, but family will stay through thick and thin. Under this assumption...
However, while family relations and friendships can be broken down in different ways, they are formed in different ways. It could be argued that the sublime moments that are shared between people can occur more often and more intensely through friends than family. Usually friends are of a similar age and can more directly relate than a parent and a child or siblings of different ages. If sublime moments can occur more frequently and intensely between friends, then it is possible for the bond between friends to be as strong or stronger than family, but possibly not as permanent.
I completely agree with you on the commandments. I think direct step by step thinking as your dad has suggested is rather primitive compared to what is possible. Nature does not work that way. From a very simple level it does, but when examined closer, there are always exceptions and new possibilities that are constantly changing and adapting. That is the best thing about nature is that it has the ability to adapt. As should our approach to our lives, ideas, and organizational approaches. This is why the constitution as a document is quite brilliant.
In my personal idea of belief I think that the question of whether you are being Christian or not is not the right question. You say that what Jesus is God who is also the Holy Spirit. In very simple terms, I believe directly in the Holy Spirit. Not that I feel it should be called that. It just the thing that is of all people. The essence of life and our world. On some level we are all connected and made up of the same energy, spirit, or essence. Animals, plants, rocks, people; everything. That said, your friends are just as important as your family.
This goes back to what I said about no one person having more validity in their belief than the next person. All religions considered every one has some merit. Who is to say that they are ultimately correct? We are just humans with brains that can barely fathom the wonders of what is around us. All possibilities open.
Reply
Reply
I also caution everyone to not look for the answers to life within ourselves... to look at humanity for solutions... that is a major problem. Many people think that we can look at the human race and understand the best of the best... when, that is extremely pompous and also the human race is stricken with sin, discord, war, lust, murder, ignorance, and lies. Even when we are at our "best", even if you look at Ghandi... it isn't Ghandi who we need to be looking at for the answers, they are the teachings of the teachers.
Of course... my belief is that my ultimate teacher, Jesus Christ, is God in human form, so there is the one and only exception.
I'm not sure that I agree what more sublime moments occur among friends vs. family... but there definitely is the age aspect that plays an important role.
I also, feel like I fall in a different category... lies are what destroys relationships. I will be down for my brothers and sisters until I die, same as my family... unless they begin to destroy what is between us with deceit, manipulation, malice, belligerence, etc. This applies to family and to friends. If my own mother started taking advantage of me in the most heinous of ways... I will maintain a love for her, absolutely, do I desire reconciliation? Yes. I desire reconciliation with my friends as well. But, without this reconciliation, the love I maintain for my family member will be finite, shoddy, and a poor excuse for the word. It won't be illustrious, encompassing, sublime, pure, and unrelenting... as love should be. This same principle applies to my friends. I will maintain a love for them always. If I do love now, I will always love.
"There's so much nonsense about human inconstancy and the transcience of all emotions...I've always thought that a feeling which changes never existed in the first place."
Remember that quote? I am holding fast to that conviction.
Reply
..."To change the world, we first had to change ourselves."
I've only read the first 2 chapters and the preface ( which is where all these quotes came from) so i can't describe it in great detail. You should just read it. Only part of it is about religion and the rest is very interesting. The Celestine Prophecy is next on my list.
Reply
Leave a comment