All human beings, as created others, in the nature and image of God, have a human conscience which defines their actions and determines both their dignity and destiny for the here and now, and for eternity.
The above personal faith reality interprets my assumptions about the nature of human nature. The range of answers for an archetype can vary for any beholder, from evolved animals on the one hand to the created human beings in the image of God, on the other. The middle state is simply a spiritual being.
I am a non-believer in evolution theory but hold an Eastern worldview assumption that humans are spiritual beings; but being an Abrahamic faith person who also upholds Christian theology of the Saint Thomas Church of India, human beings are the highest of our creative order and possess the very nature of God; to know and live a life of good being-ness and conduct good works by grace.
The above anthropology also addresses two other assumptions about the human person. One is we all make some assumptions about what is the human condition, or, what do we believe is the human problem in life. The implicit assumption is that there are no perfect human beings in life.
Then, we all believe and make some assumptions about the solution to the human problem or condition. Based on these assumptions about life and reality, we all make choices about how and why we live the way we do and have our being. For example, some pray once a week and yet others pray at least five times over a 24-hour period.
Theological assumptions
Premised upon what we think about human nature and the problems of life; we all make some assumptions about the challenges we face in life and how the person or entity we call ‘God’ and what his (or her) view or solution to the problem in life is.
Implicit within such a theology about whom God is and how he/she solves our problems of the human condition; inadvertently we create our teaching about ‘how’ we find meaning and purpose in life.
Again, the views or resolutions range from God does exist, or is it merely a superstition, to a moral and personal God as in the Abrahamic theology. In much of the modern worldview about theology, post Copernicus and Galileo, the role of reason and science have had a moderating effect on what is now considered belief or beyond reason.
The debate between ‘reason alone’ versus ‘reason plus faith,’ or what I have called ‘beyond reason,’ will continue until the cows come home. Nevertheless, experience in a personal experiential way, or in the Sufi meditative way, will also continue to be debated or argued, but will remain noise for the most times.
Metaphysics evolved
Any metaphysical view makes assumptions about at least four dimensions for serious consideration. These include, what is the nature of the universe; the nature of the world; our view of reality; and, view of both; time and history.
There are answers to each of these in each of our minds and much later in our hearts; even if some are implicit and not fully and rationally explored, but we cannot ignore such question and issues; if we are human, and have had some degree of education and learning of any sort.
Significance, meaning, and purpose
Having reviewed and studied the subject matter of dignity in the workplace, I concluded that human beings have and can enjoy significance, meaning, and purpose in life in any geography (place or space), if they are recognised as human beings with a conscience and have a recognised spiritual being-ness.
In the language of my research finding; one person said it in the following way:
In the newer workplace, under our new owners, they did not want me to check out my brains at the door of the workplace; they expected me to use both my head and heart well to deliver my contributions at my workplace.
Unfortunately, since I started work in 1952, now my brains are too slow and I cannot undertake the new assignment they challenged me with, as the supervisor of the control room in the power plant. My brain has been underutilised and does not function as well any more.
Significance, meaning, and purpose are fundamentally spiritual realities and experiences which cannot be extracted from an evolved human animal but surely can be assumed and expected from any worker in any workplace; if we make the right assumptions about them and their capacity for meaning of work.
Work must be viewed as a fundamentally creative process to add value in the lived-in or workplace. If all humans are engaged premised upon these assumptions, even citizens can add value to create solutions in their immediate geography.
Citizenship and patriotism
My rhetorical question therefore is: Is patriotism or love for a nation-state from the head or from the heart? Obviously it is a complex question. First, are humans two-part in nature, or three-parts in creation? Meaning, do humans really have three distinct natures of spirit, soul, and body? Or, are humans only soul/spirit and body; which means two-parts? All humans lose weight upon death. Why so then?
The three-part view, which I subscribe to, is made up of Spirit (or Ruah, i.e. the breath of God), Soul (made up of mind, emotions, and will), and Body. Therefore, my rhetorical question locates patriotism and national loyalty somewhere between head and heart; but, where are these found? Is patriotism found in the mind of the person, or somewhere between his mind, emotions, and will, or really somewhere within all of the above?
My answers may have to wait for another day. But, for now, I conclude that the NY bomber was simply a deranged and misguided person and not a Muslim terrorist.
Last week: What is true patriotism? Part I
KJ JOHN, PhD, was in public service for 32 years having served as a researcher, trainer, and policy adviser to the International Trade and Industry Ministry and the National IT Council (NITC) of the government of Malaysia. The views expressed here are his personal views and not those of any institution he is involved with. Write to him at kjjohn@ohmsi.net with any feedback or views.
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