I am tired, weary and angry over people asserting their knowledge about "God" and justifying what they do as "Biblical"! In the same breathe these people will contradict themselves, because it justifies their judgment about others, while defending their right, choice or value. This is why I vote for self-reflection and honestly admitting what one really wants. But, perhaps, that is too painful to face, as it makes for painful acknowledgment of need, weakness, or lack, which the person might think reflects upon their own self image.
We all have self-images that we think are important to protect or value, but when "self-image" or reputation becomes a dominating force to convince others about "God" or "right", then it leaves a "bad taste in the mouth".
For instance, I was talking with a friend the other day. She'd been hurt, and she had righful reason to be. I was trying to be a good listener, but when she went into a tirade about those who'd hurt her standing under "God's judgment" and claiming that they would have to give an account to "God". I was "put off". She was needing reassurance that she was valued at that moment and didn't want to admit that her attempt at "promoting God's judgment" was just a sorry attempt to justify her right to have her feelings. I hate for "God" to be the justifier of another's existance, or right to have feelings of anger, hurt, etc.! It seems like denial, deflection and outright self deception!
Another instance of "God" justifying a position that should be acknowledged, is when there is competition and jealousy. Competition and jealousy are known to be human tendencies that "take over" when one doesn't feel valued or special. These inhibits another's ability to enjoy another's specialness, or success for fear that it will diminish ther own sense of 'self". Or their self image is so bound up in what the other thinks or says about them, that they are frozen in their ability to express gratitude or honest praise!
So, I think that "God" is a useful means to control, manipulate and judge another without taking self responsibility about one's own feelings and what is transpiring. That is not liberty but bondage. It is self-deluded attempt to feel better or more important, than another. And that isn't "righteous indignation", it is pride. The ugly kind!
Showing posts with label healthy self image. Show all posts
Showing posts with label healthy self image. Show all posts
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
The Healthy, The Normally Shaky and The Insane...
Humans are works of art. And art has been made in many images, the realist, the impressionist and the insane! Such can be useful to define mental health issues...
The healthy are common sense realist. They don't imagine, they just see. They don't envision, they just are. And they think that this is the way things "should" be for everyone. Possibly so, but, probably not. So, the healthy are not prone to bouts of emotional expressiveness, or overly cautious questioning, these people trust life. And they look down on those that struggle, doubt, and question life. They wonder why we don't learn.
The Normally Shaky is most of us. We sometimes don't see clearly and have an over-reactive reaction to some tragedy. We become anxious about the unknown realites that might be, but are not loosing sleep over it. But, sometimes, we do. And we think in terms of "the human", because we understand that sometimes life gives you a curve ball. And we understand that it is normal to need support, care and concern, during those times. These are the impressionist, who see through a glass darkly.
Then, there are those that cannot realize any normalcy, because these have blinders where they can't see any blessings. They focus on the imperfections, and cannot let go of their ideals long enough to recognize that these ideals are walls that keep them from embracing life and accepting others. These are the ones that are never content. They want change. These are the surrealists, who imagine, shake and prod reality for all it is. These are restless souls that have no home. And they find themselves constantly struggling against whatever is precieved to be in their way. Most of the time they are self-destructive because they can't believe that life has anything positive for them.
I think we can move in and out of these categories from time to time and sometimes live in them at stages of our life. But, hopefully, we find ourselves in the stage of impressionism, where life is seen and embraced as not a clean cut experiment or ideal, but a life full of both the tragic and the celebrative! Then we can learn to live with ourselves and others in an understanding way, not demanding, demeaning, or destroying life. Life can be healthy without perfection and THAT is the ideal!
The healthy are common sense realist. They don't imagine, they just see. They don't envision, they just are. And they think that this is the way things "should" be for everyone. Possibly so, but, probably not. So, the healthy are not prone to bouts of emotional expressiveness, or overly cautious questioning, these people trust life. And they look down on those that struggle, doubt, and question life. They wonder why we don't learn.
The Normally Shaky is most of us. We sometimes don't see clearly and have an over-reactive reaction to some tragedy. We become anxious about the unknown realites that might be, but are not loosing sleep over it. But, sometimes, we do. And we think in terms of "the human", because we understand that sometimes life gives you a curve ball. And we understand that it is normal to need support, care and concern, during those times. These are the impressionist, who see through a glass darkly.
Then, there are those that cannot realize any normalcy, because these have blinders where they can't see any blessings. They focus on the imperfections, and cannot let go of their ideals long enough to recognize that these ideals are walls that keep them from embracing life and accepting others. These are the ones that are never content. They want change. These are the surrealists, who imagine, shake and prod reality for all it is. These are restless souls that have no home. And they find themselves constantly struggling against whatever is precieved to be in their way. Most of the time they are self-destructive because they can't believe that life has anything positive for them.
I think we can move in and out of these categories from time to time and sometimes live in them at stages of our life. But, hopefully, we find ourselves in the stage of impressionism, where life is seen and embraced as not a clean cut experiment or ideal, but a life full of both the tragic and the celebrative! Then we can learn to live with ourselves and others in an understanding way, not demanding, demeaning, or destroying life. Life can be healthy without perfection and THAT is the ideal!
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