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What is it to be human? 9/27/2014 8:45:26 PM
This will be a day to day story of how I began to think about what it is to be human? What is it to be human?
About six weeks ago a Palestinian asked me the question "what is it to be human?" I have already written two pages, mainly tracing scripture, and the story of the creator breathing life into dust to make a human being. I have in the past tried to paint this picture out, but it was too hard, and I ended up painting the science form of the creation story, a rib was taken from Adam's breast, and Eve was formed as a new creation from it.
In this blog I would like to tell you how exciting this exercise has become. I ask you to write in and help me with what you think it is to be human. I am listening very carefully, and I hear people all over the place making references to what it is to be human. For instance, an Aboriginal man said that Aboriginals are human too...in reference to the new writing up of the Australian constitution to include the statement that the Aboriginals were the first inhabitants of Australia. Then on the TV in a commercial you got the picture of Australians swimming in the sea with the voice over, this joyous activity is what it is to be human. Then on 21st September, 2014, in Zenit the Pope himself said "Authentic religion is a source of peace and not of violence. No one must use the name of God to commit violence, to kill in the name of God is a sacrilege. To discriminate in the name of God is inhuman."
In other words, my husband John, who is sitting beside me, says "to be human is to be made in the image of God and that creation implants in you your soul. This soul in human people make them human. This soul enables you to love God and neighbour by relation to God who is also inside your neighbour." John says that's about as best as you can get! I actually can't remember anyone talking about a soul. Can you?
I'm not trying to get this into any order. At the moment each day I ask myself, what I am doing now, is this human? I take out my paints. Do animals paint? Some do in the circus, but its not the norm. Then I cook the dinner. Do animals cook dinner? When the researchers talk about DNA there is only, it seems, a narrow difference in some animals and humans. Somewhere, somehow you have to counter the theory that we have evolved from animals. The fact that you can't see or touch what we call a "Soul" is perhaps the first beginnings of getting down to tin tacks. We can, however, interpret thoughts, words and actions of love, mercy and compassion. I have now reached my constant refrain of the withdrawal of these words "soul, forgiveness and compassion" from our everyday language. In particular the words "forgiveness and compassion" have no index in the Catholic Catechism.
This question "what is it to be human" needs to be answered today because we are killing each other every day, bombing their brains out, cutting human beings heads off and doing other violent and awful things. To regain our civilization, we have to first ask exactly what it is to be human, and then take steps to recover our ....I AM TEMPTED TO SAY SOUL. AM I RIGHT? THIS IS ENOUGH FOR TODAY. HILARIE ROSEMAN
