Not required reading

If this becomes annoying or irritating, please do not read. None of it will be on the final exam. However, I would gratefully welcome any comments and criticisms.

What Are We

We are a being, in the midst of reality within us and around us.

There are multiple parts:

The Body

I begin with our body - its needs and wants, its vulnerabilities, its nature. Every moment we seem tied to our body, which we can see clearly with sickness.

The Social Realm - Who I Am

There are many different eras,when I look back over my life.At many of those different times,I see myself very distant than I am now.Now there are also different peoplewho were near me who stand out.

And it is very funny.

My image of myself at distant times,feels no more to be methan are some of the figures who were close.

So, overall, who I am feels to be bothmy distant characters,and some of those others.

We, together, seem to be Rob.

These connections seep out into the whole social realm around us, and unfortunately, carry ignorance and confusion from the beginning of time. Is there any freedom from this?

The Meaning of Life

My engineering focused mind was disrupted by my teenage sister becoming schizophrenic. How real, critical, and enormous was her plight! Right there next to me, she always seemed to be a person, like the rest of us; now opening the depth and breadth of reality, in all directions; a glimpse towards how much there is - leading to that overwhelmed mind of mine, reading the theologian, Paul Tillich. His were the first words for me to approach the depth and complexity of real life and the nature of things. Thus religion appeared more relevant then engineering, or a profession, or all the customary concerns and views. Tillich was incredibly insightful, at times profound and wise about many things - extremely broad in his grasp. An exceptional intellect. He had a special place for me among the many areas I studied voraciously. He started me off. But in the end, I feel he was lacking the true heart of us.

Tillich claimed that …the acceptance of despair is in itself faith and on the boundary line of the courage to be. In this situation the meaning of life is reduced to despair about the meaning of life. But as long as this despair is an act of life it is positive in its negativity’ . Thus, he argues, ‘[t]he faith which makes the courage of despair possible is the acceptance of the power of being, even in the grip of non-being. [The Courage To Be - p175]

His sensitivity, depth, and existential honesty here is bounded by his great intellect. the meaning of life is reduced to despair about the meaning of life - Tillich calls this absolute faith. The ultimate faith. Ultimate, thus, a human being is bounded by the intellect. However, each deeper part of us seems to open new space:

Meaning of Life

The meaning of lifeis not an intellectual conclusion;but rather a revelationfrom the wholeness of our beinginto the wholeness of Being;That a human, standing on his spot,begins to sense the complete connectionin all directions;That the fullness of oneselfis the fullness of all, throughout,and this abundance is the essence of it all;Further, that such a sensedoes not come from effortin any manner;but instead the surrender of all effort,and willingness to perceive what is simply there,whatever character it may have.Then there is the good news.That character is clear and warm,unobstructed and embracing -loving.We don’t bring it to be.It was always there,so it relaxes us now.And later we must approach all the wayswe contributed to our constructed distancefrom what is at the heart.