Who am I? Part II

Guntars Baikovs
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[1] Western ideas


During the last century the prevailing ideology has been materialism, or naturalism, mixed with the concept of evolution it has shaped so much of our thinking.

Let me tell you a story. I was invited to teach the basics of Christian faith in a Latvian summer school in Normanville to a group of great guys and gals.  We had a few sessions on the big questions of life. 

In one of these sessions, we reflected on this question: who am I? As good students they said: lumps of cells, bags of chemicals, molecules, and atoms, the latest product in the long chain of evolutionary development. 
What do you think of these answers?

We could almost agree that they are true, as far as they go, but is that all?
Let’s think about these questions. Is that how you feel about yourself? Is that how you want to be treated? Do you want to live in a society where people treat one another as lumps of cells or bags of chemicals?

And if we follow this line of thought, we might ask: what value would you then possess? What would be the significance or meaning of your life? None. If indeed we are simply beings driven by our instincts and desires, then there is no higher purpose, no responsibilities, no mission: none of the great things that really matter.

Remember the three Cs? Correspondence, coherence, and creativity.
Let’s test these answers with the three Cs. Do they correspond to reality as we observe and experience it? Are they coherent with our other beliefs (e.g. human rights)? Are such views good for our flourishing as individuals or communities? Reflect on it! 

To be continued… in Part III…

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