Thursday, August 5, 2010

Ghosts of a Past Comment


Something I've discovered in life is to treat people as people- nothing more, nothing less. I think that's part of the reason why I don't pay much attention to titles- I pay attention to who the person is - who they really are (If you understand me).

Many a time is when people hide behind labels, titles, arguments, theological tenets, philosophical predispositions and scientific theories. I'm not really sure why... maybe you know...

I've noticed that when someone reacts rather strongly against something, take Christianity for example, it is usually because they're really reacting against something that happened in the past. Sometimes, they have a good reason for being angry too, if you don't immediately feel like you need to fight what they're saying... Sometimes, those past hurts can be surprising too! There is always a reason, it seems...

To quote a smart, rather witty guy, "the spell must be unwound bit by bit"- I think it's similar with hurting people- you typically cant just tell them the answer- you have to show them, sometimes for a good long while if the hurt is really deep...

I don't know... go try it out and see if I'm found wanting...

Until then... read CS Lewis or something...

-Ryan

3 comments:

  1. Hey Ryan, your website is fantastic! I wish I had your web building skills, but alas I grew up in a time when there were no personal computers. Anyway, I see you are a fellow New Mexican- God bless us. I left a comment for you on my blog. I see your comment today has a similar thread. "The spell must be unwound bit by bit, 'with backward mutters of a dissevering power'- or else not." That is worth meditating upon- thanks for the quote.
    Blessings
    Bob

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is a good way to look at people. Everyone is a product of their pasts, experiences and a collaboration of what they take from those things. I think that Jesus emphasizes that when he commands people to love one another as yourself, because we don't know exactly what people have been through, but love is disarming to past angers or presuppositions. I believe it is one of the only tools that can honestly and truthfully get to the heart of who people really are and what they carry around in their hearts and minds with them everyday.

    ReplyDelete
  3. See, that's exactly what I was thinking... well of course its important to be competent about the heady issues people spout, but when it really gets down to it, people respond best when they are seen, understood and treated as people. I think we come into trouble when we cease to think of people as such and choose to label them in order to enforce an "us, them" mentality... it makes it easier for us... no one likes to be thought of as a label- it's when we use individual's names and they, in turn, use ours, that we can really start helping each other. yeah... and stuff like that...

    ReplyDelete