003 | The Human Condition
Hello again,
Today’s Topic: Deep dive into the Human Condition.
In order to go any further with Transcend Human, we have to have a firm grasp on what the Human Condition is.
The Human Condition in 4 Acts:
Acts I: In the Beginning
Act II: The Fall
Act III: The Rise of the Human Condition
Act IV: Transcend Human
// ACT 1: IN THE BEGINNING
Like I just said, in order to understand Transcend Human we have to understand the Human Condition. But in order to understand the Human Condition we have to go all the way back to the dawn of time…back to where everything started.
From the Judeo/Christian perspective:
Before we existed, there was God
God has always been and will always be. He has no beginning and no end
Time as we know it does not apply to God
God is difficult to define, but we do refer to Him as a “Creative Being.”
God loves to create - and created us to be creative
Not just seen in procreation, but also in our ability to think up new things and bring them into existence
God is able to snap his fingers and create an entire world. However, He chose to take time with us
When creation was done - it was good according to God
He looked over all the work he had done in the six days, called it good and took a full day to rest and enjoy it
// ACT 2: THE FALL
But this perfect thing we had going didn’t last long…
There was War in Heaven:
Lucifer - top angel - got jealous
Turned a bunch of angels against God
Picked a fight with God
Was removed from Heaven and “banished” to Earth with the angels who followed him
Why Earth? Maybe because it was the point of contention?
If true, it makes sense that Satan would set his sights on ruining what God created
Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil: The “portal” through which Satan was allowed to operate
Took the form of a serpent, and talked Eve into eating the fruit
Eve took the fruit to Adam and he ate as well
This behavior is known as “sin” - and in eating the fruit the “sin virus” entered the human race
Their eyes were “opened” just as Satan suggested - only it wasn’t what they were expecting
They now understood the difference between good and evil
And it became painfully obvious what they had done, and the invasive nature of the controversy that exists between God and Satan
From that day forward, this battle would be a constant - impacting humanity for all time, even to the end of days
// ACT 3: THE RISE OF THE HUMAN CONDITION
And so it is today - we find ourselves stuck in the middle of that battle between God and Satan
Transcend Human suggests that this is the essence of the Human Condition…
In the Garden of Eden, the term “human condition” would have meant something totally different - perhaps “perfection” or “utopia” but the minute we were exposed to the sin virus it became something altogether different…
From Controversy Theory (a manuscript I worked on back in 2001):
The Human Condition is the totality of the human experience seen in these three areas:
The Life Journey: Major milestones from birth to death. Things like: childhood, education, graduations, relationships, marriage, divorce, children, retirement, etc. And within that framework, all other life experiences we face: Things as simple as a positive interaction with a stranger at a grocery store. Or something as traumatic as being in a serious car accident where you experience the death of a loved one
Our Medical Condition: It also includes any medical issues we may experience during our lifetime, and the impact it has on our ability to function, as well as the impact it has on our emotional wellbeing
Our Mental Health: The way we think, feel and behave in response all of the life experiences we go through
So bringing it all together, we could explain it the following way:
"There is an ongoing battle between God and Satan for the heart of every human being on earth – past, present and future. This battle is behind the scenes, but with the introduction of the sin virus, it has invaded the world around us in tangible ways that impact our life experiences, our physical (medical) condition and our state of mental health.”
Breaking that apart offers four concepts:
The Battle: That thing that exists due to the war in Heaven
Controversy Theory: The theory that God and Satan are fighting for our hearts/allegiance and that it impacts everything we do
Sin Virus: The idea that before Adam and Eve life was perfect, but after their bad decision, we now know good from evil, and unfortunately we choose to do evil from time to time
Human Condition: The fact that the battle, controversy and sin virus impact us in every way throughout our lifetime
// ACT 4: TRANSCEND HUMAN
So what's next? Once we understand this about the Human Condition:
Should it impact us?
Should it change how we think?
Should it change how we act?
Should it impact the decisions we make on a daily basis?
YES!!! In fact, that is what Transcend Human is all about!
Once we fully understand what the Human Condition is, and how it impacts us, it is up to us to decide how we’re going to live.
Thanks to the “freedom of choice” we have (one of the most important elements God baked into our humanity) we get to choose how we respond to the Human Condition…
And while there are many ways to respond, here here are two big picture options:
Ignore it! Live life as if it is happening to us, as if we have no control over it. Give in to our emotions, react to things in the heat of the moment, and grab every worldly thing we can in order to experience momentary happiness
Or, decide you want to Transcend Human: Live life fully aware, knowing that we can choose our response to the human condition, and be proactive in deciding how we want to respond to things in the future. Choosing the things that bring long-term contentment
And that’s it really - pretty simple right?
No, not simple. When we have to operationalize it, we realize how difficult it is.
But that’s the challenge we all face, and will continue to face throughout our lifetimes.