July 27, 2020

Minute of Transparency: The Enneagram:

• Institute: https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/

• Description of the Types: https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/type-descriptions

Intro: Last week we talked about the impact our character can have on others - either for good, or for bad. 

Today, we jump to the end of the story and learn that things won’t be like this forever. The Human Condition won’t always be the way it is today. We won’t always be stuck between two opposing superpowers - living in the balance between God and Satan. And we certainly won’t have to deal with human nature, human suffering and human disturbance forever.

This is good news!

Today’s Basic Assumption: The Controversy Will End

1. Two ways to live

2. Will it really end?

3. Our response

// 1. TWO WAYS TO LIVE

So over the past few episodes we’ve discussed just how important Step 1 is. And we keep referring to it in one of three ways: Justification, casting your vote in the Eternal Election and accepting the antidote to the Sin Virus:

• Like I said, we’ve hammered away at this for some time now

• We’ve discussed how sooner is better than later - as you never know what could happen from day to day

• There is no guarantee that we will wake up tomorrow. There is no guarantee that we won’t be in a horrible car accident next week

• So because of this the recommendation is to:

  • “Live as if it was your last day on Earth."

  • Or as Tim McGraw put it in 2004, "Live like you were dying.”

  • https://music.apple.com/us/album/live-like-you-were-dying/68892833?i=68891680&ign-gact=3&ls=1

  • I love the whole idea behind these statements

  • It’s not suggesting that you go and do everything, try everything and be frivolous

  • It’s actually suggesting you do the important things - the things that matter

  • When you know your time is short - it makes your choices, habits and character seem that much more important

  • And the first thing to get right is your relationship with the one who created you

  • Cast your vote - accept the antidote

  • And then keep on living like there is no tomorrow!  

So when we talk about really living, living like it was our last day on Earth, or living like we were dying. How does that play out? How do we do that?

Well, for me, I’ve found that it requires a healthy mix of the following ideas: Immediate Gratification & Delayed Gratification

So let’s talk through each of these: 

Immediate Gratification:

• High level, this is the way most people in the world today live

• Stereotypically, people without faith, spiritual beliefs, or an eternal code of conduct

• It’s living for the moment, living for today strictly for happiness

• The desire to get as much fun out of every moment as possible - regardless if there are consequences or not

• It is a very narrow focus on the here and now - a focus that keeps people from looking ahead to the future 

• In Episode 004 we talked about this thing called "The Happiness Trap.” And how chasing happiness for happiness' sake was a trap that many fall into

• I love some of the experiments researchers did back in the day on immediate vs. delayed gratification:

• Many of them involved kids

• They would be offered a choice:

  • You can one small piece of candy now

  • Or if you wait until later - you can have the entire bag

  • There were other variations - but all basically the same

  • One candy bar now - or five in two hours

  • Many of the kids just took the first option - because kids are notorious for wanting immediate gratification

Delayed Gratification:

• High level, this is living for the future

• Stereotypically, people with faith, spiritual beliefs or an eternal code of conduct would be more likely to engage in this behavior

• The idea is that you put off doing all of the things that seem to produce happiness because your real future lies ahead

• There is big focus on denying yourself things now, in order to win a bigger prize later

• The researchers in the candy experiments found:

  • There were actually some kids who would choose option 2

  • They would delay gratification and get a bigger haul later

  • Researchers assumed these kids were more mature than the other kids, somehow raised better in order to have such highly analytical capabilities

  • However, there is a chance you just got them on a good day

  • Maybe they had just eaten recently and the candy actually didn’t look good to them

• At any rate - the important thing to pull from all of this is that we can’t distinguish between immediate and delated gratification solely based on a person’s spirituality

• While there may be some strong correlations, at the end of the day, spiritual and non-spiritual people alike struggle through life engaging in both from time to time

• Here is a perfect example - showing that delayed gratification is not 100% for spiritual people:

  • There are many people who deny themselves (or delay gratification) by not eating foods that most people consider healthy

  • Instead, they choose to eat tree bark, drink cleansing tea’s and eat vegetables that don’t look fit for consumption (I’m describing Kale if you didn’t clue in simply by my description…)

  • And all this to delay gratification so someday they can look like Zeus or Aphrodite

  • In this illustration there often isn’t a spiritual component - just a desire to look amazing and be gods and goddesses in their worlds

• So if this is true - and Controversy Theory suggests it is - then this is also true:

  • What we are really looking for is a healthy mix of Immediate + Delayed Gratification

  • A balance if you will - that allows us to get the most out of life, while at the same time doing things for the right reasons - and having our future always in view

  • The stereotypical conversation we had above is really based on behaviors that are dangerous, harmful, selfish, or generally bad:

    • In these scenarios it makes a little more sense:

      • People with no spiritual code of ethics are more likely to engage in immediate gratification in these areas

      • People with a spiritual code of ethics in place would be more likely to delay gratification in these areas

• However, not all of the choices we make are related to dangerous, harmful, selfish, or generally bad behavior

• We must make decisions on things that are good, things that are bad, and things that aren’t really one or the other

• And this is why Controversy Theory suggests we need a healthy balance between the two:

  • Delayed Gratification: For sure - there are many things in the world that we should deny ourselves - things that can distract us, harm us, harm others and generally keep us from our goals

  • Immediate Gratification: For sure - there are many things that bring us happiness and joy right here in the moment - things that feed us mentally, emotionally and spiritually - things that are good - and don’t have a negative impact on our future

• The important element in this scenario is critical thinking:

  • I took a class in college called Critical Thought & Theory

  • And before I started the class I was a little skeptical

  • Like, “Duh… We all think critically. We all have to make good decisions… How on earth is this going to be an entire semester class?"

  • And then I took the class and found out

  • A lot goes into thinking critically - and there’s a chance some people never figure this out

  • Now there is a level of critical thinking we all do subconsciously

  • But the class made it clear - it goes a lot deeper than that

  • For example - here are some critical thinking skills you can learn and strengthen over time:

    • https://zety.com/blog/critical-thinking-skills

    • Analysis

    • Interpretation

    • Inference

    • Explanation

    • Self-regulation

    • Open-mindedness

    • Problem-solving

  • Where are you at on all of those?

  • Have you even thought about these things?

  • Of course not! We typically don’t think about our thinking...

  • But what if we did?

  • In fact - this is exactly what it takes to:

    • Navigate the nuances between immediate and delated gratification

    • And to Transcend Human

    • It requires critical thinking - or the ability to think about our thinking

    • To step out of our daily flow and decide ahead of time what the right path should be

    • To make proactive decisions on places we will go, people we will see and things we will do

    • And conversely, places we won’t go, people we won’t see and things we won’t do

    • This is the key to the gratification game, and this is the key to Transcending Human

// 2. WILL IT REALLY END?

Well, yes. But that might not be the question people are actually wrestling with.

That question might be, “Will it really end in my lifetime?”

And unfortunately, there is no answer to that question. I mean it would be nice to know right? 

• It’s one thing to experience the human condition and struggle through life knowing it’s always going to be that way

• It would be a whole lot different if we experienced the human condition and struggled through life knowing that at some point in our lifetime the world would end!

Think of the suspense and excitement that would bring?

• Think of the ways that would impact our thinking and behaving?

• Think of the strength we would have to face another day - knowing that the end was just around the corner

• Or would it really change anything at all?

The Bible tells stories of people so engrossed in their daily lives that they completely missed the fact that their worlds were ending right in front of them:

• Right before the flood - people were so engaged in what the world had to offer that they missed an obvious call to safety - and were lost

• The Egyptian leaders and their people were so caught up in their lifestyles that 10 horrible plagues weren’t enough to get their attention

So maybe knowing when the end will come isn’t the best thing. 

But that doesn’t mean it won’t happen.

The controversy will end. This world will come to an end. Maybe not in our lifetimes - but it will happen.

And that is good news - even if it happens 1000 years from now. Why? We’ll get to that…

But first, here are two very good indicators that this world won’t be around forever:

The Earth itself is telling us:

• You don’t have to have live long to see the downward spiral the Earth is on

• I mean the younger you are - the more hopeful you are. You see bad things happen but you tend to believe we’ll come out of it. There’s a sense of positivity and optimism you have that we don’t have

• We, being older, more mature people who have seen more. We tend to be more realistic, or potentially pessimistic about the future

• Possibly because we used to be optimistic, but then saw that every time things took a turn for the better, something else would crop up to tear it all down again

• We see this illustrated in so many ways - but here are just a few:

• The physical Earth:

  • Over time we’ve seen an escalation in the frequency of natural disasters

  • Earthquake seasons are starting earlier - the storms are getting bigger

  • Earthquakes are becoming more and more frequent

  • Fires and flooding seem to be an annual thing these days

  • The Earth seems to be groaning under an invisible weight

  • We have polluted the Earth so badly - there are some regions that will never recover

  • Entire species of animals have come and gone because of human behavior

  • It’s as if the Earth has reached the golden years of it’s life and it is starting to experience all of the medical problems associated with old age

• Diseases and Viral Outbreaks:

  • For most of my lifetime this seemed like a fairly stable thing

  • We’ve always had cancer, we’ve always had strokes and heart disease

  • We’ve always had dementia and Alzheimer’s

  • And then you’d have the random virus come through for a while

  • Things like SARS, The Zika Virus, Bird Flu, etc. All would come on the scene and disappear pretty quickly

  • The only thing that really came on strong and seems to be with us yet today is the HIV/AIDS virus

  • Until COVID-19:

    • And now we’re in a whole new world

    • This is a global event

    • It has killed a lot of people

    • We don’t have a cure and we don’t know how long it will be until we get one

    • It has not only influenced us medically - but financially and emotionally as well

  • Obviously the world has seen outbreaks like this in the past

  • But there is just something about this one that seems different. With all of our knowledge, and the advancements in technology - it is humbling to see something like this so easily take us out on so many levels

• Political, social and societal signs:

  • And finally, there is this strange dichotomy happening in the world today

  • What are these two opposing forces I’m referring to?

    • Peace

    • Unity

  • On the one hand - with every passing year we seem to be moving toward peace. The world is getting a LOT smaller with the introduction of quick/cheap intercontinental flights, and the internet being able to connect anyone anywhere at any time

  • So the more of the world we see, and the more people are able to shift around from country to country - the more comfortable we’re becoming with the world around us. And we understand that the more peace there is the easier it is to travel the world and explore it

  • But on the other hand - this peace is superficial. In fact there is very little unity. Which means even though we’re now interacting with multiple cultures on a regular basis - there is still a wall up, a barrier that keeps us from truly understanding each other and allowing sympathy and empathy to grow into those relationships

  • And while this is happening on the global stage - there is no more obvious an example than the division we see right here at home - in our own country!

  • Political division, racial division, economic division - and the list just keeps going

  • Which is crazy! We’ve had so many years to figure things out - to make changes - to grow and mature as a nation. And yet here we are - with many of the same challenges visible on a daily basis

  • This year it came to a head again with the death of George Floyd. Not that he was the only one - but his death came at a very tumultuous time - in the middle of a pandemic - when people were already primed with anger, anxiety and fears about the future

  • This set off another movement - an attempt to call out police brutality and effect change

  • And during this time other people groups in the shadows reached out as well - asking for people to see them, hear them and care about the treatment they suffer on a daily basis

  • In our country right now I don’t know that I would say we have peace OR unity...

The Bible has told us:

• If the Earth itself isn’t making it clear - the Bible doesn’t leave room for ambiguity

• Now obviously - the Bible is the book Christians view as their "User Manual” if you will - their guide for navigating the human condition

• Because of this, people from other backgrounds, of other religions, or people without who don’t have specific sets of spiritual values will have to suspend their disbelief for this portion of the show:

  • There is an overarching story line that runs through the Bible

  • I would suggest it’s the controversy storyline and is presented in the typical 3 Act structure: (Shawn Coyne: https://storygrid.com/)

    • Inciting Incident:

      • God creates a brand new world and populates it with humans 

      • His trusted sidekick Lucifer revolts and has to be banished to the new world

      • Lucifer (now Satan) gets the humans to turn against God  

    • Middle Build:

      • Humans are now infected with the Sin Virus

      • This virus is passed down from generation to generation 

      • A story is also passed down from generation to generation - a story about a loving God who wants His people back

      • God sends Jesus to live a perfect life and die to create an antidote to the Sin Virus

      • Jesus dies, but is resurrected and returns to Heaven where He remains - preparing a place for those who choose to accept the antidote

    • Ending Payoff:

      • From Jesus return to Heaven until the end of time, humans do the work of taking the message about the antidote to the whole world

      • At some point in the future, God has determined that the message has been offered long enough - and He returns to bring us home

      • There is a final battle between God and Satan

      • Satan loses

      • God establishes a brand new world free from the Sin Virus for those who chose to accept the antidote

    • Now that was a very quick and dirty overview of the Bible - and if Shawn Coyne saw this he’s probably laugh and explain how terrible a job I had done

    • But that’s fine - I think my point has been made: There is an overarching story that runs throughout the Bible:

      • The controversy begins

      • It impacts the entire world for a really long time

      • And eventually it comes to an end

    • When you look through the Bible there are many references to the End of Time

    • And while there are a number of ways people interpret “prophecy” in the Bible - let’s just focus on the fact that it is coming - regardless what you believe about it:

      • Here are just two examples:

        • "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up." 2 Peter 3:10

        • "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come." Matthew 24:14

// 3. OUR RESPONSE

So if you are a Christian - it’s pretty cut and dry. There isn’t a lot left up to our imagination. 

The Bible describes that there will be an end to all things - and we aren’t going to change that outcome. 

Unlike the story of Nineveh in the Bible - the End of Time is not contingent on us cleaning ourselves up, and making better decisions. 

In the story of Nineveh, God told Jonah to go and tell the king his city would be destroyed. Then, in an empathic turn of events, God took mercy on the city after the king and his people turned from their wicked ways and determined to worship God. 

Beautiful story of redemption and grace. 

However, the End of Time won’t follow that storyline.

People will have had ample time to make decisions just like the King of Nineveh did - and choose to accept the antidote to the Sin Virus. 

God is working on each person’s heart individually - asking that we choose Him as the end approaches. And His plan is not t save the “city” or the “world” we live in - He simply wants to save us.

You can’t really read the Bible and believe that life will just go on forever and ever the way it is. It doesn’t really give you that option.

So how do people respond knowing this? Well, CT would suggest that there are three pretty clear cut ways people live in light of this:

• Fear:

  • Some people read the Bible’s account of the end of time and are immediately afraid

  • They want nothing to do with it

  • They may say they’re fine with Christianity - but they just don’t need to understand the end of time stuff

  • This fear often arises from one of these places:

  • A fear that that we haven’t really committed our lives to God

  • A fear that the world and life we know will come to an end. Because when it all comes down to it - we’re really happy with life we’re living right here and now

• Indifference:

  • Most of the people in this category are here because they don’t believe in things like God, Satan, the Bible, the controversy, etc. For them, the world ending would be more of an accidental thing like a comet hitting the Earth, or pollution getting so bad global warming melted the polar ice caps. Or maybe we do it to ourselves by starting World War 3. And because of this - very little attention is paid to it. It simply is something that could happen - but no need to focus on it

  • However, there are also Christians who’s goto reaction is indifference...

  • Maybe it’s because they don’t really understand it

  • Or maybe it’s because they just don’t want to think about it

  • Whatever the case, these people go through life fully committed to God, they just don’t want or need to know how everything will end

• Joy:

  • And finally, there are those who have a sense of joy when they think about the controversy ending

  • Not joy over the event itself - I mean the Bible describes the end as somewhat traumatic - with natural disasters, anger, hatred, fighting and death

  • I’d be a little worried if someone was looking forward to that...

  • However, there is a level of joy and excitement that comes with knowing why all of that has to happen

  • For example:

    • A pregnant woman looks forward to the delivery - she is joyful about it!

    • She knows there will be pain

    • And she knows it will be hard

    • But she also knows that a beautiful life will start because of it

  • Similarly, the pain and suffering that happens at the End of Time will bring about the change the entire world needs

  • The battle will be over

  • The human condition no longer impacting us like gravity

  • No more human nature, human suffering and human disturbance

  • Because Satan and his Sin Virus will be no more

  • A new day will start - a new life will begin

So let’s land the plane:

This week: Ask yourself the following:

• What type of a person are you?

  • Immediate gratification type?

  • Or Delayed gratification type?

• Do you think you can find a happy medium in there somewhere? Enjoying the here and now, but at the same time planning for your future?

• What is your take on the End of Time? Have you ever thought about it? If you did, how might that impact your life and your future?

• And finally, if you have thought about it - how does it impact you?

  • Do you live in fear?

  • Are you indifferent?

  • Or are you joyful?

Next week we talk about Eternal Outcomes - and how the chips fall at the End of Time. In The Fourteenth Basic Assumption: 2 Outcomes, 4 Categories, Many Lifestyles

Thank you so much for hanging in there with us! This has been so much fun for me, and I hope you’ve found it a useful resource in understanding the human condition from the perspective of the controversy between God and Satan.

We’re almost there. The Controversy Theory series wraps up in a few weeks. I think we officially have 3 Episodes left!

If you’ve loving this content be sure to tell a friend about us - they can jump in at Episode 001, or just start at the beginning of this series if interested.

And as always - you can share us on social media, and give us a rating and review on Apple podcasts. Every little bit helps.

Thanks again, have a great week, and as always, keep Transcending Human!