Brian’s Reflection: Thursday, April 12, 2012

Human decency is not derived from religion.

It precedes it.

Dr. Christopher Hitchens, a-theist;

he died on this date, 2011, age 62

I wonder if Dr. Hitchens would like being compared in his thinking to the Biblical theologian (if we may be so bold as to designate him such) who affirmed, in his/her imaginative creation of the “Creation Story”, the concept that we human beings are “decent by nature”, i.e., “made in the Imago Dei”.

The mythologist of the Book of Genesis had, by whatever means, come to the conclusion that all human beings were “decent” by nature … as God was “decent by nature”. I applaud his/her optimism! I can’t help but wonder what John Calvin thought of this Mythologist.

Personally, I agree with the proposal that Human Beings are, by nature, Decent … except for the relatively few psychopaths we’ve encountered. I’ve had enough experiences in my Life to have seen human beings, when confronted by a need for decency, triumph over the temptation to be miserable, selfish, vindictive bastards. (“How” is another Reflection.)

I think of Decency as a core human characteristic. And I think that “religion” should concentrate on nurturing this characteristic.

Now I have to work on myself. I have a great deal of profound difficulty conceiving of Rush Limbaugh and of his supporters as “decent”.

Sigh.

Brian+