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--- jn_en_2020_01_23 [2020/01/23 02:08] – potthast
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-======  ... ======
+====== As it should be! ... ======
-Thursday, Jan 23, 2020.
+Thursday, Jan 23, 2020. When is something "right"? When is something exactly the
+way it should be? Of course you need a template to talk about something being
+right. You need a goal or target, you can meet. You need some description of what
+it should be.
+What about humans? Can they be "right"? We could talk about actions. Actions can
+be right if they carry out what should be done. They can be ok or right if they
+are within some well-formulated limits. If they obey the rules. If they are
+ethical, meaning they do what is within some formulated ethics.
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-**  ... **
+** Dignity of Human Life  ... **
+Is it possible to say something about when human life is right? Can we say about
+someone that he or her would not be right? Something seems to be difficult with
+this. Indeed, we will object
+any statement that tries to diminish the inherent value of human life! The dignity
+of a human is given as a core value. It shall not be violated!
- <color #aa0000>
+When we look into history, and when we look around on this planet, the dignity
+of humans is violated in so many places. It is humans that violate the dignity
+of humans. Many people violate their own dignity, and the dignity of others. It
+is a topic by its own to observe and analyse how dignity of a human is violated.
+Here, let us first stay within the full line of reasoning.
-</color> ()
+We formulated a demand, a command, a basic ethical rule. The dignity of humans
+shall not be violated! At the same time, when we formulate this rule, we will
+realize that humans violate dignity. We violate our own dignity, and that of
+other people. Perhaps this is not clear to us immediately, but when you investigate
+your own life, you will quickly realize that you are doing it, on a daily basis.
+To some extent we are destroying ourselves, by violating our own dignity.
+When we violate the dignity of a human, we are not doing well. We do wrong.
+Doing wrong violates our own dignity. We hurt ourselves, and others as well, of course.
+Does doing wrong destroy our dignity? No and yes at the same time. It is an act
+of destruction. But the inherent dignity of a human cannot be destroyed by his
+or her actions.
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-**  ... **
+** God's Holiness ... **
+What is good for a human? What is the source and goal of human dignity? Another
+way to phrase the question is what "holiness" means. The origin of the Hebrew
+phrase for it means "different" or "separated". In other languages the word
+is associated with healing and purity.
+Holiness in the biblical framework is a word describing the character of God.
+Its meaning is filled with truthfulness, faithfulness, love, purity, friendliness
+and dedication. When you try to fill holiness or goodness or "being right" with
+content, the Sermon on the Mount as written in Matthew 5 is a good place to
+look for it. Here, Jesus himself describes how humans should act and be. We
+hear, for example:
+ <color #aa0000>
+“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
+“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
+“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
+“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
+“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
+“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
+</color> (Matthew 5, 5-10)
+Jesus is giving holiness an expression. He is doing so by his words and preaching.
+But he is also doing so by his life, by all what he is and does. He is called the
+Holy One in the biblical books. The claim of the New Testament is that Jesus was
+holy throughout his life. He was meek. He thirsted for righteousness - not only
+for him but for all humans. He was merciful. He was pure in heart. He was a
+peacemaker: his death brings peace with God to all, who believe. He was persecuted
+for righteousness. His is the kingdom of heaven.
+It is an exciting thing to explore the dignity of humans, and the holiness of
+Jesus. They are linked to each other, since the dignity of each and every human
+comes from the creator, who made and is making each of us. Since he wants us,
+since he put his love and character into our life, we receive a dignity far beyond
+the physical and mental material which constitutes our body and soul.
 (Roland Potthast)