Greg Wollan - Human Self Centeredness

		Human Self Centeredness Hi ***, Hey don't worry about paying for those discs; "Luminosity" especially. I made my coin back on the initial investment so it is definitely no biggie! On the new one , don't worry about that either. I certainly have been in spots much tighter than that and if some person had asked me to by their CD I would have said, "Sorry, gotta go buy some bread and p-butter to last for the next few weeks... ask me in 10 years!" Keep the tape, too, man NO BIGGY! I am just glad you see something of value in it at all... Well here goes, bare w/ me... I guess there are a few terms that I will be employing that I am a little reluctant to use for fear of misguided associations, but here goes. I would first like to respond to a part of a paragraph from the bee sting story. I quote: "I didn't help, I just ran. This is who I am. I'm a total coward." This is not really who you ARE. It is something you did, and maybe that cowardice has surfaced in the days since, maybe more than a few times. The thing is that we all have personality characteristics that are shameful, vile, a real bummer. These things are a part of our fallen natures, I'm afraid. We all have them. We all have a part of the "hedonist" in us that you also described yourself as. What this is, basically, is a mode of self serving, self gratifying, small, and selfish attitudes that sometimes manifest themselves in behavior to the detriment of ourselves and others. You say you've had problems w/ anger: I think this falls in to the category of our fallen natures as well. Correct me if I'm wrong but you were more than likely angry because you felt "wronged" or "burned" by someone, say *, for example. Once again, the main area of concern being oneself; i.e. "What about ME, What about MY feelings? Who cares about what I'M going through? blah, blah, blah." Whether or not those feelings have basis in fact, for our purposes here, have no importance. The point is that we are mainly mindful of self. I think one of the greatest things about parenthood would have to be a transference of concern (to a degree, not enough to "fix" things)from self to child. Hopefully someday Kim and I will find out. Anyway this self-centeredness is the root of our problems, in terms of our relationship to God, and more than likely the origin of our problems here on earth as well. People always say "I'm a good guy, I don't murder, rob, rape, or cheat people" My reply to that is "Well, congrats on that, matey. I appreciate you being civilized." But sin can be and in fact is much subtler than Jeffrey Dahmer or John Wayne Gacy. Anyway the fact that you recognize some of these subtle forms of evil and sin in your own life shows wisdom and insight. Also I have to make the point that any of this stuff is not a personal attack or indictment on you as an individual, although obviously I hope and pray it provides you with food for thought. Why? Because I love you. Because I'm such a neat guy? No, because God lives in me... You mentioned some books that changed your outlook. I don't know if any of this applies, but much of the French Enlightenment, Voltaire, Greek Philosophers, Nietzsche etc. has been such a hindrance to mankind's spiritual health. Why do I say that? Because it places the most value on men's ability (or really lack thereof) to FIGURE THINGS OUT FOR THEMSELVES. Well, I don't pretend to have read ALL this stuff, but I have read SOME of it. These men WERE great thinkers, scholars, writers. But, to me, it is Arrogant and self-serving to think that we (humankind) can come up with all the answers. But in what I've said here, I do not mean to imply humankind needn't make progress in science, art or technology. Indeed we have a responsibility to move forward in these areas. I think back to the days when I was just SO into Rundgren's' Utopia. To this day I love the guys music, but his philosophy is bull! I remember on the sleeve of the "Oops, Wrong Planet" record, where it states something about "all we have to go on is our abilities to think for ourselves." When I was 22, I thought that was the greatest thing I had ever read or heard. Now I know the name for it, secular humanism, but I just can't buy that any more, because the wisest human is not wise enough and people will always at some point fail and let you down. (Example: I was backstage at a Rundgren concert in NYC and my "hero" was sort of a jerk, really cocky and aloof. I guess I didn't realize that, out in the world, creative gifts would also buy one the right to treat people w/ contempt and disdain. Well, I know for a fact now IT DOESN'T!) I would have to credit Rundgren, Lennon and (only to slightly lesser degree) Peter Gabriel to opening my eyes and mind to a spiritual side of life that I was fairly ignorant of. (I LOVE those first 4-5 Pete records; that song "Mother of Violence" is so great..) You may remember the song "Love is the Answer" a Todd tune. Great song. I remember a quote from Lily Tomlin I read in an interview. "If love is the answer, what is the question?" Of coarse the answer to that would have to be "What is the meaning of life?" If we are to believe at least SOME of what the Bible tells us then we would have to accept the precept that "God is Love" is accurate. Therefor "God is the Answer." Rundgren isn't too far off in one sense, but in another, miles from the truth/target. Here's where I wish to try to explain "Where we fit in" as you asked. If one takes what I wrote about in the first few paragraphs seriously, you know that one is seriously flawed. Malice, bitterness, lust, anger, selfishness, etc. are an affront to God's Perfection and Majesty. How we fit into this is by reestablishing our good relationship to Him via Jesus Christ. I can hear you thinking right now: "There He goes w/ the Jesus stuff!" You are correct. What other form of faith accounts for and makes sense of and SAVES us from the "Problem of Evil?" You could say "there is no good or evil, it would depend on your perspective , it's all an illusion, etc.." But try telling that to someone who had their daughter or son raped and murdered. Evil is real enough to them. So through Christ a solution to all this is offered. In the Old Testament times, a priest was needed to make sacrifices to God for the people, blood of a goat, calf, whatever. That was what is called "The Age of the Law." At this point in history we are living in the "Age of Grace." It's because of the work of Christ on the Cross. The Ultimate sacrifice. God becomes man, in order to show men the way to GOD, and takes care of EVERY aspect of salvation by making the sacrifice to the Father FROM the Son. God's moral perfection demands justice from our sins and short comings; There is no way to argue against that. Yet in his perfect love, the ultimate price was paid for MANKIND'S benefit. Justice was served and we are saved/set free from captivity to our depraved natures. I guess the main difference in your scientific view of God and mine is that there MUST be relationship to Jesus, the ultimate high priest. Let me quote from Hebrews 4:15: "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way, just as we are, yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." One more thing. When you said "Love is being able to see the beauty in a house burning down with people inside who will perish," I can only assume that you are approaching this from a "love is an acceptance of all things, be they good OR evil" Angle. I disagree. The only responsibility we have (aside from getting them out if we can) is to accept what's happening/happened as reality, true. But it stops there. God does not send these trials and tribulations to people. Things both good and bad happen because God gave us free will. It was not God's will that the house burn down; But He did give free will to the woman who got drunk, lit a cigarette and passed out on a 20 year old recliner just begging to be turned into a bonfire... But back to the statement I made that ""This is not who you ARE." Who you are is a child of God, loved and valued by the Creator of the Universe. We have a hard enough time comprehending the love He has for His creation, esp. his children, men and women just like you and I. I hope that what I have written is at least somewhat concise and helpful. You said you were looking at this whole topic from a scientific point of view. But Christ within you is a heart thing, not a head thing. At some point we have to depart from the "prove it to me through my 5 senses or I won't believe it" mode. Because faith is belief in the unproven, the unseen. Otherwise it fails to be defined as faith. Ya dig? ***, must run, take care stay in touch, your friend, Greg Wollan Home : Buy CD's : Photo Gallery : Video : Musings : Links

Human Self Centeredness

Hi *****, Hey don't worry about paying for those discs; "Luminosity" especially. I made my coin back on the initial investment so it is definitely no biggie! On the new one , don't worry about that either. I certainly have been in spots much tighter than that and if some person had asked me to by their CD I would have said, "Sorry, gotta go buy some bread and p-butter to last for the next few weeks... ask me in 10 years!" Keep the tape, too, man NO BIGGY! I am just glad you see something of value in it at all...

Well here goes, bare w/ me... I guess there are a few terms that I will be employing that I am a little reluctant to use for fear of misguided associations, but here goes. I would first like to respond to a part of a paragraph from the bee sting story. I quote: "I didn't help, I just ran. This is who I am. I'm a total coward." This is not really who you ARE. It is something you did, and maybe that cowardice has surfaced in the days since, maybe more than a few times. The thing is that we all have personality characteristics that are shameful, vile, a real bummer. These things are a part of our fallen natures, I'm afraid. We all have them. We all have a part of the "hedonist" in us that you also described yourself as. What this is, basically, is a mode of self serving, self gratifying, small, and selfish attitudes that sometimes manifest themselves in behavior to the detriment of ourselves and others. You say you've had problems w/ anger: I think this falls in to the category of our fallen natures as well. Correct me if I'm wrong but you were more than likely angry because you felt "wronged" or "burned" by someone, say *****, for example. Once again, the main area of concern being oneself; i.e. "What about ME, What about MY feelings? Who cares about what I'M going through? blah, blah, blah." Whether or not those feelings have basis in fact, for our purposes here, have no importance. The point is that we are mainly mindful of self. I think one of the greatest things about parenthood would have to be a transference of concern (to a degree, not enough to "fix" things)from self to child. Hopefully someday Kim and I will find out.

Anyway this self-centeredness is the root of our problems, in terms of our relationship to God, and more than likely the origin of our problems here on earth as well. People always say "I'm a good guy, I don't murder, rob, rape, or cheat people" My reply to that is "Well, congrats on that, matey. I appreciate you being civilized." But sin can be and in fact is much subtler than Jeffrey Dahmer or John Wayne Gacy. Anyway the fact that you recognize some of these subtle forms of evil and sin in your own life shows wisdom and insight. Also I have to make the point that any of this stuff is not a personal attack or indictment on you as an individual, although obviously I hope and pray it provides you with food for thought. Why? Because I love you. Because I'm such a neat guy? No, because God lives in me...

You mentioned some books that changed your outlook. I don't know if any of this applies, but much of the French Enlightenment, Voltaire, Greek Philosophers, Nietzsche etc. has been such a hindrance to mankind's spiritual health. Why do I say that? Because it places the most value on men's ability (or really lack thereof) to FIGURE THINGS OUT FOR THEMSELVES. Well, I don't pretend to have read ALL this stuff, but I have read SOME of it. These men WERE great thinkers, scholars, writers. But, to me, it is Arrogant and self-serving to think that we (humankind) can come up with all the answers. But in what I've said here, I do not mean to imply humankind needn't make progress in science, art or technology. Indeed we have a responsibility to move forward in these areas.

I think back to the days when I was just SO into Rundgren's' Utopia. To this day I love the guys music, but his philosophy is bull! I remember on the sleeve of the "Oops, Wrong Planet" record, where it states something about "all we have to go on is our abilities to think for ourselves." When I was 22, I thought that was the greatest thing I had ever read or heard. Now I know the name for it, secular humanism, but I just can't buy that any more, because the wisest human is not wise enough and people will always at some point fail and let you down. (Example: I was backstage at a Rundgren concert in NYC and my "hero" was sort of a jerk, really cocky and aloof. I guess I didn't realize that, out in the world, creative gifts would also buy one the right to treat people w/ contempt and disdain. Well, I know for a fact now IT DOESN'T!) I would have to credit Rundgren, Lennon and (only to slightly lesser degree) Peter Gabriel to opening my eyes and mind to a spiritual side of life that I was fairly ignorant of. (I LOVE those first 4-5 Pete records; that song "Mother of Violence" is so great..)

You may remember the song "Love is the Answer" a Todd tune. Great song. I remember a quote from Lily Tomlin I read in an interview. "If love is the answer, what is the question?" Of coarse the answer to that would have to be "What is the meaning of life?" If we are to believe at least SOME of what the Bible tells us then we would have to accept the precept that "God is Love" is accurate. Therefor "God is the Answer." Rundgren isn't too far off in one sense, but in another, miles from the truth/target.

Here's where I wish to try to explain "Where we fit in" as you asked. If one takes what I wrote about in the first few paragraphs seriously, you know that one is seriously flawed. Malice, bitterness, lust, anger, selfishness, etc. are an affront to God's Perfection and Majesty. How we fit into this is by reestablishing our good relationship to Him via Jesus Christ. I can hear you thinking right now: "There He goes w/ the Jesus stuff!" You are correct. What other form of faith accounts for and makes sense of and SAVES us from the "Problem of Evil?" You could say "there is no good or evil, it would depend on your perspective , it's all an illusion, etc.." But try telling that to someone who had their daughter or son raped and murdered. Evil is real enough to them. So through Christ a solution to all this is offered.

In the Old Testament times, a priest was needed to make sacrifices to God for the people, blood of a goat, calf, whatever. That was what is called "The Age of the Law." At this point in history we are living in the "Age of Grace." It's because of the work of Christ on the Cross. The Ultimate sacrifice. God becomes man, in order to show men the way to GOD, and takes care of EVERY aspect of salvation by making the sacrifice to the Father FROM the Son. God's moral perfection demands justice from our sins and short comings; There is no way to argue against that. Yet in his perfect love, the ultimate price was paid for MANKIND'S benefit. Justice was served and we are saved/set free from captivity to our depraved natures. I guess the main difference in your scientific view of God and mine is that there MUST be relationship to Jesus, the ultimate high priest. Let me quote from Hebrews 4:15: "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way, just as we are, yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."

One more thing. When you said "Love is being able to see the beauty in a house burning down with people inside who will perish," I can only assume that you are approaching this from a "love is an acceptance of all things, be they good OR evil" Angle. I disagree. The only responsibility we have (aside from getting them out if we can) is to accept what's happening/happened as reality, true. But it stops there. God does not send these trials and tribulations to people. Things both good and bad happen because God gave us free will. It was not God's will that the house burn down; But He did give free will to the woman who got drunk, lit a cigarette and passed out on a 20 year old recliner just begging to be turned into a bonfire...

But back to the statement I made that ""This is not who you ARE." Who you are is a child of God, loved and valued by the Creator of the Universe. We have a hard enough time comprehending the love He has for His creation, esp. his children, men and women just like you and I. I hope that what I have written is at least somewhat concise and helpful. You said you were looking at this whole topic from a scientific point of view. But Christ within you is a heart thing, not a head thing. At some point we have to depart from the "prove it to me through my 5 senses or I won't believe it" mode. Because faith is belief in the unproven, the unseen. Otherwise it fails to be defined as faith. Ya dig?

*****, must run, take care stay in touch, your friend, Greg Wollan

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