The effort to distill the essence of
humanity has defeated the best minds and thinkers throughout history.
Such an effort is doomed to failure from the start. It exposes one to
ignominious defeat and ridicule, which is exactly why I shall try.
So, here goes nuthin'.
Why Jesus Christ is Important
Yes, he rewrote the compact (hence “testament”, both old and
new) between God and Man. As a non-Christian, this not why he is
important to me. However, he said: clothe the naked, feed the poor
(Matthew 25). Certainly an important principle, regardless of your
religion.
The Human Capacity for Compassion
The ability of humans to love and care for other species never
ceases to amaze me. We are all know of cats and dogs and goldfish and
rabbits: they become a member of our family. Even those who have
physical defects or expensive medical problems usually find homes.
Those who live in rural places regularly take in orphan wildlife,
care for them, and release them back into the wild (assuming they
will go: they often view their human caretakers as mom and dad and
refuse to be kicked back into nature). 3 internet videos: a dolphin
tangled in fishing line approaches a diver for help, a diver frees a
whale shark tangled in fishing net, and a deer caught in a landslide
on a road patiently waits while humans free it from the mud.
Love Thy Neighbor
The willingness to help one's family and friends is not
surprising. What is surprising is that this generosity also extends
to one's neighbors. There is no earthly reason for this, as neighbors
are merely random, geographic happenstance.
Human Life is Not to be Squandered
A living soul is the most valuable resource we have. Abortion and
the death sentence are 2 human institutions that are most
regrettable.
The Holocaust: Never Forget
Yes, Nazism is evil and millions of Jews were murdered in cold
blood. I believe, however that most people miss an even more
important lesson: that rather ordinary humans can, with a small bit
of clever prodding, be provoked into committing terrible atrocities
against one another.
Music, Music, Music
There are 2 compositions that deserve to outlive the human race:
*Beethoven Symphony #5, 4
th movement: celebrating joy
of the spirit
*The Creation, a Rock Cantata (Bobrowitz & Porter):
celebrating the joy of the human voice
Romantic Love
Many species mate for life, but humans are not one of them, which
makes lifelong devotion and sacrifice for a spouse all the more
remarkable. We have all heard anecdotes of a couple married for
decades where one spouse dies, and the other follows within weeks.
Generosity
The human institution of anonymous giving, where the donor has no
idea who the recipient is, to a charitable organization is another
rather remarkable human behavior.
Chivalry
When I was growing up, I was taught to never hit a girl/woman. I
am now middle aged and on the cusp of being an old fogy, and still
believe this to be proper behavior. In fact, this might be a good
touchstone in evaluating a particular culture.
Old People
There is an old saying: you can judge a culture by examining how
it treats the elderly. Thusly so.
Humanity—the Next Generation
What lies in store for the human race? Anyone who claims to have
the answer is probably a charlatan. However, reviewing the ethics and
morals of current day society, humans do not seem to have advanced
much beyond Plato, Socrates, and the Golden Age of Greece.
