Perfection is a crime against nature and an affront to God. The call of God is a call to reaching out to one another. The demand for perfection is the call of the Enemy.He says it far more simply and clearly than I ever have. I believe a corollary to this is that competition is antithetical to seeking God. Sure there is plenty of competition in the natural world, but competing over grades, money, possessions, and status is not part of the natural world. It seems so many people become focused on competition that they don't even enjoy the fruits of their labor or the challenge of bettering themselves. Along the way, they've alienated themselves from others, and I believe, from God and themselves.
My view is utilitarian -- if you feel like you're better than me because you've 'achieved' more than me, perhaps I am doing God's work by helping you feel better about yourself. It doesn't do me any harm.
3 comments:
thanx for the nod Marjorie.
Perhaps not all competition all the time -- but too much competition too much of the time.
A philosopher by the name of James Carse says theres two kinds of games. Finite and Infinite. In a finite game you play so you can end the game and there can be a winner. In infinite games the point is to continue the play and to include rather than exclude. If I understand him correctly (he gets a bid obtuse in places) religion is a finite game but faith is an infinite game.
Thanks for sharing about finite and infinite games -- thats really interesting. I may check him out but if you find him obtuse in places, I might find him completely obtuse! I'll look to kwakersaur for the Cliff's Notes version!
Well I don't believe competition is totally devilish. The professional tennis players impress me with their approach. It's dog eats dog while they playing, but like the old Aussie players, when it's over they go and have a beer together. Ellie and I in our lesser way do the same, although when we're playing by ourselves we don't keep score.
I agree that cut throat economic competition is devilish.
Post a Comment