One Life, Two Views

There are, generally speaking, two ways of looking at this life of ours.

1. That we are spiritual beings who happen to have a physical form for our temporary use while we are here in this plane of existence.

2. That we are physical beings who happen to have a spiritual component.

These are major differences and, as such, create significant differences in how lives are lived. For example:

Type 1:  As spiritual beings, what happens in the spiritual realm as well as what happens after we leave these temporal bodies is of primary concern. Therefore, with this as our starting point, spiritual matters - and any absolutes within - shape how we view the world we live in as well as how we attempt to live our lives within said world. Everything else comes in,  at least, second place.

Type 2:  Since spirit is only a component of the whole, it is no more important than any other part. Instead, as a primarily physical being, what becomes important are more immediate matters, not the least of which is how things make us feel and feelings have no absolutes. What makes one person laugh may cause another to cry - neither is "right" since they are responding to a myriad of personal factors which influence their emotional response to a given situation. Therefore, feeling (physical, mental, etc) and emotion become the primary focus of this view of the world and influences how lives are lived within it.

Do these two views conflict with each other? They most certainly do and this, obviously, causes some friction between them although not necessarily a warranted friction. If each considers that the other has a whole different starting point for their view of life and events than their own, perhaps some of that tension between the two will ease a bit.

If you are type 1 (which would hold those within the Christian Church), then you cannot demand that those who do not share your view "toe the line", since their "line" is totally different than your own. This is not something new, this has always been the case.

If you are type 2, understand that type 1's response is not due to how they feel about you or an issue but rather, is due to an absolute that they believe in. Also, if you do not believe in absolutes, you really cannot say type 1 is wrong for you have no absolute to base that upon.

Now then, this is hardly comprehensive nor is this to condemn either group - it is simply to explain, perhaps, where some of the tension and friction come from minus the name calling.