Journal 2
	1. The Key Idea of this section to me was the Human Condition. It dealt with the problem of evil, many answers to "what is the human condition?" and "what is the cause of our condition?" The problem of evil dealt with the fact that since God was all good, and everything God created is good, then how is there evil in the world. In my mind, the best answer is that God gave us the choice of free will. When we were granted freedom of choice, the possibility of choosing "God or not God", or evil or not evil, was there. The human condition was defined as "the situation or condition, in which every human being finds himself or herself by virtue of being human," or "what experiences all human beings share." As for the cause of our condition, many different theories are proposed. Some of these include man having fallen from some higher place, and we are "incapable of certainty or happiness." 2. Three of the most important ideas I want to remember from this lesson are Thomas Jefferson's ideas, the video of Rabbi Harold Kushner, and the Plato's Allegory of the Cave reflected in the Life of Ignatius. First, Thomas Jefferson, and his top three important things in life. These include developing a loving hear, knowing mind, and a life with adequate amounts of exercise. Should we examene our lives, I think most would find we need improvement in at least some of these areas. Second, the video of Rabbi Harold Kushner addressing the question, "when bad things happen to good people." He realized, upon the dead of his son at age fourteen, that the answers we are often provided with are completely inadequate in easing our suffering. The answer he proposes to tell those around us suffering is that perhaps God isn't all powerful. Perhaps he is not in charge of everything in this world, and he doesn't have control over tragedies. Finally, Ignatius' life exemplifies Plato's Allegory of the Cave nearly perfectly. He started out his life in the cave, thinking that what he was seeing (a life of glory, battles, and women) was reality. It wasn;t until he was wounded that he saw any other possibilities. While re-cooperating, he needed something to read, but all that were around were "the Lives of the Saints" and "the Life of Christ". Then he began to realize that there was more to life, that he was beginning to see the true reality. He had left the cave and entered the light, but it still hurt him. Thus upon getting used to it, he developed the Spiritual Excercises and the concept of a Metanoia. He then used these ideas to go back into the cave, and proclaim the Word, in order to free others from the shadows. 3. Reminding images. (see below) 4. One good question I would like to keep with me to ponder is what is my point of view on the problem of evil, and when good people suffer? 5. To make myself a better person, I need to keep Rabbi Kushner's idea of why good people suffer in my mind when I see others around me suffering, and needing comfort and answers.
				St. Ignatius of Loyola
									Thomas Jefferson