Journal #2

Journal 9/21/2006

1. The Human Condition is a specific term meaning the situation, or condition, in which every human finds themselves by experiences all human beings share, regardless of sex, age, culture, religion, or time period in which they live. The main lesson learned this section would be to value the truth and to realize who we truly are. Our actions reiterate our life, and not being aware of what we say, means we don’t truly know who we are.

http://www.leighbureau.com/speaker.asp?id=102 2. A) I want to remember Rabbi Harold Kushners teachings, "When Bad Thing Happen to Good People" because it taught me to leave God out of my problem, because I can't attack Him for every mishap in my life no matter how major. Rabbi Kushner's son Aaron was diagnosed with progeria, a rapid aging disease. Aaron would only live to be about 10 years old. When this happened, Kushner questioned his faith, and asked God, "Why me, I am a good person, why would God do this to me?" Kushner belived that God is kind, just, and fair, but he didn't believe that he was all-powerful. He bigins to doubt God and his faith, but comes to realize he can't hold God accountable for this happening. He reasoned that acts of nature (his son's death) doesn't equal acts of nature. I learned that in order to realize the true strength of God, I must realize that he doesn't directly effect stuff, just actively intervenes.

B) I also want to recall the Right Speech Experiment. Through this experiment, we examined our speech throughout the day and realized how many times we lied, stretched the truth, or just told a "white lie". Although I found myself usually telling the truth, I realized that when I lied, it was very minute and could have been easily avoided. I didn't realized that lying is a condition we are born into, and can olny be changed if we examine our speech and make a radical change about ourself.

http://www.mccullagh.org/image/d30-3/japanese-garden-buddha.html

C) I also want to remember Buddha's First Noble Truth. His First Noble Truth is, "Birth is suffering, aging is suffering, illness is suffering, death is suffering; union with what is displeasing is suffering; separation from what is pleasing is suffering; not to get what one wants is suffering." This reveals to me, the truth about life. Although it seems to be a little drastic, the message is very true and very real. We just need to get over this suffering, and seek happiness.
3. Can the Human Condition be counteracted?
I think the Human Condition can be easily counteracted with education, examination, and the will to change to a different state of mind and body. In order to be counter-cultural, we must learn the Human Condition and be able to distinguish from normal way and the right way. We also must examine how we act in order to see what we need to do to change. And most importantly you have to have the guts to be different and also have the determination to become an outspoken and radical person.

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