What is your view of Humanity?

[hatfullofrain]

Okay, when you say union with God is our natural end at the beginning, you mean pre-fall right? Because the problem with saying Heaven is our natural end now, is that Salvation becomes something God owes us rather than a gift.

Of course in a sense, everything is a gift from God regardless of whether we're fallen or Immaculate, we're neither owed nor earn anything; no one can earn their existence due to the obvious fact that we wouldn't be there to earn it.

Romans 6:23
New King James Version
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

[Aspychata]

l look forward to the day l am too old to work and won't have to deal with restaraunt people who can be greedy, in your face and have no souls. They are going to bathroom hell, where they will all clean clogged toilets for eternally. Toilet redemption.

 

[Progster]

(non-religious answer)

Humans are currently the most intelligent and versitile species on the planet, otherwise they are really nothing special, flesh and bone, organic matter just like other creatures on the planet. Yet they manage to impact their environment and use up more resources than any other species. Humans have the intelligence to see the impact they are having on their environment and make predictions about the future, and they have the power to reverse at least some of the changes, but that would mean every single human, rich or poor, making major sacrifices for the greater good, and I really don't see that happening. The population growth as it stands today is just not sustainable, and something has got to give; unfortunately at the moment, that's other species whose habitats are being destroyed because more land is needed to feed the humans. Mass extinctions have happened in the past, and will surely happen again - it's just a matter of time. So I see the anthropocene era as being an interesting period of the Earth's history, but not a permanent one.

Ultimately, in a few billion years or so the sun will swell up into a big, angry red ball and swallow up the Earth and that will be the end of all traces of humanity. Except maybe for a few space probes travelling alone in the depths of space.

 

[Gerontius]

Okay, when you say union with God is our natural end at the beginning, you mean pre-fall right? Because the problem with saying Heaven is our natural end now, is that Salvation becomes something God owes us rather than a gift.

Of course in a sense, everything is a gift from God regardless of whether we're fallen or Immaculate, we're neither owed nor earn anything; no one can earn their existence due to the obvious fact that we wouldn't be there to earn it.

When I say beginning, I mean beginning. Yes. Before the Fall of Adam.

Also, I believe you are wrong; Heaven is what we are created for & therefore it is our natural end. We are not owed salvation because we have free will--and can decide to reject a gift. It is offered to everyone; we choose or reject it.

 

[Greatshield17]

Also, I believe you are wrong; Heaven is what we are created for & therefore it is our natural end. We are not owed salvation because we have free will--and can decide to reject a gift. It is offered to everyone; we choose or reject it.

I'm pretty sure the Church's teaching in this issue is either that it's unresolved or has been concluded in the negative; because our nature is fallen it's destined for decay and "dust" as the Lord Himself put it.

 

[Greatshield17]

I was talking with my girlfriend yesterday about how people these days are often prone to anger and outrage. I commented on how sad it was that people don't even seem to want happiness and peace, and she replied that this is yet another aspect of our fallen nature.