Perspective

Perspective is a position within the uncontained and undisclosed location of something. It constantly screams for its self-exultation, forgetting all that is not itself; the rest of reality. Perhaps this is a more purposeful thought, this "rest of reality," but without a simple recognition of the rest, we quickly jump into a type of dangerous dichotomistic thinking that quickly sets itself up as God. Granted, there is a possibility that one could also fall into the current escape from reality (and a true recognition of it) by simply stating that it is there, without actually taking it into account. For though we may not like it, a budget is not simply a list of locations for fiscal allocation; it is a collection of actual amounts which have been allocated to specific locations.

In the first place, holding to an idea simply because it is what you have chosen is dangerous because it often leads to that dichotomistic thinking which claims supremacy. If you say that there is no God, you immediately make yourself such. If the definition of God is "the one supreme being, creator and ruler of the universe" then to say that this One does not exist is basically to say that you are the supreme being; the one who knows all (omniscient). Granted, not all people believe that this one supreme being knows all, but I think that for the sake of argument, we can reason that He at least has the power to (otherwise His supremacy would be in question). So then, to place such a firm "belief" on something which you have decided (without even the simple recognition of the possibility of error) is really just to deny the reality that you are not God and that even if you do not think that He exists, One must exist. So then, if there is one person who at any time or in any place could possibly know more than you- to be completely dichotomistic in regard to any temporal earthly things is idolatry and to err.

In the second place, to avoid the previously detrimental mindset, we cannot revert to the very opposite. I would argue that if we are afraid of being too dichotomistic in our thinking and we just immediately rush to the "other side" to be "balanced" then we merely continue our dichotomistic regression; believing there only to be two options which must be simultaneously balanced. It is no greater an error to assume that you know what is black and what is white, as it is to believe that you are being balanced or "well rounded" to simply mention and recognize the existence of other beliefs and options.

The western world has tried very unsuccessfully to overcome their past dogmatism by thinking that the observations of various ethnicities, religions, or other demographics would overcome the current disparities. "Black history month" does nothing for the blacks but contain forever the sorry idea that this type of exhibition is dealing with the current issues between the races. If all that is needed is a parade, then we can no longer believe that gays, women, whites, blacks, or smokers are discriminated against. The only people who don't have a parade or festival are the pedophiles. Should we have a parade for them? Come on! Do we seriously think that correct representation and humility between various people groups is really just determined by the other people groups' knowledge of or allowance of other groups? Are we right in assuming that a correct mindset is simply knowing of the other's existence and allowing for a parade? It is foolish and stupid to think that a parent is good to his child simply because he looks down and says, "oh, there is a child." We have a greater responsibility than this simple recognition.

We cannot set ourselves up as the ultimate judge of our reality, for to do so is arrogant and idolatrous, and to think that the simple realization that there are other people in the world is not the answer to this dogmatic perspective. Instead, we must step outside of our perspective; we must be willing to lay aside our pretense and speak truthful about who we are. We must admit that we are mortal, that we are fallible, that we are weak, that we are foolish, that we are liars, that we are cheats, that we are ultimately perverse. For as Poe correctly surmised;

"Of this spirit [of perverseness] human philosophy takes no account. Yet I am not more sure that my soul lives, than I am that perverseness is one of the primitive impulses of the human heart-- one of the indivisible primary faculties, or sentiments, which give direction to the character of Man. Who has not, a hundred times, found himself committing a vile or silly action, for no other reason than because he knows that he should not? Have we not a perpetual inclination, in the teeth of our best judgment, to violate that which is Law, merely because we understand it to be such?"

We must admit this, for this is the perspective of reality. This is the perspective of truth. And if we are unwilling to accept this as the truth, then we are arguing that we ourselves are the truth, or the determiners of that which is truth. In our folly we set ourselves up as God. How foolish will we become?

"Fools are consumed by their own lips: at the beginning their words are folly; at the end they are wicked madness."

Dear God, save us from the wicked madness of our deceitful hearts.