Human Nature

Last night I watched a very old movie: Peter Sellers in "Heavens Above", 1963.

While there were a lots of funny moments, the deep underlying message of the movie was disheartening. Here was a beautiful bright, enthusiastic and idealistic priest who wanted to make a difference in the world through unconditional love, acceptance and sharing. The feature character was very Christ-like, with a naive heart and childlike belief in the goodness of humankind.

I won't tell you the ending of the movie - maybe you should see for yourself. All I know, this old movie triggered a lot of questions in my heart about the human nature. Are we all beasts, or are we inherently good, just waiting for a moment to shine our light? The cinematographic message was rather somber, in its portrayals of human failings, broken promises and misguided enthusiasm. But is that who we truly are? Philosophical theorists throughout the ages have pondered the nature of the human soul. Are we truly participating in a 'dog-eats-dog' world, or is our true nature noble and pure? And of course, the age-old question that arises is "Nature or nurture": are we a product of our genetic/ancestral imprint or a result of environmental influences as we grow up?

The nature of a really good movie or book is to trigger reflections, engage dialogue, challenge us to evaluate our dearly help beliefs.

I am an optimist, but it takes effort to be that. My mind loves to dwell on the past and an imaginary future which often is driven by fear and other negative emotions. And yet I refuse to believe in the 'human beast'. I choose to focus on the bright and beautiful divine blueprint that each of us is aiming at, in so many ways. When we see the light of Christ in the other, we can help them anchor that light within themselves. Let us all be mirrors for the highest and best soul qualities to each other, so that we can embrace that heavenly truth within.