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Man as divine image, versus, the 'little' man.This comparative presentation explores two contrasting concepts of man, as shown in Appendix A3. In this comparison the term, MAN, represents the divine concept, or divine image, an image that embraces all spiritual qualities from intelligence to creativity; or as the Bible has put it: man, created in the image of God; to replenish the earth; to subdue it; and to have dominion. This image of man is demonstrably true. In contrast to this divine image, a feeble and evidently false concept of man has pervaded humanity, which has been termed The 'little' man. The term "little man" is attributed to the German poet Friedrich Schiller, one of mankind's great poets for freedom. This term represents the contrast to reality that mankind identifies itself with, to a large degree. It represents the sum total of all denials of the greatness of the human spirit and its achievements of liberty. The term is also associated with Anarchy. In this atmosphere of total denial there is no focus on anything real. There is no law or order possible. This state of anarchy is often artificially created by methods that decimate the true image of man, such as extreme violence as in terrorism, or extreme conservatism as derived from the brainwashing effects of an oligarchic controlled press and media. Schiller was deeply moved by the spirit of liberty that he saw unfolding in new born America, resulting from the American Declaration of Independence. But he also saw the dismal failure of less alert men, to achieve the same liberty, for which the French Revolution had been intended, that ended in a most horrible blood-bath by the hands of little minded revolutionaries. The term, little man, therefore, does not signify the humble worker of humanity, but those of little minds who have chosen not to look beyond the limits of their senses to the realm of reason, beauty, and creative discoveries, where freedom begins. Against the terrible disappointment resulting from the tragedies of the French revolution, Schiller set out to educate the little man. The two contrasting constructions that document what we understand about MAN and The little man, are positional opposites in the second column. The constructions themselves were derived by the same method as the previous example. They also present the same contrast and the same imperative for dealing with the concepts that are destructive to man. Each concept that is associated with the 'little' or false identity of man and man's capability, stands in absolute contradiction of the divine image. As Friedrich Schiller had correctly noted, the effect of this division that belittles man, is not inconsequential. To the ratio to which the false concepts about man are not dealt with, but are allowed to develop, human civilization is in danger of becoming destroyed. It must be understood that the destructive force that we are exploring here, acts in addition to the actions of oligarchism and its front organizations. It is essential, therefore, that the divine concept of man be firmly established in consciousness and become the motive for acts and the awakener of reason. A similar set of contrasting structures that should also explored, which presents much the same contrast, though in relationship to individual living where one is alone with God, is the arena where one begins to discover the "genius of man" or its opposite, the poverty of "conservatism." The aspects that are presented require no explanation, except perhaps the term Earth-Mythologies. One can distinguish between two types of ecological environmentalism. One is a mythological mysticism that ties man to the dust of the earth as its sole support for existence, as if intelligence, expressed in science and technology were not factors of life, and were no creating resources for living that do not exist in the natural world. This mysticism belies the fact that it is man intelligence, primarily, that enables the existence of a world-population that is 3000-5000 times larger than that which the earth did sustain on a purely natural basis when man lived as a gatherer and primitive hunter without the use of technologies. This lie, which belittles the genius of man, is one of the most dangerous aspects of conservatism. || - page index - || - chapter index - || - Exit - ||
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