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How do you define people?

How do you define people?

Spirituality


KellyJay asked: How do you define people?

My stab at it:

As a species, we have the capacity for cognition.

As social creatures, our moral compasses have been formed and developed by ~ and for ~ our communal existence.

Each of us has exclusive access to our own unique narrative.

This unique accumulation of memories is seen through the prism of our unique set of moral sensibilities as we interpret past events and experiences, evaluate our interactions, and make decisions in the future.

Because of this, no two people are the same. This is how we each come to have our personhood.

This set of different-for-each-person circumstances - in harness with our set of different-for-each-person proclivities - gives us the definition of what and who each individual person is.

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@fmf said
KellyJay asked: How do you define people?

My stab at it:

As a species, we have the capacity for cognition.

As social creatures, our moral compasses have been formed and developed by ~ and for ~ our communal existence.

Each of us has exclusive access to our own unique narrative.

This unique accumulation of memories is seen through the prism of our unique set of m ...[text shortened]... nt-for-each-person proclivities - gives us the definition of what and who each individual person is.
People define themselves by what they do.

Not by all their jibber jabbering about who they think they are.


@fmf said
KellyJay asked: How do you define people?

My stab at it:

As a species, we have the capacity for cognition.

As social creatures, our moral compasses have been formed and developed by ~ and for ~ our communal existence.

Each of us has exclusive access to our own unique narrative.

This unique accumulation of memories is seen through the prism of our unique set of m ...[text shortened]... nt-for-each-person proclivities - gives us the definition of what and who each individual person is.
In the end there are only two types of people.
Those welcomed into the Kingdom of God and all others.
What defines them:
Good v evil
Righteous v Unrighteous
Pleasing to God v Displeasing to God
Who God loves v Who God hates
Sheep v Goats
Chaff to be burned v Fruitful branches
The Good Samaritans v The Priests and Levites


@rajk999 said
In the end there are only two types of people.
Those welcomed into the Kingdom of God and all others.
What defines them:
Good v evil
Righteous v Unrighteous
Pleasing to God v Displeasing to God
Who God loves v Who God hates
Sheep v Goats
Chaff to be burned v Fruitful branches
The Good Samaritans v The Priests and Levites
But only according to God's defining.

The question of the OP is "how do you define people"?

Not about who gets in the Kingdom.


@josephw said
But only according to God's defining.

The question of the OP is "how do you define people"?

Not about who gets in the Kingdom.
Ok. I tend to define people in similar terms. When I hear of rapists and pedophiles, I call them sick evil criminals. If I see someone giving a poor needy person a plate of food, I know that man is a Good Samaritan.. When there are reports of pastors and priests sexually abusing their congregation I know these are the unrighteous Christians who are just chaff fit to be burned etc etc.


@josephw said
The question of the OP is "how do you define people"?
The question in the OP was posed by KellyJay and was asked in the context of his suggesting that I believe people are just bags of chemicals with an expiration date, nothing more.


@fmf said
KellyJay asked: How do you define people?

My stab at it:

As a species, we have the capacity for cognition.

As social creatures, our moral compasses have been formed and developed by ~ and for ~ our communal existence.

Each of us has exclusive access to our own unique narrative.

This unique accumulation of memories is seen through the prism of our unique set of m ...[text shortened]... nt-for-each-person proclivities - gives us the definition of what and who each individual person is.
That sounds about right.


@mchill said
That sounds about right.
This bit...

"Because of this, no two people are the same. This is how we each come to have our personhood."

...corresponds to what you religious types think of as being "the soul".

1 edit

Like -

"Darwinian man though well behaved, at best is but a monkey shaved."

- GIlbert & Sullivan


@fmf said
This bit...

"Because of this, no two people are the same. This is how we each come to have our personhood."

...corresponds to what you religious types think of as being "the soul".
How is the "personhood" the soul?



@rajk999 said
Ok. I tend to define people in similar terms. When I hear of rapists and pedophiles, I call them sick evil criminals. If I see someone giving a poor needy person a plate of food, I know that man is a Good Samaritan.. When there are reports of pastors and priests sexually abusing their congregation I know these are the unrighteous Christians who are just chaff fit to be burned etc etc.
It sounds more like you're judging people rather than "defining" them.

Although I agree with your premise of using God's Word as the standard with regards to human conduct.


@fmf said
The question in the OP was posed by KellyJay and was asked in the context of his suggesting that I believe people are just bags of chemicals with an expiration date, nothing more.
Perhaps you should have said so in your OP. Otherwise now all you're doing is blowing smoke.


-Removed-
You were cracked up long before you heard of me.

And when it comes to "spiritual muscle" I think you're a weakling with nothing better to do than sit around all day whining in this forum with your faithless disregard for the truth of God's Word.


@josephw said
It sounds more like you're judging people rather than "defining" them.

Although I agree with your premise of using God's Word as the standard with regards to human conduct.
There is nothing wrong with judging when evil exists. When you see blatant evil you must be able to judge otherwise you are just a robot without understanding, and unable to apply the principles of God. I would rather say using the teachings of Christ as the standard for human conduct is better than using Gods Word [I take it that is the bible]. Mankind has thankfully progressed beyond some of the primitive standards of those early days .