What makes us Human

• From UnifNews Jan 98, Contemplating Unif. Though

• by Dr. Jennifer P. Tanabe

• What does Unif Thought say!

• the Theory of Original Human Nature in Unification Thought identifies three aspects of human nature:

• Divine Image, Divine Character, and Position.

These are further divided such that

1. Divine Image includes united Sung Sang and Hyung Sang, harmonious Yang and Yin, and individuality;

2. Divine Character includes Heart, Logos, and Creativity;

3. and Position includes two relationships to others, that of subject and of object.

• Human beings are unique in their Divine Character

• The Divine Image of human beings contains specifically human elements beyond those included in other beings.

• To summarize, then, human beings have the following attributes in comparison with other beings:

• additional Sung Sang and Hyung Sang and Yang and Yin elements;

• unique Individuality; and

• Divine Character of Heart, Logos and Creativity

Sung Sang and Hyung Sang:

• human beings contain those elements found in the mineral, plant, and animal kingdoms, and in addition we have the uniquely human elements of

• “spirit mind” and “spirit body

In other words, human beings are unique among beings in this physical world because they also have elements that exist in the spiritual realm.

• Unification Thought explains that consciousness is a quality of all living beings, not just human beings.

• Unification Epistemology (Cognition) states that there is always a purposeful element of Sung Sang, namely consciousness, working in parallel to every physiological process, even on the level of the cell.

• In other words, cells are “aware” of their own structure and content

• Consciousness, then, in Unification Thought, is an essential element of life, operating on all (high end low) levels.

• Self-consciousness, the awareness of the whole being as a self making decisions and value judgments, however, is limited to human beings because it is a function of the spirit mind which animals do not have

• Unification Thought also explains that the spirit mind pursues truth, goodness, beauty, and love

and, in the original human nature (as opposed to the deprave fallen human nature evidenced in today’s society) these values would be primary

There are four points of uniqueness in the harmony of Yang and Yin in human beings:

1. Husband and wife each represents one of God’s dual characteristics so that their conjugal union signifies the manifestation of God

2. Husband and wife each represents half of the universe, so that their perfected union completes the creation of the universe

3. Husband and wife each represents one half of humankind so that their unity represents the unity of humankind

4. Husband and wife each represents half of the family so that their union signifies the perfection of the family.

Thus, harmonious unity between husband and wife is equivalent to the world becoming united

Summary of Holy Sinless Divine Marriage:

• manifestation of God

• completes the creation of the universe

• unity of humankind

• world becoming united

• On the lowest levels of life there is little distinction among bacteria or amoebae of the same category, whereas as we ascend to higher levels of plant and animal life individuality increases.

• When we reach the level of human beings, each human being is unique;

• Our individuality is unique to each individual human being

• Unification Thought states that human individuality is absolute, not dependent on environmental influences,

• because it comes from God’s Individual Image,

• which is the Universal Image individualized for each unique human being.

Divine Character:

• Heart, • Logos, and • Creativity

• “the emotional impulse to seek joy through love; • is the source of love • the core of God’s character

• Empathy is connected to the Heart element of human character.

• But Heart, as the source of love, is much more than empathy

• all human activities should be based on Heart in order to succeed in bringing joy

• Homo amans, the loving being, rather than homo sapiens, the knowing being

• Includes free will and Law united

• If we have free will, what guides our choices? Well, there is the conscience.

However, Unification Thought points out that the conscience is insufficient to guarantee that we will live according to our original nature.

• A very selfish person will regard actions that benefit himself as good, even when they do not lead to the benefit of others, or worse, lead to exploitation or harm of others.

3. Creativity:

• creativity is by no means the only way in which the human being can grow,

• It is one of the most important

• The growth occurs not only in the creative person but in all those who are affected by the innovation.” Ex. Education…science…

• “creativity has become essential – the basic life force.

• Life without it is not worth living.” Ex. 2012…Facebook, social Networks

• creativity is surely the closest we can come to being like God, the Creator

• Unification Thought explains that creativity has two stages, equivalent to the • two-stage structure in the Original Being God

• Heart should be the center of creativity, as it is in God’s creativity

• The formation of inner and outer four-position bases.

• The formation of the inner four position base is the development of a plan, idea, or design, and is equivalent to the Logos in God’s creation.

• The formation of the outer four-position base is the construction or substantiation of the plan, idea, or design into an actual object such as a work of art.

• Unification Thought holds the position that all human beings have the potential to be creative, but that the extent to which they will actually be creative depends upon their experience and education

• So, let us conclude with a summary of how Unification Thought defines what makes us human:

• We are created to resemble God, whereas other beings are but reflections of aspects of God.

• Like God, we are creators: we have as an innate capacity the ability and even desire or need to create in order to experience our true human nature.

• We are eternal beings: our spirit continues to exist forever in the spiritual realm, which transcends space and time, just like God’s realm of existence. • We are beings of Heart, or love. The ability to empathize, and even to forgive,

We are also beings of

• free will,

• responsibility,

• self-awareness, and

• conscience

• Ref: Full article UnifNews Jan 98 http://www.tparents.org/UNews/PDF/Unws9801.pdf

Remember the beauty in Gods nature is there to inspire the most Holy original inside us all! Have a great Blessed week. Prepared for 2nd gen inspiration by Bengt de Paulis.