January 14th, 2010 Is It Agape When It’s Forced?
The following is a guest article by “CrazyHeart.” It’s a somewhat melancholy reflection on the things that motivate us to reach out to others. – David
This is the first time I have tried this so I hope it goes where it should.
All of us are watching the coverage of the devastation in Haiti.People are dead and dying; people are without power, electricity, food and water. The country is without infrastructure, power and communication to the outside world is sparse.
Aid is coming in from around the world. Is this Agapé – looking after your fellow citizens of the planet? I would like to think that this is true but I also see it as a forced Agapé. This country is the poorest in the region. I heard that half of the population is under 21 years of age. There is in-fighting,other natural disasters and people make – maybe $1.00 per day.
So where did we display Agapé before this disaster hit?
Do we only practice Agapé when it is in our face and being covered 24/7 by the media? It makes me ashamed.
Do you have any thoughts?
Shalom
CrazyHeart
January 14th, 2010 at 11:54 pm
It's a good question, my friend. One we could apply to any number of situations.
I'm not so sure that I'd call it "forced" agapé as much as I would "heightened" agapé. There ar many organizations and individuals, as well as government foreign aide, that's been going to Haiti for a long time. I don't know enough about the country to venture an opinion as to why the situation has remained so grim for so many for so long (other than to utterly reject Pat Robertson'e odious baloney).
It seems to me, however, that, the human race is figuring out in fits and starts just what agapé – the spiritual relationship of all things – looks like. It's not an easy process for a species that for so long put self-interest ahead of global-interest. When a disaster strikes, and the world responds as it has in Haiti, we have an opportunity to see what the world could be like every day, everywhere, if our first priority was compassion.
And maybe, when this crisis passes, we'll remain just a little closer to that goal of agapé.
David
January 15th, 2010 at 2:37 am
And i have noticed that countries are readily stepping up to the plate. Maybe more than us is getting it.
January 15th, 2010 at 2:09 pm
Yes, There is something very sad about the balance here. Haiti, a smaller area is devestated while Dom Rep, the larger portion of the island is lush with vegetation, resorts and employment. My question is, why have people been going to the island of Haiti/Dominican Republic for vacations, or weddings? An informed traveller would know the geography and hopefully the history before spending money to relax on the cusp of an earthquake? As a world with so much information at our fingertips, where were we (pre 2010) indeed? o.0
January 15th, 2010 at 6:01 pm
David’s comment has left me wondering about the difference betwwn agape and compassion?
Perhaps the difference is spiritual?
With regard to the Haiti situation – compassion invokes a response from an understanding of how I would feel if that suffering was mine.
David’s definition for agape – “the spiritual relationship of all things” suggests a shift of perception from the familiar me (part) to us (whole).
For this shift of perception to take place, perhaps we as individuals need a moment of spiritual transformation to occur?
January 16th, 2010 at 12:45 am
I would very much agree with the idea of "spiritual transformation" – it's what in the NT is called metanoia. We usually translate it, inadequately, as "repentance", but it's no such thing. It's seeing the world as interconnected and one. When we do that, we can't help but respond to those in need.
January 16th, 2010 at 1:03 am
Indeed, the contrasts, though understandable from a historical perspective, simply serve to highlight how much we need to change how we see the world and our place in it.
The solutions aren't impossible. They're not even that complicated. They just, as PP notes, require the spiritual transformation of metanoia so that we can make agape the way we perceive Creation.
January 16th, 2010 at 3:14 pm
We hear the phrase"new beginnings". Is this away for the Hatian people to experience "new beginnings"?Will this experience be agpe for us all?
January 18th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
"Our place in the world" is a phrase that caught my attention, David. I hope I am not too far off the path when I revert back to churches. Churches have become so isolationist that they worry about the upkeep of the building, the function of the organ, the restoration of windows, and in a lot of churches" the World" is something someone else is suppose to look after, imo. This has to change.