Overly Defensive About Our Humanity?

Numerous outbreaks of public rudeness this past week have resulted in observations by social pyschologists, newspaper columnists and writers of letters to the editor. A good collection of some of these are in the Opinionline section of today's USA Today (Sept. 18 -- Click the blog title, above). A theological commentary is also in order, perhaps along this line: Rudeness, in pyschospiritual perspective, might be a lack of confidence in our humanity. Our "humanity" is sometimes blamed for, and made the scapegoat for, the fact that we are fallible: "I'm only human." But an accurate view of our humanity doesn't leave us stuck in a closed, hopeless condition. We are human in this particular sense, that we are "fearfully and wonderfully made," and made "in the Image of God." This humanity can be embraced without excuses.

A nagging uncertainty and suspicion about our self worth can make anyone, when challenged with a difficulty or a perceived affront, strike out against, protest against, an uneasy emptyness with a bellicose, out of proportion hyperagression. If our calling is to be peacemakers and children of God (ala the Sermon on the Mount) and we are not confident that that is our vocation -- or if we decline to be empowered to that vocation -- then is rudeness the blustery speech of an alter ego, built like the Tower of Babel, to acheive by false means an alternate identity? If not a peacemaker, then one perpetually on the warpath, sufficient in and of himself, brooking no threats to his personal and private priorities? How do we justify rudeness except along these lines? Is rudeness the symptom of this kind of insecurity, that, refusing or fearing to trust that humanity hinges for meaning upon the intents of the Creator, must put down, belittle and humiliate in order to guarantee this faux and alternate identity?

What we don't want to do when we get caught being rude and belligerent is say "Well, I'm just human," and "I say what I think." We have a chance for our humanity not to be a closed system ("That's just who I am"), but open to a bigger future. "I'm just human" doesn't seem to want to take that into account, and doesn't do justice to our humanity. Yes, human, but as such created in the image of God, requiring of us, for that reason, to be responsible to ask for help to shine up the image when it gets tarnished, and not just say the tarnish is fine the way it is -- "I kinda like that tarnish: nice color, really." "I'm just human," and "I say what I think," are usually said just after we've been particularly WAY too human, or after we've said something really stupid. A simple "I'm sorry" is much simpler, sincere.

I wonder if there's really a prayer lurking in the phrase "I'm only human." That phrase doesn't sound like it could be said with confidence. Usually said under pressure, it sounds apologetic. It might be said in defiance, but even then it doesn't ring true as a proud assertion. Maybe it's really an admission of a desire to be a better human than we've just shown ourselves to be. But to use "I'm only human" as an excuse makes us want to say, "There, there: it's OK, but you can do better than that." Theologically, God loves us the way we are, but calls us, with his Spirit's guidance, to be the best we can be, accepting the grace available by virtue of the love of Christ. Again, we don't need to make excuses for the humanity God has given us.

If we are confident that we are still "under construction" we won't need to make these kinds of excuses. An apology helps, but there's even help before that so that we don't get in as many of those kinds of embarrassing moments in the first place -- as we might without God's Spirit working within us. Confidence in these inner workings gives us a confidence outwardly to be problem solvers in a world of conflict.

The Opinionline quote from the Dallas Morning News is particularly insightful, I think: "...[Name] thanked supporters for 'understanding that I am human.' ...We'd like to remind [name] that it's that shared sense of humanity that demands that we all treat each other better. Indeed, humans have the unique ability -- and, therefore, the responsibility -- to attack adversity with both passion and poise." Check the link for some other very insightful comments. ~GKS