Persons desiring to face life realistically, and to be agents for problem solving, must be clear about mystery. Mystery is a major matter that rightly relates to nearly everything in some degree. It is cause for genuine humility of ignorance. Recognition of the pervasiveness of mystery ought to be a prerequisite for counselors, parents, indeed anyone who has influence on human beings, starting with self. It is basic to the common phrase: Know thyself. So it is that mystery affects all – impartially and importantly. As God is shrouded in mystery, so is mankind. Without adequate faith the whole life context can be aggravating.
Serious books, newspapers, magazines, and other communication media occupy me. A motivation is to discover what competent, well informed persons have to offer relative to the human/divine situation – and what they have to say about either continuance or dissolution of the factors they review relative to problems and solutions in society. Today (7/30/2011), I have read, several times, an article by Brian M. Carney, summarizing an interview with British psychiatrist, Anthony Daniels (pen name, Theodore Dalrymple). His background for his ideas is related to the recent tragedy in which the normal Anders B. Breivik murdered 76 persons in Oslo, Norway, ostensibly to address the matter of sinister multiculturalism generated by the influx of Islamic immigrants. The tragedy has gained worried world-wide attention. A major concern is, How could this happen? Breivik had a well-constructed world-view, was well informed, was descended from decent background, and read widely from substantive sources. He had been doing what educated and serious persons are expected to do to form and manage life. Several sources he quoted for support have entered the discussion to disavow the conclusions which Breivik formed about their written works. They feel their own meaning/implication was severely distorted. The use of their ideas to form his actions becomes an unwanted and unwarranted burden for them. Those in the circles of human contexts of ideas have often been misused by disciples. The Judas interpretation is not uncommon.
Dalrymple, in interview and presentation, noted the problem, and related it to the murderous mind. In summary of the event, we do not understand it, perhaps never will. This mind of the thief/murderer is simply that if something is wanted it is taken, even if ugly and violation of humankind in the doing. With modern sentimentality there is little done to account for evil. Reasons for crime do not hold up, in that masses of persons hold the same causes and do not bow to them by visiting evil on innocents. Dalrymple stated that there: is always a gap between what is explained and your alleged explanation. So there’s always a mystery and I presume that’s going to remain. He wonders why we try to explain evil actions and not good ones. He believes Rousseau has triumphed in that: we believe ourselves to be good, and that evil, or bad, is the deviation from what is natural. He notes that in most of history there was belief that there was something in the human being that needed to be corrected. Dalrymple believes that mankind has been alienated from responsibility, and from holding others responsible for their actions. The problem is that we have lost a transcendent purpose for life. He said religion would give it: of course. But religion in Europe is dead. So to civic religion: the state to provide for human needs. We need not struggle for existence. The persons like Breivik go a step further, with a transcendent political purpose so proceed to do right (gain attention to a concept) by doing wrong (murdering others). It fits Hitler. In short, states Dalrymple: . . . the idea that we have plucked out the heart of the mystery of existence is drivel.
It is our purpose in these pages to face up to some of the mysteries of mankind and God. Hating mystery, some observers and analysts simply rail against whatever they find unexplained and difficult to manage in their minds. Christianity addresses the point first by admitting mystery and the humility of mankind in its reality. Students probe the mystery in faith, in the belief that outcomes will be positive. There is the promise that the mystery will ultimately be revealed to those competent to receive that revelation. Enough is known that if there is negative meaning, it becomes meaningless to those who have Christian faith. The ministry of Christ offers affirmation, not negation, for those who relate to him. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020