One of the things I have noticed over the last few years is the growing frequency of referring to oneself first before others. For example, if you Google the phrase “Me and my friends went to town”, you will see what I mean, and I wonder whether this reflects a growing trend of seeing and believing one's own needs and wants should come first?
While this a normal stage of early child development, others have also noticed an increased focus on personal perception and opinion; a lack of empathy and inability to recognize needs of others; a growing concern on how others might view them, and decision-making centred mainly upon one's own needs. Parent's may recognize these qualities in their children – and that is all part of learning to become a more altruistic and 'mature 'adult.
In this blog site, though, I am more interested in whether this egocentric attitude has become more acceptable in adults and the implication on spiritual growth. Also, whether there is a relationship between this growing trend (if there is one) and the research which shows only 33 per cent of the population affiliate now with Christianity in New Zealand, with only 9 per cent of the population attending church most weeks (Chris Reed. NZ Herald, 2018).
Dr Paul Heintzman, associate professor of leisure studies at the University of Ottawa, has written several books on leisure and spirituality. He comments that the spiritual health of a population impacts upon the quality of life within that community. Some of these benefits include a strong sense of social justice and a commitment to love and action; a belief we are our neighbours' keeper and that we are part of a common humanity; an altruistic concern, compassion and service to others; an interest and satisfaction in contributing to the greater good of others, and to the planet and to the cosmos.
Another thing that concerns me, with this seeming decline in spirituality within our communities, is the growing influence of a conservative expression of Christianity where the focus appears to be centred on 'my needs' and on 'my salvation'. A theology that is cross centred – with Jesus dying for my sins – as compared to Jesus of Nazareth, the Jewish Rabbi, who echoed the voices of his Nation's prophets, challenging his community to be a people of social and personal justice and compassion, as the prophet Micah has reminded us:"He has shown you, what is good; And what the Lord requires of you: to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8). Similar sentiments are also echoed by the contemporary Jewish Rabbi, Arthur Green:
It is as bearers of compassion that we become the partners of (God) in Creation.
The divine energy flows outward from the Source,
through the complex and multi pronged evolutionary process,
and into us, giving us an extra sense of charge and dynamic movement forward.
We, by adding to it the insight and act of compassion, send it streaming back to the One,
our gift in gratitude for the gift of existence itself.
Put simply: we are to be the hand, feet and face of God in our world.
Kia mau te rongo me te pai ki a koe i to haerenga
May you find peace and goodwill on your journey.
Phil
Green, Dr. Arthur. Seek My Face Turner Publishing Company. (p93)
Heintzman, P., Retreat Tourism as a form of Transitional Tourism. Reproduced in Reisinger, Y,(ed) Transformational Tourism: Tourist Perspectives.CABI, 2013,pp 79-80.
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