I had an interesting conversation with a close friend yesterday.
My friend is a psychiatrist. He and I got into a discussion about psychiatry that led to a discussion about metaphysics that led to discussion on the reality of the soul that led to an interesting question.
He asked me, "why would God make human life sacred vis-a-vis other life?"
Perhaps you have faced this question. How would you respond?
Because he put more of Himself into us.
Posted by: Anne | May 23, 2006 at 12:54
Anne,
Correct. Human beings are his image bearers. I believe what my friend was asking, was why God made the life of human beings sacred and other life not sacred.
Posted by: Mr. Dawntreader | May 23, 2006 at 13:08
Man, my brain is working overtime today because of this blog. Between you and Groothius I am having a great time.
We are the only ones endowed with thought, imagination, virtue, love...no other creature has the capability to share these things. We can, and therefore should, reflect these qualities. We reflect him imperfectly, like looking in a broken mirror, but we reflect him indeed.
If God endowed two different beings on this earth with his knowledge and choose two races, one would eventually try to assert itself over the other. That, in sins fallen nature, would be a problem. God would no longer be the focus. Asserting ourselves over the other would be.
Posted by: Carl Holmes | May 23, 2006 at 19:31
Good stuff. Any other answers out there?
Posted by: Mr. Dawntreader | May 24, 2006 at 08:46
Going through a blue spell and not feeling terribly sacred right now, sorry...
Posted by: carlaviii | May 24, 2006 at 11:44
What, are you asking why other creatures don't bear the image of God in the same way as man does? All created things bear the image of God in some way. There are things (mountains, stars) which bear the image of God in ways which we do not. But man specifically bears God's spirit and carries God's lordship within the world. How many types of creatures can be lords and caretakers of his creation? If it's "more than one" then are they really still ruling over it?
Posted by: Anne | May 24, 2006 at 12:49