Monday, October 22, 2018

The Foundation of a Society of Shalom: Strong Gender Equal Relationships Built on the Sacredness of Life & Valuing “The Image of God” in Yourself and Others.


Shalom is a Hebrew word that has traditionally been translated “peace,” but in the Hebrew language shalom means much more than “peace” means to English speakers today.

Shalom does not have the passive, even negative, connotation of the word “peace.” It does not mean merely the absence of strife. It is pregnant with positive, active and energetic meaning and association. It connotes totality, health, wholesomeness, harmony, success, the completeness and richness of living in an integrated social milieu.1

Even today when Hebrew speakers meet or part they wish each other “shalom” or they inquire about each other’s “shalom.” The foundation of a social environment of shalom is strong gender equal relationships built on the sacredness of life and valuing “the image of God” in others.

The idea of a Society of Shalom first appears in the Scriptures of Christianity and Judaism in the first chapter of the first book – Genesis 1 – in the account of the creation of humans.

27 God created the ADAM in His image;
in the image of God He created him (the ADAM);
male and female He created them.

ADAM is the Hebrew word that means “humans” in this context. “The ADAM” is created “in the image of God.” “The ADAM” is a “them” – not a “her” or a “him.”

A male is not the “the image of God.”

A female is not “the image of God.”

Viewing God as a male or female is not viewing the “image of God.”

“The image of God” requires a model that includes “both genders.”

In this ancient text, living as “the image of God” is the highest possible level of human of achievement, fulfillment and happiness.

Males and females living together in harmony as equals in a society of strong relationships built on the Blessing of the Humans in the Genesis account.

The foundational institution of a “Society of Shalom” is “the Family.” It is the most important and most sacred institution of a Society of Shalom. When God blessed the first two humans He created “the family.” His blessing revealed His vision of the kind of family the humans are to create, with instructions for males and females to fulfill their roles and responsibilities.

● Life as part of “the image of God” is valued above “individual power and wealth.”

● Male and female are defined by the physical capacity to produce offspring.

● Male and female are equal genders in relationships and as members of society.

● Male and female are equals in the exercise of power.

● Male and female have equal rights and responsibilities.

● Male and female have gender specific unique functions.

Co-parenting their offspring is a very important role of male and female.

God’s blessing empowered humans to successfully fulfill their roles and responsibilities. In the Genesis account of the Flood, as well as in other biblical accounts where societies fail, the primary reason for social failure is the failure of parents to mentor and teach their children how to “subdue” their Earth souls.

In the Genesis account individual males and females have an Earth soul and individuals can reflect the “image of an animal” through their actions when their earthly soul appetites, desires and longings drive their actions and they do harm to human lives – their lives and the lives of others.

● Animals are driven by instincts.

● Animals live their entire lives in physical environments determined by nature.

● Humans have the creative power to change physical environments.

● Humans have the biological capacity to learn how to control their impulses and exercise self-control over their earthly appetites, desires and longings.

● Humans have the power to individually and collectively protect and preserve lives, make lives more functional and increase the quality of life for themselves and others.

God empowered humans to live lives at a higher and more fulfilling level than animals. Parents have been endowed with the responsibility of mentoring and teaching their offspring how to live at that higher level.  

● Mentoring is demonstrating how to reveal “the image of God” through words and actions.

● Teaching is an ongoing process that uses situations that occur in the normal course of life as teaching opportunities.

Parenting is a lifestyle, not a program or service that cannot be “subbed out.”

● Humans are biologically endowed to be mentored and taught.

This is the first blog in a series I call, “Societies of Shalom.” Be sure you do not miss future blogs by following the TOV Center Lives 1st Blog and/or “Liking” our Lives 1st Facebook Page. Making our society better begins with making our families better. We want to help you make your family better -- and as more of us do that our society will become better too.
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1 Hebrew: The Eternal Language by William Chomsky © 1957 by the Jewish Publications Society of America, Philadelphia, PA; p. 4.


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