The Heart/Mind Condition

 

No matter how much you are in love with someone, at the end of the day, always remember, the person you are in love with is not flawless, but is a human being who more than likely lives their life based on the Pleasure Principle. The Bible mentioning Jesus’ awareness of mankind and how he dealt with mankind during his earthly ministry states:

 

“Jesus did not trust himself unto them, for that he knew all men, and because he needed not that anyone should bear witness concerning man; for he himself knew what was in man.”

The Bible’s book of John 2:24-25

 

This terrible thing “in man” Jesus knew about was man’s selfishness. The Bible calls it sin. Psychology calls it the Pleasure Principle. We are all born with it. Our job as maturing humans is to conquer it and live life through the Reality Principle, which is able to govern our Pleasure Principle

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SELFISHNESS: THE SOURCE OF EVIL

Selfishness is the rudiment of sin (i.e. the roots from whence all sin springs forth.) Selfishness (the Pleasure Principle) is undeniably the roots of all evil. You may be thinking of the Bible verse in the book of Timothy which states,

 

“For the love of money is the root of all evil.”

1 Timothy 6:10

 

But let the reader understand, it is the love of what money can do (i.e. cater to our selfish Pleasure Principle) that makes loving it evil. The Bible passage claims, it is your “love of money” that is evil, not money itself. But make no mistake about it; it is the selfish Pleasure Principle that is the source of “the love of money,” and thus, “all evil.” Someone once said, “Cure humanity’s selfishness and you have just replanted the Garden of Eden.” This is so true.

Just as the Bible verse states, Jesus knew what was in men hearts; recognize no matter how Mother Teresa a person may seem, that person was born with a pleasure principle. A selfish person can seem selfless when everything in life is going well. But when the heat of the trials of life is turned up, what really dwells in that person’s heart is revealed. The selfish Pleasure Principle within us is an embryonic heart condition we all need to exercise authority over in and on the outside of love relations.

During his earthly ministry, Jesus speaking about humanity’s terrible heart condition said,

 

"For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies."

Mathew 15:19

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The word “heart” in the above passage comes from the Greek word “kardia,” and is defined as “thoughts of feelings, (mind).” When the Bible discusses the heart of man, it is usually referring to the mind of man. Humanity has a terrible heart/mind condition that is resulting from the Pleasure Principle we are born with.

In chapter 2 our topic of discussion was External Love, External Love (i.e. agape love) is the only method for reigning totally over this selfish Pleasure Principle.

 

EVERYONE HAS FLAWS

Every one of us possesses blemishes (i.e. things we deem as character flaws and need to work on.) Do not be a part of the audience who buys into the flawless performance of their lover because of your yearning to be in love. Be smart. Being in love can distort your reality where you may overlook the obvious: NO ONE IS PERFECT! If you do not realize this now, as you live with your lover, you will have a rude awakening uncovering short coming after short coming.

Do not deceive yourself. Love your lover with the logic of knowing that they are not perfect. Love them with an External Love. It is as “Tears of Fears” that musical group from the 80s sang,

 

“I’m only human. Of flesh and blood I’m made. I’m only human, born to make mistakes.”

Lyrics from “I’m Only Human” by Tears of Fears