The Vertical View of Humanity

 

The Vertical View of Humanity


The concept of the vertical view of humanity is one of the most difficult to explain, and yet it is essential to understand it if one is to resolve many of the apparent inconsistencies in the Christian scriptures. To add to the difficulty, it is hard to accept the concept even after the mind fully grasps it. However, it is by no means necessary to understand it in order to live perfectly in peace with God and man. One can simply study the positive teachings, and ignore the logical difficulties with the faith that somehow they can be resolved. Or, one can bypass the scriptures altogether and appeal directly to the Holy Spirit to teach him how to live in accordance with Jesus's two commandments, with the resolve not to be concerned with matters of scriptural interpretation. However, if one is concerned about some of the logical difficulties in trying to reconcile some of the seeming inconsistencies in interpreting scriptures, then an understanding of the vertical view should help clarify the interpretations.

Let's begin with Jung's theory of the Universal Unconscious, which was briefly explained in a post under the Psychology label. The idea that all minds are connected to some extent at a subconscious level was a result of his studies of telepathic dreams and the similarity of symbols of various cultures that were often separated by great distances and ocean barriers.

It may seem to be a huge leap to jump from Jung's theory to Jesus's teaching about the vine and the branches, but they can readily be compared. Jung says that our minds are connected – not separate- on some level Then at that level they are as united – as one. Likewise, when Jesus said, “Love thy neighbor as thyself”', he meant, “because he is literally thyself” - not, “as if he were thyself”. As branches of the same vine, we are united. In fact, Christ is considered to be the spirit of unity, whereas the ego is the spirit of separation.

Now, our point of view has changed. Previously, we looked on ourselves as bodies, which are separate from one another. Now, we still see a separation, but it is between the levels within the common psyche.

The difficult part is to bring our minds to accept the fact that each one of us is a part of one huge mind, with its levels from the Ego up to the Higher Self. So, the true division of personality is not laterally; that is, person to person; because we are united at each level. The true division is level to level; and the highest level is the Higher Self, which that part of each of us that that is in God, and in which is a part of God. Our ultimate goal is to is to get rid of all but the Higher Self. All the rest is meaningless chaff.

This vertical view of humanity explains scriptures like the parable of the wheat and the chaff, that otherwise seem to conflict with Jesus's other teachings. The parable does not mean that God will choose some of His sons to be labeled as chaff and cast aside. It means He will separate and cast aside all thoughts that are unworthy of our divine nature and meaningless.

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