When I look at the long list of seekers who reportedly achieved some degree of "perfection", I see a lot of men who were isolated and alienated from the societies that gave birth to them.
Off the top of my head: Jesus, Buddha, Lao Tzu, ascetic gurus, nuns, monks, priests.
With very few exceptions (Mohammed and Confucious) striving for "perfection" seems to lead away from human relationships and towards isolation from humanity.
Why?
2007-04-30 04:15:08 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
"Let, us, not be surprised if we find men of genius generally unsociable and repellent. It is not there want of sociability to blame. Their path through the world is like that of a man who goes for a walk on a bright summer morning. He gazes with delight on the beauty and freshness of nature, but has to rely wholly on that for entertainment; for he can find no society but the peasants that bend over the earth and cultivate the soil. It is often the case that a great mind prefers soliloquy to the dialogue he might have in the world."
~Schopenhauer
2007-04-30 04:29:17 · answer #1 · answered by Existentialist 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
One can always strive for perfection, even if it is not totally attainable.
In my opinion, many of the people you mention were accepted by some, but alienated from the majority because their way of life challenged the status quo.
I don't believe that you need to be alienated or isolated to strive for perfection. The process doesn't necessarily have to lead away from human relationships. In fact, it would seem to me that in striving for perfection one would also be striving for a better way of relating to others.
But, the path of enlightenment (which I would call perfection) often leads one to a solitary life in order to be able to find the peace within before they can manifest the peace without.
In other words, it often takes a period of isolation in order to truly find ones self, time away from all the distraction the material world presents.
But once one has achieved their purpose, they usually try to walk amongst others and lead the way to enlightenment, not by preaching, but by example, by the way they live their lives and treat others.
Unfortunately Jesus (and perhaps many of the others you mention) wasn't given the time to lead others towards true enlightenment, this is why his message is so misinterpreted these days.
I hope that makes some sense and helps.
2007-04-30 11:35:13 · answer #2 · answered by meg3f 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jesus, Buddha... live as close with us as possible. They never isolated themselves. Today, people who want to go into an isolated place because they cannot handle the materially society. The society is so evil that their mind may not be peace. Until they achieved some perfections, they may come back to help people. You must understand for them since they are just human being and the weakness of human being is desire!
2007-05-01 15:51:48 · answer #3 · answered by holyfire 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Mother Teresa did not isolate herself. Nor did Albert Schweitzer or Jesus. Though anyone of these people may at one point in their seeking have needed a period of isolation, the end result was not isolation. But I believe there is a purpose for both isolation and interaction. Sometimes one person is isolated and one is interactive, sometimes the traits are shared in one person. I do not believe that either form is "holier" than the other. I believe that there is just as much need for hermits as for activists. You might check out a book called Ordinary People as Monks and Mystics. It's very interesting.
2007-04-30 11:33:45 · answer #4 · answered by mommanuke 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No such a thing as perfection, everything can be improved.
2007-04-30 11:18:11 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
what books have you been reading?
ONLY Jesus was perfect.
Our bodies will be perfect--no more pain, no more tears--wjen we go to Heaven, when Jesus comes again.
2007-04-30 11:21:50 · answer #6 · answered by bettyboop 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋