When I read Anatomy of Peace 5 years ago, what stuck with me most was the idea of seeing people as people rather than objects.
For instance, a microwave is an object. You use it to warm your food. If it doesn't work, you can get rid of it.
A phone is an object. You can use it to call people, check the weather, keep a schedule, and find out all the information available on the Internet. If it stops doing that, you get a new phone.
People are not objects. People can have tasks assigned to them, but they are not the tasks themselves. People can do things for you to be kind, but they are more than the kind actions done to you.
So, just as a reminder . . .
1. If you are not attracted to your spouse because their appearance changed somehow (weight, wrinkles, haircut, etc.), then you do not see your spouse as a person, just a body.
2. If you are unkind to your spouse because they do not do something around the house, then you do not see them as a spouse but as a robot. (You never have to be unkind even when someone doesn't follow through.)
3. If you are an aspiring politician in DC and you abuse your wife/wives, you do not see them as people but as puppets that are supposed to agree with you or you will lash out.
4. If you are an aged politician in DC that assumes that allegations can only come from "character assassins," then you do not see those people as people but just as impediments to your agenda.
5. If you are a bishop who hears from a woman that her spouse is abusing her and then checks with the spouse to be sure, then you do not see her as a self-actualized person but just as property of her husband.
People are not objects in any way. People are people. Women are people. Men are people. Children are people.
And there is no excuse to ever abuse another human being.
For instance, a microwave is an object. You use it to warm your food. If it doesn't work, you can get rid of it.
A phone is an object. You can use it to call people, check the weather, keep a schedule, and find out all the information available on the Internet. If it stops doing that, you get a new phone.
People are not objects. People can have tasks assigned to them, but they are not the tasks themselves. People can do things for you to be kind, but they are more than the kind actions done to you.
So, just as a reminder . . .
1. If you are not attracted to your spouse because their appearance changed somehow (weight, wrinkles, haircut, etc.), then you do not see your spouse as a person, just a body.
2. If you are unkind to your spouse because they do not do something around the house, then you do not see them as a spouse but as a robot. (You never have to be unkind even when someone doesn't follow through.)
3. If you are an aspiring politician in DC and you abuse your wife/wives, you do not see them as people but as puppets that are supposed to agree with you or you will lash out.
4. If you are an aged politician in DC that assumes that allegations can only come from "character assassins," then you do not see those people as people but just as impediments to your agenda.
5. If you are a bishop who hears from a woman that her spouse is abusing her and then checks with the spouse to be sure, then you do not see her as a self-actualized person but just as property of her husband.
People are not objects in any way. People are people. Women are people. Men are people. Children are people.
And there is no excuse to ever abuse another human being.
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