RELIGION PAR EXCELLENCE ACTUALIZATION OF THE 7-STOREY NATURE OF MAN Uriah J. Fields Copyright * 1991- 2011 by Uriah J. Fields All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocoping, recording, or in any information storage and retrieval system, without permssion in writing from the publisher. Published by American Mutuality Foundation Los Angeles, California ISBN: 0938844-16-4 Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 91-72777 Printed in the United States of America                                            This book                                    is dedicated to us -                                 all the people on earth                         who, by living in harmony with                       their  God-given nature, can have                                a full life and practice                                  community as their                                            lifestyle                              ACKNOWLEDGMENTS        I would like to express my thanks to the Mutuality Center for Creative Living in Los Angeles which served as a laboratory where the validity of many of the concepts presented in this book were tested and where much of it was written. In this regard, special thanks are also extended to persons who participated in the Mutuality Enlightenment Training Seminars (METS) program.         My gratitude extends as well to the American Christian Freedom Society and its staff, Reverend John F. Cameron, Reverend Leon King, Jesse B. Kemp, Charles W. Whittley, Warren W. Holder, Rice Walker, Alton Larry, Carolyn Stokes and Earl Spearman, for granting me a leave of absence from my official duties with that organization while I was writing this book and to the People United Freedom Forum and its Board of Commissioners, namely, Tut Hayes, Yvonne Beatty Stone, John Jett, Brian Weaver, Mattie Jones, Ruth Bowles, Penny Ann Phillips and Malathi K. Sandhu, for providing a community-at-large interactional process where ideas presented in this volume were applied and refined.       I owe gratitude to Rita Grady who painstakingly did the typesetting.       Special thanks are extended to Malathi K. Sandhu, the most significant other in my life, for assistance which included inspired criticism.                                         CONTENTS Acknowledgment / 7 Prologue - A New Psychology of Full Life / 13 Preface / 21 Introduction / 23     Part I: Six of the Seven Storeys of Human Nature Physical Man / 29 Mental Man / 34 Emotional Man / 39 Economic Man / 43 Social Man / 51 Political Man / 61     Part II: The Seventh Storey of Human Nature Religious Man / 71 A. The Nature of Religion / 71 B. Definitions of Some Religious Terms / 76    (1) God / 77    (2) Soul / 78    (3) Word of God / 79    (4) Faith / 82    (5) Truth / 84    (6) Love / 84 C. Are We Religious? / 114 D. Forms of Religion / 118    (1) A Religion of Acceptance / 119    (2) A Religion of Conformity /121    (3) A Religion of Rejection / 127 (4) A Religoin of Transcendence / 133      (a) Mystic Experience / 139      (b) Out-of-the-body Experience / 142      (c) Animated Suspension / 144      (d) Healing Power / 145     Part III: Summary-Conclusion: Toward a                        Holistic Being Toward a Holistic Being /155 The Summary / 156 In Conclusion / 176 Epilogue - A Quantum Leap               in Spirtual Actualization / 181                         Appendices Appendix One - Love is the Greatest / 187 Appendix Two - A Trilogy on Man and His                         Relationship to Worlds of the Mind / 199 Appendix Three - Poems and a Song by                                      Uriah J. Fields / 211 Notes / 246 Index / 253                                   *                              *****                            *******                              *****                                 * We have a responsibiity to be fully  human. Our nature is creative and  by expressing it, i.e., releasing  and exercising  our creative talents and abilities, we generate more cre- ativity while expanding our joy and discov- ering new realms of meaning. As a result, we stimulate an ongoing process of more life in living  and  more  living  in  life. Living  in harmony with our nature is our way of being who we were created to be and contributing sufficiently to  life. Having  been created in the image or, more correctly, nature, of God we are God-like. With this awareness we are able  to  express  or, in a  word, "live" our nature.... affirm as did St. John the Divine: "Behold, now are we the sons of God... ." (I John 3:21)                                  *                               *****                             *******                               *****                                  * PROLOGUE - A NEW PSYCHOLOGY OF FULL LIFE                  The Nature and Function of Man Essentiality                                               Funtionality 7- Soul, Values, Ethics   {Religious}  Righteousness- G 6- Law, Goverment       {Political}        Commluntiy- F 5- Belongingness:           {Social}                Sharing- E        Mutuality 4- Consumer, Producer  {Economic}      Substance- D 3. Feelings, Fear, Love   {Emotional}    Submission- C 2- Mind, Imagination      {Mental}           Cognition- B 1- Body, Material           {Physical}      Occupation- A             The Harmony of These Seven Elements                          Produces FULL LIFE What a piece of work is man! How noble in reason! How infinite in faculities. in form in moving, how expressed and admirable; in action how like an angel! In apprehension how like a god; the beauty of the world; the paragon of animals?                               - Shakespeare The secular experienc of humanity during the last 2000 years, the internecine wars, the bloodshed, plunder and treachery, the general inhumanity of man to man has in almost every way served to confirm the view of the natural depravity of man."                              - Montagua      These two statements, the first one affirming the "goodness" of man and the other one emphasizing the "evilness," are two major theories regarding the nature of man. There is a third view which holds that man is "neutral," i.e., neither good or evil by nature.      Almost since man's advent, at leaast since recorded history, the issue of man's nature has been argued, debated and investigated. While theologicans and  philosophers have traditionally and historically been at the fore-front of pontification on this subject in modern times they have bee joined by physicists, chemists, biologists, sociologists, anthropologists, psychologists, biographers, moralists and historians. Each has investigated or at least observed man from a different perspective. Yet, interestingly enough, they have been in general agreement on the good or evil nature of man. It is obvious, however, that the majority of these evaluators agree with the second statement above made by Montagua regarding the "natural depravity of man."      Even though the neutral view of man's nature warrants  consideration, because of the tremendous effect the environment has on human behavior, it must be rejected as being an invalid theory regardinjg human nature. Man, a dynamic being, is not uninvolved, apathetic or a zombie, as neutrality implies. For even the not-as-yet aculturated child is "in gear." The reach for his mother's breast, cry, or smile, all indicate that he is engaged at birth, even before. And, these expresisons are survival-based and satisfaction-oriented. We are compelled to acnowledge them as good. They affirm that man by nature is good. The fact that other animals do these things does not in any way diminish human goodness.      Man has a propensity for good or evil and, being an educable being, either good or bad can occur as the dominant behavorial pattern. Culture and evironmental experiences may pull or push a person toward increased good  or evil, or perhaps since he is born good, we can say, toward evil. Therefore, when conditions are favorable the individual is likely to express good behavior; when conditions are undesirable he may learn bad behavior. The "personal response" factor, an inherent trait, and love which is learned, also significantly influence human behavior.      Because human nature is central to both the understanding and conduct of human behavior, any consideration of man's nature must focus on behavior itself. And sincne man is meaning-constituted, meaning must be included in any discussion of human nature. Meaning, like human nature itself, cannot be created or invented; it must be discovered or detected. This inherent and prescriptive characteristic is a factor which determines the bounds of the milieu in which man may function and the kinds of actions he may take. His actions must match his equipment (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, etc., -- endowments -- and reflect the degree of accessibility he has to that equipment at any given moment.      In order to conform to man's nature and to reality or "naturalness" we must have an operational definition of human nature. Such definition, of necessity, include the collective consciousness of the race and social or cultural awarenesss. It also takes into account the personal response factor and meaning which are both rooted in human nature.      Man's prescribed operation and the milieu of his livingness reveal his true nature -- a  given, which restricts him not merely in terms of what he can or cannot do but what he must do and how he must behave in order to be fully functioning and healthy, or to survive for that matter. Failure to conform to these strictures prescribed by his nature and to be natural is tantamont to self-destructiveness and unhealth.      This discussion on human nature must be understood in terms of the one unifying concept, referred to earlier, as "meaning." Apart from meanng neither human nature or behavior can be correctly understood. Man is meaning-constituteed, meaning-magnetized and meaning-driven. His every thought or idea, emotion and experience, however insignificant it may be, has no value other than that inherent in meaning. Experience is authenticated and validated by the meaning which it engenders in living. "Meaning can be viewed as supra-experience of the inner life and it is as unique for each person as each person is different from any other person.      Although "meaninglessness" too is a subject of importance, primarily because it prevails as a force to be reckoned with in the lives of seemingly an ever-increasing number of people who perceive themselves to be victims, it will not be discussed in this context. Suffice that we only say that meaninglessness is emptiness and the absence of meaning in a person's life.      With meaning being the umbrella over all that constitutes life, especially what we call the "good life," "full  life" "self-fulfillment" or "happiness," to name only a few of those terms used to describe life that is worth living, let us demonstrate, operationally speaking, what man IS and what he MUST DO as well as NOT DO, in order to be a fully-functioning and a self-actualizing being. We will do this by recognizing the seven-fold nature of man or what we choose to call the "seven storey nature of man." (See diagram presented at the beginning of the "Prologue" - in brackets). An understading of these seven tiers or levels of man's behavior enables a person to understand human nature. It is somewhat like "what you are is what you see." Although human nature does not change, human response does reflect liberality and free choice.      The "seven-storey naure of man" may be likened to a seven-story house whose six upper storeis rest on the bottom or foundation story. It is a full house. In the case of human nature, the base story is the physical aspect or body of man. Unlike a house which may be complete with only a single story, man is created in such a way that in order to operate as a fully-functioning being he must dwell in a seven-story house. Moreover, there msut be harmony in the house if there is to be health for the individual and society. Without harmony the indivdual functions poorly. We might say, he is malfunctioning. This usually happens when a person ignores, neglects or abuses one or more of the stories in his house.      The term storey is used in the title of this discussion because it has a ring of stability or permanence which underscores the essentiality and uniqueness of  humanity. Apart from these things, the writer does not attribute any significance to "storey."      It seems appropriate to end this "Prologue" with two statements regarding the "orgin of man:" The biological ancestry of man has been traced back for some 35,000,000 years through fossil remains. Important fossils known as dryopithecines, which eventually led to man, are of that Miocene age. The earliest forms of man, known as sustralopithecines, mainly of African origin, date back to 2,500.000 years, into the Upper Pliocene. Those were preceded some 14,000,000 years ago by such manlike forms as "kenyapithecus' from the Miocene-Pleistocene boundary of East Africa and "Ramapitchecus" from India, forms which are closely alike. (The "Collegiate Encyclopedia, p. 280).      In an article titled "The Search for Adam and Eve," appearing in "Newsweek," scientists claim to have found humans common ancestor - a woman who lived 2000,0000 years ago and left resilient genes that are carried by all of mankind. They assert that:  "The ancestral hominid and chimpanzee were relatively recent-- no more than 8 million years ago. Since then, mankind has slowly evolved. Evidence suggests that modern humans appeared between 50,000 and 2000,000 years ago, apparently replacing Neanderthals and archaic "Homosapiens." PREFACE     "Man the being," in contrast to "man the doer" and "man being man" are the two-pronged thrust highlighted in this book. Man the being is best rcognized as "man in the raw" unaculturated and innocent. Man the being is the expressed and unexpressd essence of the human species.      Understanding the "stuff" or contents of man's nature and correctly labeling these elements which constitute human nature are prerequisites a person must possess before he can function as "man being man" as opposed to man being the beast or something other than, as well as less than, man, the human being. Man has the unique distinction of being both animal and divine. It is this blending of the animal and divine that makes man human.      Like the leopard that cannot change his spots man cannot change his nature. The condition of human existence - man as creature, is an immutable imperative. Boundaries for human habitation have been established. Man's habitation has been fore-ordained. The true definition of man cannot be asscertained from any invention or creation he proffers. It comes only from his discovery or detection of himself. To know himself he must go within. It is there, in the depths and bowels of his being, that he is able to contact his nature and sense, in a certain and definite way which the five senses cannot sense or fathom, who he really is - his authentic being. But as important as it is for man to truly know his nature this is not enougth. Yet, it is the important first step for the person who has embarked upon the journey of knowing, choosing and being the authentic self.      Man has a fundamental and continuous need to express his nature in ways that afford him with inner harmony which translated means health, happiness and fulfillment. It is only when the seven elements in man's nature, discussed in this book,  are in harmony that he can experience harmony in his existence. In this book we have named and described the components constitting man's nature and offered a paradigm describing a holistic way of being that can be applied to achieve full life-potentail living.      As I reflect on the message presented in this book I remember something my grandmother said to me when I was a barefoot boy, living in a hamlet in Alabama called Sunflower that I want to share with the reader. I had dressed myself in manly garb, wearing my grandfather's pants, coat and shoes, all of which were much too big for me. Noticing me, grandmother ordered me to take off my grandfather's clothing and added: "Be what you is: you ain't no man." Her grammar was not the best, but her mesasge, to make it clear, hit the bull's eye. It is this same mesasge that I want to leave with the reader of this book. Paraphrasing my grandmother's remarks it says; "Be what you are according to your nature. You are not a beast or a freak of nature... despite.... ."                                   U. J. Fields                                   INTRODUCTION                   "To be or not to be, that is the question."     Being is a matter of nature, not of nurture, of creation, not of evolution. Authentic being, the free and honest expression of the self, is the key to personal fulfillment and social well-being. It can be defined as the state of the person when there is harmony of the various aspects of human nature. Although nature is one entity it is composed of seven elements. Each of these elements has specific attributes and functions which are not unlike the right side and left side of the human brain, in terms of function. Each side of the brain has a definite function and area of control and expression.      Human nature can be characterizd as being physical, mental, emotional, economic, social, political and religious. Inquiry as to why this is true is like asking why do human beings walk upright rather than on all fours as is the case with many other creatures that are also members of the animal kingdom? Perhaps more important than an inquiry as to the "why" of this and of human existence, for that matter, is the pursuit, and hopefully possession, of an understanding of our nature which is tantamount to understanding ourselves, individually and collectively and our world.      Unfortunately, we invest too much of ourselves -- resources we command -- in our attempts to be something or somebody that we are not and was never meant to be. Defiantly and repeatedly we say "no" to our nature. We may even disown the "essential stuff" that makes us tick and insist on "aspectal expression" and "selected enforcement" of our nature rather than embrace whole living. But to repeat, like the "leopard that cannot change his spots," we cannot change our nature. Human nature is immutable. Of course, we may deny its true identity, suppress its free expression and even abuse it, at the cost of being abused by it. All these things human nature permits but it will not disappear or become anything other than what it is, always was, and will continue to be as long as we reamain in a mortal human form.      This book is about a holistic approach to living life in all its fullness. Foundations for potential living are rooted in human  nature and while each of these seven elements which constitutes human nature is essential in being human the spiritual element (also called religious when it reflects acculturation and socialization) plays a prominent role in the function and expression of human nature as a whole.  Our values, morality, judgment and creativity are embodied in spirituality. Consequently, the manner in which one deals with, say his physical nature or handles relationships is a matter of spirtiual awareness. The question "Will a person treat his body as a cesspool or a temple? lies within the spiritual domain of human nature. Because of the dominant potentail role which the spiritual element plays, the author will allocate more than half of this volume to a discussion of religion.      Yet, it is clear to the author, and he will emphsize this point throughout the book, from his experience as a public school teacher, social pychologist and minister that the mental and spiritual elements, as well as the other five elementss, of human nature are one life process which he refers to as the "Full Life Process." As process these elements of human nature are synthesized and expressed in singleness and definitiveness of purpose. Simply stated, that purpose is that a person be fully human which is manifested in continuous growth, effective service and heightening enjoyment. Being in process means that aims and goals do not exist and becoming ceases for the moment. A human being cannot BE and NOT BE at the same time although it is true, as asserted in Shakespere's statement cited at the beginning of this "Introduction." "To be or not to be" suggests that a person may be unnatural or act out of character. "Not to be" can only mean "not to be yourself," - to be a counterfeit. Being is cosmic presence and it defies surrender, subterfugde or neutralization. Being will not be undercut by pretentiousness or mockey.      The journey or leap into spiritual actualizatioin is essentially the journey within. Knowing oneself, accepting oneself and loving oneself which are, in a word being oneself, express the true nature of the journey. We call this life process a journey, not because of any time and space (distance) factors which mark a journey, as much as any thing, but rather because a sustained    journey is like a process in that it moves ceaselesssy on, unfolding like a flower, and adventfully embracing the new. Wonders await those on this journey into spiritual actualization. Hopefully, the reader will be able to say something the writer has said many time during the course of writing this book: "I wouldn't take anything for my journey." Sweet is the journey for the person who is in harmony with his own nature.  PART ONE _____________________________________________________________ SIX OF THE SEVEN STOREYS OF HUMAN NATURE PHYSICAL MAN "Physical Man," following the aforemetioned, beginning on page 29, is the title discussed next in this book. (You may go back to the "Contents" to view the remainder of the subject matter included in this 260-page book. Three Excerpts from this book      By nature, man is a religious being. When we refer to religion in its broadest sense, i. e., as a system of orientation and     an object of devotion, then, ideally, every human being is religious. There has never been any people yet disclosed in   history; whether they were primitive or modern, loutish or sophisticated, who did not have some form of religion. An understanding of what life is all about, however personal or limited it may be, is our religion. Everyone has a "weltanschauung"  - a world view. This in and of itself is sufficient evidence that man is a religious being. (p. 72).      The alternative form of religion which we are ready now to present is called a "Religion of Transcendence," and it is life-oriented, health-producing and provides salvation. Like destructive forms of religion which may result from or co-exist with any religious faith, such as Christianity or Judaism, a religion of transcendence can also exist with any of these faiths but unlike other forms of religion a religion of transcendence transcends religous faiths such as Christianity and Judaism. It is not the religious faith, but the form of religion which determines the quality of the religious experience a person and the nature of his spiritual life. Saints of every dispensation or in every epoch, be it Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed or other seers and  bearers of enlightment, embraced a religion of trasnscendence. Their lives and legacies remain beacons which stand like mountain peaks or the sun - summoning all who see them to choose life in all its fullness. (p.117).      The prognostication can be stated in this manner: In the practice of a religion of transcendence man does not merely endure and prevail, he takes a quantum leap and - by leaps and bounds - claims the victory which was always his, but at first being a creature of innocence and after that, being restricted or relegated to lower consciousness he didn't know who he was, i.e., until he received enlightenment which seems destined to compel him to take a quantum leap thst will catapult him into "pure consiousness,." As a transcendent being living in the transformational process, also called the "Full Life Process," man will not only enjoy the fruits of the earth but will enter, in actuality, beyond into that dimension which until now has been available in an operational sense to only God and a few human beings,  included among them were Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Buddha. Man is destiny to live victoriously and enjoy eternal peace on earth. This is our mesasge and faith - our commitment to Full Life in the eternal now as we dwell in the Full House and it is the abiding evidence that "We chose life in all its fullness."      The Seven Storey Nature of Man" is our saga and we must tell it over and over again, until man and society are transformed into Humanity Being and commuity Being respectively, and the lifestyle of perpetual celebration reigns on earth no less than the presence of the Creator Himself. (pp. 183-84).  ____________________________________________________       Hopefully, you have been informed and inspired by what you have read. If so, you may want to purchase a copy(s) of this book so you can read the entire message presented in "Religion Par Excellence: Actualization of the 7-Story Nature of Man." (260 pages).  You can purchase your book)s) directly from the author and receive his autogaph, if requested. To order your book(s) send the author the following:   (1) Your Name (print). Indicate if you want your book(s) autogaphed (2) Street/P.O. Box, City, State, Zip Code (3) Cost: $9.95 plus $3.50 for shipping (total $13.45). When you order four or more books shipping is free. Make check or money payable to: Uriah J. Fields    Mail to: Uriah J. Fields P. O. Box 4770 Charlottesville, VA 22905 Other Books by Uriah J. Fields You are invited to check on two other books by Uriah J. Fields. Return to the Menu on this Website and click on either or both of these book titles, namely, "Be the Best: Do It Easy, Do It Now" and "The Mutuality Warrior: The Person Best Prepared to Survive and Experience Meaning in Survival." Also visit the Menu and click on "New Songs" to learn about my two songbooks. END