26 April 2025General

What is normal?

It is not good when we enact or react the idea that there is a normal kind of human life

Three perspectives....

1. There is a "normal" template of humanity and we are all "supposed" to conform to that - so if we don't "conform" we are a kind of "underclass".

That is probably the "modern" way of perceiving human beings.

2. There is no normal template of humanity - and we are all whatever we are or whatever we want to be or whatever we feel comfortable to be - so any assumption of a "normal" distribution is oppressive.

If any and every human option is not embraced and celebrated, there is real oppression and tyranny.

That is probably the "post-modern" way of perceiving human beings.

3. Human beings are a multi-splendored thing and there are many ways that people learn and live.

Not all of us are eyes, ears, feet and hands....

Some of us are "just like that..." and others of us are "doing our own thing..." - some of us flourish in the traditional patterns, but others of us find our place outside, on the edge and where we are.

Church is how we learn to live together as this multi-splendored thing and how we learn to cope with not being fully understood or living on the edge.

This is probably the classic Church way of perceiving human beings.

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