abian Philosophy

On the surface of it, challenge seems to be an easy enough concept to grasp. Whenever something is difficult to accomplish, we recognize that the task at hand will be challenging. In the previous article on Imagination we recognized that the human being functions within the four kingdoms: mineral (physical), vegetal (living), emotional (animal) and mental (human). Challenge operates on all of these levels. Today’s society seems obsessed with physical challenge: weight control, exercise, sporting events—all very acceptable challenges. However, don’t you ever wonder why we do not hear more about moral and ethical challenges? Do we not have the challenge to refrain from lying and cheating another? Do we not have the challenge to hold our tempers when another driver cuts us off in heavy traffic?

Sabian philosophy teaches that it is from the human level (the mental kingdom), the level of values, fair play, ethical standards, and moral certitude that we must direct our lives. These are human values and the ones that guide us to truly human living. Lying, cheating, stealing, deception, pettiness and the like come from the level of materialism and self-pandering. They are not human values.

This approach to creative living is based on Ibn Gabirol’s Fountain of Life Book III, Chapter 56. Here the Teacher instructs his pupil that the less dense substances have the power to control the more dense substances (thoughts are less dense than emotions; emotions less dense than vegetal life; and vegetal life less dense than rocks). It becomes clear that this philosophical position supports the thesis that man at his mental or spiritual level can overcome his lower nature.

A practical application of the concept of challenge would be to take a self-inventory regarding the times in one day that you have acted in a way that was not "human," that is, when you may have cheated someone, told a lie, spoke an unkind word or acted in some other less than human manner.