Below is an exert from my book Killing Abel. Comments are greatly appreciated, Thanks Mike
One of the many points I try to make in my book "Killing Abel" is that having a man build an Ark, was not an arbitrary decision. Indeed it may have been the easiest, and or the only way to save creation. God could have, by uttering a word, save His creation in countless ways but it was an ark that became the vehicle to save man.
(start exert Page 250)
WHY AN ARK?
Noah was going to help God and God was going to help Noah. This was the only way there could be a reasonable chance of success in the new world. God had learned that giving help was a very personal and intimate gift that, when done correctly, was worth far more than any amount of riches that could be given or received. The gift of help must be given face to face, eye to eye, hand to hand, a gift that takes one’s time. Time being the real gift―Time is the one and only true gift one can give.
True help is a very rewarding experience for all involved. It is not a flippant action or a mechanical reaction; it is a deed motivated by love and never by pity or guilt. If the motivation for helping is based on alleviating some misguided or even perverted sense of guilt, rather than on actually helping someone, the result will be un-helpful.
It had long been said, was widely believed, and was without a doubt true that “Wisdom is seen in her children.” Now and forevermore, with guilt being so pervasive on earth, the same would be true about help. Only by looking back, will the helper discover the wisdom of their efforts.
All children learn at a very early age the power of their father and all men intuitively know the power of God by looking at what He has made. Leaving all powerful fathers in a far more difficult position to lead from. All children and most men will take advantage of any help given them―always wanting, always demanding more help from their powerful father.
Man helping man is problematic, but for God to help the average individual is a far more difficult proposition. This would require great sacrifice on the part of the Godhead, and only through a true personal sacrifice could there be any chance of genuinely helping an individual.
So God had realized that helping His children was proving to be the most difficult endeavor in all of His creation. Only through the Holy Spirit’s hindsight would the outcome of a well-intentioned Fatherly action be known. Unintended consequences were far more likely than the intended ones.
Man was a being who was mostly focused on his own instant gratification. He was generally unmindful of the end result of help received and so learned no lessons from it. Only time could temper man’s reaction-based nature as age provided him a sense of his mortality―a sense of mortality that caused fear to progress to wisdom as men contemplated death, then meeting the Lord.
Man was generally unaware that the one and only thing they would take with them into death was–what they left behind–how they loved one another. Those who loved wisely, in the end, were the only ones who actually did love the other person. Acts of false altruism, guided by guilt, are the overwhelming majority of actions taken in the name of love on earth. Only true acts of love could survive a trip into eternity as treasures in heaven.
Altruism was something that God had considered, and for His part, He rejected the idea as cold, distant and disinterested to a point of uncaring―it was certainly not borne out of any wisdom He garnered from man thus far. Man’s flesh is guided by the fall of man and the tree of guilt, guilt bearing a very different fruit than the tree of love.
Actions guided by love are not altruistic, they are loving. To love someone, you must take the time to know them. True love can only come with the investment of your time, an investment that promotes a self-interest―interest that develops into a close personal relationship―and will always yield an abundance of good will and good deeds that could never have come to fruition from disinterested persons.
Regardless of which way help flows, God to man, man to God or man to man, the outcome would only randomly be good if it flowed in only the one direction. God’s conclusion was that help must be as nearly as possible a zero-sum game. In a zero-sum-game the outcome is known immediately, no wisdom is needed―a good fit for man, as man was generally unwilling to look back . . . and learn.
Looking back God could clearly see that when He or a man helped someone, expecting nothing in return, that help more often than not turns out to be a curse to the one who has been helped. But if help is an even exchange and both parties are satisfied with the outcome, then help is a benefit for all concerned, even unto the community.
Disinterested acts are as fleeting as the smiles of the disinterested parties being helped. A claim of altruism only muddies the water so that truth cannot be easily seen. Acts of love are extremely powerful and shall thrive for eternity, as eternity is changed by each and every act of love.
Looking back, the Holy Spirt informed the Others, “Men only have self-interest; Man’s self-concern is ubiquitous so altruism will not be found.”
God responded as He looked towards the Son: “A man that owes no one, cannot he act in a selfless manner? If a totally guiltless man were to perform a selfless act, would that not be altruistic?”
God quizzing of the Son begged a response. “Perhaps a totally guiltless man would be capable of having no concern for Himself. No man such as this exists―if such a man did exist, that man would surely not be called a man for long.” Said the Son, fully grasping the nature of His Father’s point.
The Holy Spirit, looking forward, added, “If that person―should He be called a man―were to perform such an act, would He not be a help to all men?” “No,” God replied and looked towards the Son, “The altruistic act would only benefit those who requited His love by loving Him and loving His selfless act of sacrifice.”
The Holy Spirit weighed in again: “What of the many who failed to love this man and ignored the sorrow and the pain of His altruism towards the guilty? This would likely break the heart of that man, break it unto His death.”
“Yes, and only His death will confirm His act as selfless,” the Son solemnly responded.
This was a somber moment for the Godhead, as the Three reflected on what must be done to provide a Savior for mankind as, to date, altruism was not found among men.
One of the many points I try to make in my book "Killing Abel" is that having a man build an Ark, was not an arbitrary decision. Indeed it may have been the easiest, and or the only way to save creation. God could have, by uttering a word, save His creation in countless ways but it was an ark that became the vehicle to save man.
(start exert Page 250)
WHY AN ARK?
Noah was going to help God and God was going to help Noah. This was the only way there could be a reasonable chance of success in the new world. God had learned that giving help was a very personal and intimate gift that, when done correctly, was worth far more than any amount of riches that could be given or received. The gift of help must be given face to face, eye to eye, hand to hand, a gift that takes one’s time. Time being the real gift―Time is the one and only true gift one can give.
True help is a very rewarding experience for all involved. It is not a flippant action or a mechanical reaction; it is a deed motivated by love and never by pity or guilt. If the motivation for helping is based on alleviating some misguided or even perverted sense of guilt, rather than on actually helping someone, the result will be un-helpful.
It had long been said, was widely believed, and was without a doubt true that “Wisdom is seen in her children.” Now and forevermore, with guilt being so pervasive on earth, the same would be true about help. Only by looking back, will the helper discover the wisdom of their efforts.
All children learn at a very early age the power of their father and all men intuitively know the power of God by looking at what He has made. Leaving all powerful fathers in a far more difficult position to lead from. All children and most men will take advantage of any help given them―always wanting, always demanding more help from their powerful father.
Man helping man is problematic, but for God to help the average individual is a far more difficult proposition. This would require great sacrifice on the part of the Godhead, and only through a true personal sacrifice could there be any chance of genuinely helping an individual.
So God had realized that helping His children was proving to be the most difficult endeavor in all of His creation. Only through the Holy Spirit’s hindsight would the outcome of a well-intentioned Fatherly action be known. Unintended consequences were far more likely than the intended ones.
Man was a being who was mostly focused on his own instant gratification. He was generally unmindful of the end result of help received and so learned no lessons from it. Only time could temper man’s reaction-based nature as age provided him a sense of his mortality―a sense of mortality that caused fear to progress to wisdom as men contemplated death, then meeting the Lord.
Man was generally unaware that the one and only thing they would take with them into death was–what they left behind–how they loved one another. Those who loved wisely, in the end, were the only ones who actually did love the other person. Acts of false altruism, guided by guilt, are the overwhelming majority of actions taken in the name of love on earth. Only true acts of love could survive a trip into eternity as treasures in heaven.
Altruism was something that God had considered, and for His part, He rejected the idea as cold, distant and disinterested to a point of uncaring―it was certainly not borne out of any wisdom He garnered from man thus far. Man’s flesh is guided by the fall of man and the tree of guilt, guilt bearing a very different fruit than the tree of love.
Actions guided by love are not altruistic, they are loving. To love someone, you must take the time to know them. True love can only come with the investment of your time, an investment that promotes a self-interest―interest that develops into a close personal relationship―and will always yield an abundance of good will and good deeds that could never have come to fruition from disinterested persons.
Regardless of which way help flows, God to man, man to God or man to man, the outcome would only randomly be good if it flowed in only the one direction. God’s conclusion was that help must be as nearly as possible a zero-sum game. In a zero-sum-game the outcome is known immediately, no wisdom is needed―a good fit for man, as man was generally unwilling to look back . . . and learn.
Looking back God could clearly see that when He or a man helped someone, expecting nothing in return, that help more often than not turns out to be a curse to the one who has been helped. But if help is an even exchange and both parties are satisfied with the outcome, then help is a benefit for all concerned, even unto the community.
Disinterested acts are as fleeting as the smiles of the disinterested parties being helped. A claim of altruism only muddies the water so that truth cannot be easily seen. Acts of love are extremely powerful and shall thrive for eternity, as eternity is changed by each and every act of love.
Looking back, the Holy Spirt informed the Others, “Men only have self-interest; Man’s self-concern is ubiquitous so altruism will not be found.”
God responded as He looked towards the Son: “A man that owes no one, cannot he act in a selfless manner? If a totally guiltless man were to perform a selfless act, would that not be altruistic?”
God quizzing of the Son begged a response. “Perhaps a totally guiltless man would be capable of having no concern for Himself. No man such as this exists―if such a man did exist, that man would surely not be called a man for long.” Said the Son, fully grasping the nature of His Father’s point.
The Holy Spirit, looking forward, added, “If that person―should He be called a man―were to perform such an act, would He not be a help to all men?” “No,” God replied and looked towards the Son, “The altruistic act would only benefit those who requited His love by loving Him and loving His selfless act of sacrifice.”
The Holy Spirit weighed in again: “What of the many who failed to love this man and ignored the sorrow and the pain of His altruism towards the guilty? This would likely break the heart of that man, break it unto His death.”
“Yes, and only His death will confirm His act as selfless,” the Son solemnly responded.
This was a somber moment for the Godhead, as the Three reflected on what must be done to provide a Savior for mankind as, to date, altruism was not found among men.