Sep 11, 2022·edited Sep 11, 2022Liked by Psychology & The Cross
I read that essay. That's one strange businessman, who had no clue that he could be swindled or lose money when doing an investment. Not even when he was warned did he understand this. And then he dreamt about "dirty hands". It is all very neat and instructive. But it bears the hallmarks of an invented story.
According to Jung's morality, we must go along with the archetypes and our moral instincts, whether or not the impulse is good or bad. However, it is the responsibility of consciousness to divest the moral impulse of its archaic character, i.e., it must be adjusted to the ways of conscious civilization.
So the real moral source is the unconscious, equal to the ethical aspect of conscience. The image that comes to mind is that of an impulse-driven blind man leading the seeing. In my view, in order to navigate correctly, we must use our conscious intellect and the wisdom acquired during the Christian era.
The difficulty with Jung's morality is that there are many different archetypes and instincts. Moral feeling can be shallow or it can be deep and far-sighted. The one person trusts the one moral instinct and the other person relies on the other. Who is right? On Jung's view, both are right, seeing that both persons rely on unconscious moral instinct. So he presents no solution to the moral problem.
Of course, in questions of morality, we cannot allow unconscious impulses to be our guiding spirit. Jesus takes the opposite view: say no to your impulses! Tear out your eye and cut off your hand, should they mislead you. Also the Ten Commandments teaches us to say NO to this and that. This is the only way of developing something akin to free will.
I also question Jung's view that Yahweh is amoral. On the contrary, I see him as extremely moral. He either gives expression to moral benevolence or moral rage. A human moral person has also these two aspects. Research finds that psychopaths are less violent and more temperate than moral persons.
From a modern standpoint, one could argue that Yahweh's behaviour is sometimes immoral. But it is hardly amoral, considering that He has strong moral motivations.
I read that essay. That's one strange businessman, who had no clue that he could be swindled or lose money when doing an investment. Not even when he was warned did he understand this. And then he dreamt about "dirty hands". It is all very neat and instructive. But it bears the hallmarks of an invented story.
According to Jung's morality, we must go along with the archetypes and our moral instincts, whether or not the impulse is good or bad. However, it is the responsibility of consciousness to divest the moral impulse of its archaic character, i.e., it must be adjusted to the ways of conscious civilization.
So the real moral source is the unconscious, equal to the ethical aspect of conscience. The image that comes to mind is that of an impulse-driven blind man leading the seeing. In my view, in order to navigate correctly, we must use our conscious intellect and the wisdom acquired during the Christian era.
The difficulty with Jung's morality is that there are many different archetypes and instincts. Moral feeling can be shallow or it can be deep and far-sighted. The one person trusts the one moral instinct and the other person relies on the other. Who is right? On Jung's view, both are right, seeing that both persons rely on unconscious moral instinct. So he presents no solution to the moral problem.
Of course, in questions of morality, we cannot allow unconscious impulses to be our guiding spirit. Jesus takes the opposite view: say no to your impulses! Tear out your eye and cut off your hand, should they mislead you. Also the Ten Commandments teaches us to say NO to this and that. This is the only way of developing something akin to free will.
I also question Jung's view that Yahweh is amoral. On the contrary, I see him as extremely moral. He either gives expression to moral benevolence or moral rage. A human moral person has also these two aspects. Research finds that psychopaths are less violent and more temperate than moral persons.
From a modern standpoint, one could argue that Yahweh's behaviour is sometimes immoral. But it is hardly amoral, considering that He has strong moral motivations.