The concept of human nature can be defined as a way of perceiving the world, people among us, and self, based on the assumption that some basic dimensions in human nature need to be addressed to understand the concept of human nature. According to the first dimension of human nature, it can be perceived by its relation to the physical world (Nature) and the metaphysical (God). The second dimension is the social world that addresses relations between people. The third dimension shows the relation of an individual’s relation to himself. The basic dimensions such as body refer to his behavior, soul, motivation, and mind, reasoning, wisdom, and spirituality.
The Concept of Human Nature and Views of Different Religions
Responsibility to Obey
The worldview of all selected religions (monolithic) such as Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, has similar beliefs that human beings are created by one God and obey His commands. Being chosen to be God’s unique treasure, human beings feel special and blessed as God loves them. God is faithful to His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Humanity, as represented by Adam, is owed to take the responsibility to obey God’s command. Human beings are responsible for keeping His commandments, statutes, and judgments and avoid sinful acts. Christianity, Judaism and Islam believe that God has created the world well; the lack of obedience of humans has made it sinful.
According to Islam, every Muslim is an inheritor, guardian, and executor of God’s will on earth; his responsibilities encompass seeing what is right and oppose the wrong. “O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm in justice, witnesses for Allah, even if it be against yourselves or parents and relatives. Whether one is rich or poor, Allah is more worthy of both.” [Quran, 4:135]
Christianity inherited much of the concept of human nature from Judaism. A human being is perceived as a complex being, body-soul unity. Human behavior involves the essential qualities that include empathy and kindness. Intuition, creativity, and passion, justice, love and responsibility that enable people to understand other people’s motivations, needs, and emotions deeply. Hence, it helps to create harmony and peace in all areas of individual life and cultivate peace in the world. The biblical verse states about the responsibility of human beings as, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him, who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”- I Peter 2:9
According to Judaism, human beings are born neutral, with both altruistic impulses and evil desires. The moral conscience is the balance to these moral desires to satisfy personal needs. Jewish ethics interpret that humans should adopt God’s qualities such as justice, mercy, loving and kindness, and free will to choose so.
The social world
The social order requires every member of the society to follow the same moral principles and practices freely. Islam founded an individual and collective morality and responsibility introduced as a social revolution in the Quran. The basic principles of collective morality as expressed in the Qur’an are equality, justice, brotherhood, mercy, compassion, solidarity, and freedom of choice. Therefore, the leaders are responsible for introducing these principles in society. To fulfill their social obligation, the leaders are accountable to God and the state.
The social world based on the solidarity thought with other human beings had its sources in Judaism. The commandments for caring for the poor, widows, and orphans can be traced back in all religions. Judaism developed the idea of loving the neighbor that is also found in Christianity and Islam.
The individual world
According to Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, each member of a society should fulfill his obligations. The notions of brotherhood, equality, and solidarity allow the community to care for other fellows. It also requires each person to use his initiative to carry out individual and social responsibilities according to his ability. All religions believe in a higher moral order, grounding in God and His Words written in Tora, Bible, and Quran. Love to God takes real shape when human beings love their fellow beings and love nature. All these religions encourage reading holy texts and participate in voluntary acts of kindness and compassion. Human beings are provided the right motivation by reading the scriptures and holy texts.
Some specific rules concerning law, character, and morality are found in the Bible, Torah, and Quran. These moral teachings shall help people to understand and fulfill their religious obligation in the community. In Christianity, this role is fulfilled by religious communities, churches, and religious institutions.
Conclusion
All religions stress the distinction between God and the world; humanity depends on God and God’s will. As in Judaism, God is the creator of humans. Humanity aims to realize this dependence and live accordingly. In Islam, sin is understood as disobedience and is deeply rooted in human nature. Islam expects Muslims to realize their mistakes and seek God’s forgiveness. Therefore, people need to develop gratitude, mercy and seek God’s forgiveness wholeheartedly.
To further enhance your knowledge about what different religions say about human nature, read the Religious Freedom Forever By Andy Swarna. Andy is an out-of-the-box thinker. He identifies himself as a self-learner. He is always concerned about resolving issues that people face in their daily lives. The author’s journey in politics, faith, and conflict resolution has revealed a historical fact and a universal truth that sums up the whole creation in a thought. The natural truth helps us envision our perceptions, allowing us to understand the power of honest opinions. To turn your ideas into reality, whether in the form of a resolution, law, or principle, it has to go through a specific process. This process contains knowledge from different thinkers, philosophers, ideologists, and historians. As suggested by thinkers and ideologists, using knowledge and the universal truth helps to reach one’s goals in faith and politics. Andy’s work has enabled him to devise a plan, a purpose, and being universal human is a solution to all human problems.
Reading the book helps us know that all religions develop theories about human nature. God is the creator of humans. Humanity aims to realize this dependence and live accordingly. Human beings are understood in terms of their relationship with God and are perceived to instill the essential qualities of God that include empathy, kindness, justice, love. These qualities help to develop humanistic insights and become better human beings.