Why do people behave badly?

The entire range of human emotions stems from one of two sources: love or fear. Love is divinely inspired. On the other hand, fear is love’s counterpoint and is found where divine inspiration is obscured. In a fundamental sense, all human behavior is either an expression of love or a crying out for love. There are no exceptions. While the ego urges us to behave in ways which cry out for love, the Holy Spirit directs us to extend love. Sometimes human behavior is so despicable and horrific, we are left in shock: torture, rape, ethnic cleansing, beheadings, and mass murder. The ego cites these extreme examples as proof that there is no God, for a loving Creator would intervene and not allow these tragedies to occur.

But remember that human beings have free will—the power of choice. God never forces us to love one another, or to love Him for that matter. Accordingly, there are those who choose to spurn God. By figuratively turning their backs to His light, their bodies create shadows; and in their self-created darkness, these disturbed people choose to live. They dwell in a barren place that appears to be beyond God’s reach. Deep inside these people, a divine Soul still exists. But love’s voice is so faint, it is presently unheard.

Why do people act insanely? There are two primary causes, and the first is fear. When filled with fear—and the allied emotions of anger, jealousy, and retribution—people are literally in their “wrong” state of mind. In other words, they listen exclusively to the ego’s voice, and their actions typically “cry out” for love. Perhaps you might say, “Okay John, that makes sense. But what’s the second reason why people behave badly?” In my two previous blogs, I presented spiritual lessons taught by David R. Hawkins, MD, PhD. Dr. Hawkins believes that all human behavior, both good and bad, is linked to a person’s level of consciousness.

Consciousness can be defined as the awareness and perception of one’s inner Self. According to Dr. Hawkins, every human being on the planet functions at a certain level of consciousness. In higher levels of consciousness, people are keenly aware of their primary identity: their immortal, divine Soul. In lower levels of consciousness, people perceive themselves only as vulnerable, mortal bodies. One’s body is destined to die and decay, while one’s Soul is invulnerable and eternal. Thus, the awareness and perception of one’s inner Self forms the foundation of human consciousness. Furthermore, Dr. Hawkins states that those trained in the practice of kinesiology can accurately calibrate each specific level of consciousness. In lower levels, people are focused on fear, lack, anger, jealousy, and revenge. Those who commit insane attacks are delusional sociopaths, and within the wide range of human consciousness, they are functioning at or near the bottom. In higher levels, people extend love unconditionally. Those who routinely extend love and forgiveness are in their “right” mind, and are following Spirit’s guidance. Most people function at a level ranging between the extreme highs and lows, and their behavior confirms this. That is to say, most of us are not serial killers. Sometimes we extend love to others; but just as often, we experience the emotions of fear and anger. And while we may not physically assault someone who cuts us off in traffic, there is a fair chance we might retaliate with an unkind gesture or a dirty look.

Although insane acts should not be condoned, they can at least be explained. Dr. Hawkins is quick to point out that the combined level of consciousness for the world’s population is currently trending upward—and at a rate faster than ever before! This is welcome news which offers genuine hope for our future. When human behavior is understood in terms of its association with one’s consciousness, it becomes clear that everyone is doing the best they can! Dr. Hawkins explains that the purpose served by our life lessons is to raise our level of consciousness. As spiritual growth is achieved, we choose to extend love and forgiveness. As love and forgiveness are extended, we experience greater inner peace and happiness.

Certainly, bad behavior provides opportunities for us to forgive; and mistakes—especially horrific ones—create a diverse environment for learning life’s lessons. Now you might ask, “What do you mean by mistakes? Insane acts like murder are not mistakes, they are mortal sins!” Yet in an absolute, eternal sense, there is only love. Sin is limited to our earthly realm, and is a human thought construct that does not exist in God’s Kingdom. The Holy Spirit views sin as a “crying out” for love. Sin is a mistake to be corrected, rather than an evil to be punished. The Holy Spirit helps you learn from mistakes. When one is made, Spirit advises that you first change your mind, then change your behavior. In this way, mistakes are corrected. On the other hand, the ego urges everyone to endlessly repeat their mistakes. Humorists have defined insanity as making the same error over and over, while each time expecting a different result. In this case, humor mirrors truth.

In my next post, I will share some spiritual growth lessons taught by Byron Katie. Until then . . .

Peace,

John