BY: LUKA JOSHUA PREAMBLE According to Blessed Pope John Paul II of blessed memory; a number of factors seem to be working towards making people today more deeply aware of the dignity of the human person. Despite many contradictions, society is increasingly witnessing; a powerful thirst for justice and peace, a more lively sense that humanity must care for creation and respect nature, a more open search for truth, a greater effort to safeguard human dignity, a growing commitments in many sections of the world population to a more specific international solidarity and a new ordering of the world in freedom and justice. Against this insightful background is the thrust of this editorial therefore; to analytically highlight the dignity of the human person, its hope for a better society void of inequality, hatred, narrow-mindedness to mention but a few. Central to this piece therefore, is a conceptual analysis of the terms, the dignity of the human person, rights and privileges of the human person, practical challenges of the human person, and possible resolutions. It is however envisaged therefore, that this piece will serve as a point of departure in awakening interest on the need to protect the dignity and value of human life. CONCEPTUAL ANALYSIS DIGNITY: The term dignity has several meanings most especially when predicated in a proposition. Mindful of these facts, it is nonetheless expedient to construe dignity in this sense. According to Encarta dictionary, dignity implies self respect, a sense of pride, seriousness in behaviour etc. Synonyms of dignity include: stateliness, majesty, formality, solemnity, grandeur, impressiveness, nobility, etc. HUMAN PERSON: The term “human person” has its derivation from Boethius of Alexandria; he conceives the human person as an individual substance of a rational nature. According to Jacque Maritain, the person is seen as more than an isolated individual body, but as a dynamically interior person able to grow deeply in oneself through the others with whom he or she communicates, therefore seeing the person in relation to other persons. DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON The dignity of the Human person therefore, is the respect or grandeur, to an individual by oneself and others. Predicating the human person with the concept dignity, to a large extent defines the place and privileges of man (male and female) above all animals in the world. Man from its earliest inception is a social being, who desires to be loved and catered for. Creation has made man a dignified being above every other animal. Little wonder, whenever the dignity of the human person is being stressed, it is because man is no longer treated as being qua being, but as an animal and an object of pleasure or contempt. Unfortunately, the structures of inequality, hatred, dehumanization, injustice, poverty unemployment, sectarian violence and religious narrow-mindedness have to a great extent relegated the dignity of the human person to the drain. Down the ages, there have been clarion calls on the meaning, values and dignity of the human life. This is because life has degenerated to a marketable commodity: such that, human parts are being bought and sold by ritualist for money. Sympathy is the cry we hear in our society today. This is because those who have being entrusted with the responsibilities of championing the human cause have to a great extent failed us. We must understand that many people are hungry not for food but for a smile, for a word of encouragement and appreciation. Many are thirsty not for water but for recognition and a sign of friendship. Others see themselves as strangers not because they are, but because they are treated as such. All men are searching for meaning to their existence, and only few in most cases scale through. Because of this injustice, there is need to reflect on these posers: Are all men born equal? Do all men have equal right? Are we sure that some persons are not destined to be great and some destined to be poor? PRACTICAL CHALLENGES OF THE HUMAN PERSON There are indeed several challenges of the human person. Nonetheless, in the heart of this piece; injustice and poverty shall be considered. INJUSTICE: The ability to give an individual his due is considered just and fair. Those whose right have been trampled upon cry out for justice {even the aborted foetus} and sort for fairness. It is only in our present day society that the poor are jailed and sometimes killed for petty theft while, the rich are publicly celebrated for looting public funds. The situation is so bizarre, because injustice has now become the curriculum vitae for employment, cream of the crop for the elite and the tenet in most law digs. POVERTY: The intensity of poverty has continuously widened the gulf between the elites and others; such that the middle class have squashed up. Young ladies with promising future, parade their dignity and worth in most cases not for the gain of material possession. Pregnancies are aborted not on birth complications, but for the pleasure of promiscuity. Children with high sounding academic skills, lack the means of qualitative education, thus opting for hawking in our streets. Graduates with first degrees and good managerial qualities lack employment. This is so because some privileged few, have personified the dignity and worth creation offers to humanity. PROSPECT AND RESOLUTIONS A conceptual grasp of the fact that life is sacred, which can be rephrased as, the dignity of an individual is sacred; will to a large extent eradicate immorality. The responsibilities of protecting and promoting the rights values and privileges of our fellow men, lies in active participation and demonstration through love in our society. Nelson Mandela once said, “I greet you all in the name of democracy,” this is because he has had a firm grasp of what it takes to be a servant instead of a dictator and a slave to his people, instead of a tyrant. CONCLUSION Having a care for creation and respect for nature should be our watchword. Everyone is indispensable in the unbiased scheme of creation. Recognising the fact that we are never complete and perfect, unless a Midas touch is given to our lives by others, will to a great extent condition us all to live in the consciousness of the dignity, rights and values of our fellow men. Hence according to Kahlil Gibran, ‘‘should we confess our sins to one another, we will laugh together at our lack of originality.’’
Posted on: Fri, 08 Nov 2013 20:14:53 +0000
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