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are very important responsibilities.
The point is, zeroing in on physical
marriage as the final purpose in life
can become a causative factor in
producing the bored and frustrated
housewife vortex. Marriage is a
wonderful inst itution. But it can
only do so much.
If
we a re to grasp
the significance o.f this paradox, we
must und erstand what human
beings a re and why we have the in–
stitution of marriage.
We talked previously about
human need levels. Humans are
first concemed about filling their
physical needs. Next, they want
security - protection against threat,
deprivation and anger. Then come
social needs: the desire to belong
and to associate with and be ac–
cepted by one's peers and friends.
Above that is the desire for self–
fu lfillment. This has been termed
"being creative in the broadest
sense of the term." It eotails making
a cootribution of irnportance.
Many sociologists stop here. They
see no leve! of human need higher
than this. Even if it is dimly per–
ceived, this next level is generally
sloughed off as beyond the realrn of
scientific inquiry, which lirnits itself
to that which can be tested in "the
laboratory."
Unveiling the Ultimate
to Happiness
King Solomon clearly recogoized
lhis higher level and philosophized
on what would really bring happi–
ness. Firsl of all, he never spoke
against the good things of li fe. " 1
commended mirth, because a man
hath no better tbiog under the sun,
than to eat, and to drink, and to be
merry: for that shall abide with him
of hjs labour lhe days of his life,
which God giveth him under the
sun" (Ecclesiastes 8: 15).
Soloroon was no ascetic. His
motto was: eojoy, enjoy, enjoy. (Of
course, this enjoymeot was to take
place within the bounds of God's
law.) Yet, he observed that, in the
20
end, aillife was frustrating and bor–
ing. It seemed to have no ultimate
purpose.
Boredom, of course, ar ises when
one has no compelling reason to do
whatever duty is before him. How–
ever, necessity or purpose makes
even the trivial important. To a
teen-ager, studying a foreign lan–
guage may appear painfully dull.
He sees no purpose in it. But the
same language study may become
excruciatingly urgent to a spy who is
to be dropped behind enemy lines
in three months. The agent has a
purpose for studying; it may help
him stay alive a bit longer.
Back to Solomon. For twelve
chapters, he discusses the woes of
this human life. Then in the 13th
verse of the 12th chapter, he opens
up a new vista to bored and frus–
trated humans: "To sum it a ll up, in
conclusion. Stand in awe of God,
obey his orders:
that is everything,
for every man"
(Moffatt versioo).
The King James Version says, "This
is the whole duty of roan."
(God's law, as laid down in the
Bible, was made for mao; not man
for the law. The law of God ex–
presses the guiding principies of a
way of life. This way is structured so
as to bring the greatest happiness to
al! humans.)
The translation of Ecclesiastes
12: 13 by the Jewish Publication So–
ciety reads: "This is the
whole man."
The Soncino commentary on this
verse explains the intent of the He–
brew in the following terms, "What
is meant is that this is the only true
answer to that quest of the chief
good in which the lhinker [Solomoo]
has been engaged." Solomon's
quest, of course, was to find whal
would really give humans lasling
satisfaction.
Solomon had everything and
could do everything. Yet he was un–
fulfilled, frustraled. "Why, why?" he
asked hirnself. His final conclusion
led hiro to the point that only ao–
other dimension could possibly give
meaning lo life. That extra dimen–
sion involves the question "Who am
1?" which housewives ask.
Ves, Who Are We?
Why do humans exist? Is there
sorne purpose in life to shape it,
mold it, give it meaning? Solomon
said there had to be. Otherwise life
simply did not make sense.
Humans, male and female, think.
They have needs. They know they
exist. Humans want to live long
lives - living
forever
wouldn't be
turned down - in an ordered,
ha ppy and productive manner.
Why? How did thls realization of
life living itself get into their minds?
And why, in spite of these desi res
for a happy and orderly life,
is
the
world so crazy? All these questions
have an answer.
The publication for which Solo–
mon wrote, the Holy Bible, clairns
that human beings were born for a
purpose and thal this purpose lrao–
scends the wisp of smoke we call
human life. This purpose gives
meaning to human life.
Every human, male and female,
can come lO experience a meaning
to life. Thal purpose, in a para–
graph, is the following: This preseot
physical life is not an end in itself.
Our three score and ten years are
merely a preparalion for being born
again and living forever as a spiri t
being.
You can find out about these in–
credible opporlurutíes by writing for
our booklet on this subject,
Why
Were You Born?
Also, get a copy of our booklet,
The New Feminism: Have Women
Ever Real/y Had Their Rights?
A
third booklet,
Why
Mar–
riage! .
..
Soon Obso/ete?
explains
the great purpose and meaning of
the marriage institution. All three
booklets will be sent to you on
request without any charge or obli–
gation if you write to the editor. See
the staff box on inside fronl cover
for the address nearest you and send
in for your copies immediately.
o
PLAIN TRUTH April 1973