The Trinary Being:
Humans have the characteristics of
a trinary being which, of course,
means that they are trinary
beings. By dogma we are taught that
"man consists of two essential
parts--a material body and a
spiritual soul." From this,
it is oftened assume that humans
only have two parts, body and
soul. While that is true, the
soul of a human is different from
the soul of animal, and an animal
is different from that of a plant.
Humans, animals, and plants all
have body and souls, but the souls
are different.
The soul of a plant has vegetative
powers which mostly relate to
survival and propagation such as
eating and reproduction. An animal
has a sensitive soul. Sensitive
appetites, such as love, hatred,
desire, courage, fear, and others,
are called
passions.
So animal souls have both
vegetative and sensitive powers.
Human souls have vegetative,
sensitive, and rational powers
which we will cover in a bit, but
the point is that souls vary
widely in their appetites and
powers.
Since humans are created, then our
souls are created. It would stand
to reason that our souls are
created differently than that of
animals, because our souls have
different powers.
As Aquinas points out, all the
animals in the Garden of Eden were
made of mud, but God used mud and
the breath of God to create man.
This is part of the evidence that
Aquinas uses to show that the
sensitive soul was transmitted by
semen, but the intellectual soul
was not (Summa Theologica -> First
Part -> Question 118 on
NewAdvent.org).
Saint John of Damascus (the
Damascene) describes Jesus as have
flesh (body), soul, and mind
(Orthdox - Book 3 - Chapter 18),
and all through his writings he
speaks of our spirit (e.g.,
Orthdox - Book 1 - Chapter 7). In
addition, the Damascene also ties
spirit to the rational powers of
the soul (Orthdox - Book 1 -
Chapter 8 and Orthdox - Book 1 -
Chapter 11).
While the Damascene often
represents the two natures of
human in reference to Baptism
(Orthdox - Book 4 - Chapter 9 and
he references Saint Gregory
Nazianzen), the two natures relate
to the soul and the body. The
soul changes. For example, the
Sacraments change the soul. Since
it can change, the soul is sinful,
and of course, our body has been
corrupted. Our body and soul need
Baptism.
On the other hand, the spirit is
indelible. It is the part of us
that never changes. Our spirit is
from God (not our parents). God
doesn't create sin, and our spirit
has no need of Baptism. That is
why Baptism only relates to two
natures.
A rational soul is created when a
spirit assumes a soul which is why
rational souls are often called
spiritual souls, and a human
occurs when a rational soul
assumes a human body. A human,
therefore, has three parts: body,
soul, and spirit. (1 Thessalonians
5:23).
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Dimensional Functionality:
Is it of any significance that a
rational soul is created when a
spirit assumes a soul? The answer
is that all powers are derived
from relationships. For example, a
trinary being has three
relationships which is much more
powerful than the single
relationship of a binary being. If
spirits had not assumed our souls,
we would only be another species
of monkeys.
Inanimate Objects:
When the object has only one part,
the part has no chance to relate
to another part within its being.
Without any relationship, no life
is possible. Dead plants or
animals and inorganic substances
fall into this area. Life only
exists within a relationship.
Living Organisms:
With two parts, a relationship
exists between the two parts, and
therefore, life exists in the
being. Since life exists as a
single relationship, the being has
no interest in anything except
that which immediately pertains to
life (e.g., survival, food,
reproduction). To use an example
from Aquinas, dogs can smell much
better than humans, but you don't
see dogs stopping to smell the
roses; because the sweet smell of
a rose is not pertinent to the
survival of a dog. On the other
hand, humans will climb Mount
Everest for some reason that they
can't quite put their finger on.
We wouldn't find a dog climbing
Mount Everest, unless the dog
could smell food on the summit.
For if life is but a single
relationship, then life only has
one dimension. Living organisms
are formed when a soul assumes a
physical form such as a body.
Plants and animals have two parts,
and humans are the only three part
being that we can physically
experience.
Spiritual Beings:
All spiritual beings have 3 parts
which have 3 relationships between
them. The Bible says that man is
made in the image of God. Since
God is a Trinity, we would assume
that man is a trinity, and indeed,
we do have three parts. Spiritual
souls are formed when a spirit
assumes a soul, and humans are
formed when a spiritual soul
assumes a human body. The three
relationships of a spiritual being
construct a number abilities and
characteritics that are not found
in binary beings. The following is
not necessarily an exhaustive
list.
Free Will: Three
relationships create a three
dimensional life which has many
interests. For example, spiritual
beings (e.g., humans) might fast
from food and sex in search of
understanding, or their survival
might be sacrificed for a cause.
On the other hand, bilateral
beings perceive a single
relationship and are unable to
choose anything that is outside
that relationship, because we
can't choose something that we
don't know exists. Choice requires
at least two things to choose
from, but bilateral beings have
only one relationship to choose
from; so bilateral beings do not
have free will.
With a single relationship,
bilateral beings that live on
earth are strictly material
beings which demonstrates that the
materialism promulgated by the
politically correct doctrine is
false. In this religion, man
evolved from ape and invented God
for profit (e.g., Karl Marx -
i.e., to hide the material reality
of class struggle) or some other
motive.
These claims overlook animals
which are a part of the material
world. Why then, don't animals
invent God as a part of their
stuggle for superiority over their
peers?
Animals focus only on material
reality. With this singular focus,
they should be able to overwhelm
humans who have so many immaterial
interests and fantasies. In the
incorrect world of Dawinism,
Communism, and atheism, man with
all of his impractical interests
and endeavors would have been
eliminated almost from the
beginning.
Alas, the politically correct
doctrine that the material
authorities require us to remember
and repeat is functionally dead
(i.e., a design that doesn't work
because its basic strategy defeats
itself) as testified to by the
overwhelming success of frivolous
humans! Our success is living
proof that relationships trump
materialism (not that it couldn't
be shown in several thousand more
ways).
As Saint John of Damascus
logically deducted, the intellect
is the spirit, and therefore,
anyone who takes an intellectual
interest is by definition taking a
spiritual interest. Aristotle,
Aquinas, Augustine, and many
others have shown that all
intellectual pursuits are actually
spiritual. The intellectual
pursuit of immaterial
functionality is a spiritual quest
which is only possible because of
our multidimensional
relationships.
Nothing is so convincing as a
relationship. By their trinary
nature, humans are urged to take
immaterial but highly successful
quests that other animals don't
even consider.
Our spiritual (aka, intellectual)
interest in immaterial things
demonstrates an extreme
differentiation from all other
species. It is a differentiation
that demonstrates our
multidimensionality.
Multidimensional animals can not
evolve from material animals
anymore than material animals can
evolve from inanimate objects. To
this day, we can only propagate
life; we can not create it. Only
God can add or drop dimensions.
Unique Identity: When
beings have three parts, they will
ponder their identity. When only a
single relationship is available
as with a two part being, it is
impossible to perceive an
identity. In bilateral
relationships, each person
perceives the other, so they know
they are alive; but while their
experience is a single dimension
reality, reality is actually
multidimensional. This leaves
bilateral beings with no clue of
how or where they fit. A trinary
being has three relationships
which adds the dimensionality that
is needed to triangulate an
identity within three dimensions
(Note: that the dimensions are in
relationships - not time, space,
etc.).
Eternal Life: When
one part of a trinary being dies,
the being will continue to live
with two parts. The being will,
however, no longer have the
attributes of a trinary being
(e.g., free will, identity quests,
etc.). For example, when a human
dies, the soul and spirit continue
to live, but they no longer have
free will or other trinary
attributes and abilities. Then, if
a binary being attains the third
part, the trinary attributes will
be assumed as well. For example,
in Heaven, when spiritual souls
receive their glorified body at
the end of the world, they will
resume their trinary attributes.
Binary beings (e.g., plants and
animals) can not survive the death
of their body. Their souls are
left without a relationship, and
nothing lives without a
relationship.
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The Role of the Spirit:
Spirit is a word that carried over
from ancient times into modern
English without much alteration of
meaning, and we, therefore, know
something about the spirit of a
human from the English language.
For example, we can see a person's
spirit as it is reflected in the
person's personality, tendencies,
and actions.
Our spirit is what separates us
from other animals. To some
extent, we can determine the role
of the spirit by looking at the
differences between humans and
other animals. Animals have
vegetative and sensitive souls.
Humans have these, but they also
have a rational soul. As the Saint
John of Damascus and others have
noted, reason is a power of the
spirit. The spirit is highest
intellectual power of the human.
Vocation:
Each person has a genius in
certain areas. The genius is often
very specific. For example, a
person might be a genius at math
but be poor in other subjects.
Other people might be exceptional
at healing, writing, or
agriculture, and then they don't
standout in other areas. We don't
find these vast differences in the
sensitive appetites. In animals,
passions nearly always manifest
themselves over either food or sex
(from Aristotle). One individual
of a species is not given a
unique talent in these areas. The
differences in intellectual skills
of humans comes from the spirit.
Since intellectual skills are a
component of a person's vocation,
a person's vocation is defined by
their spirit.
Since God is infinitely efficient,
He does not create without intent
and purpose. Each human has the
dignity, identity, and expectation
of a specific calling. As we come
closer to our calling, we are more
likely to be successful and happy,
but our vocation can only succeed
within relationship. In a minor
way, the relationship can be
provided by a community, but the
relationship is meant to function
as a reflection of its creator. In
other words, we will never know
who we are, until we find
ourselves in God.
The spirit is alive and requires a
relationship. On a smaller scale,
we see this within our bodies
which consist of trinary beings
(i.e.,
intelligent recursion). Each
part of our body has a vocation
that works with other parts of the
body. If any part becomes
separated from the body, it dies.
Each part also has a higher call
than survival, but that calling is
realized only within a higher
relationship. For example, our
muscles will survive without
refinement, but their skill grows
by cooperating (relating) with a
higher intelligence. When a
musician practices, the muscles
are refined into a skill. The
spirit in the muscles remains the
same, but the relationship of the
muscles to the music gradually
grows.
It is easier for some to learn
music than others, so the spirit
has attributes and abilities.
The vocational attributes are
differentiating factors within the
spirit, but through relationships,
the spirit must be integrated
before the differentiation has
value. The higher the relationship
the more valueable the
differentiation becomes.
Life Expectancy:
In our present condition, the
appetites of our souls do not
always agree with the attributes
of our spirits. The conflict
between the spirit and soul will
weary the soul.
We see the same thing at our level
of recursion. The conflict in the
human race (e.g., violence or
disease) will kill many of us.
When these things don't kill us,
we will die because of our own
weariness. In most cases, we grow
weak of our own weariness and
succumb to some general cause.
The mother of all conflicts is
between the identity of the spirit
and the appetites of the soul. The
spirit only draws satisfaction from
exercising the unique attributes of
the identity. A principal glory of
the body was that it could accept
change, but that ability allows the
orientation of the appetites to
move away from that which satisfies
the spirit. With our sinful
appetites, we then begin to long
for those things which make life
seem so futile and worthless to
our highest intellect. Our
emotions are torn between
disorientated appetites and
immutable intellect. We have no
peace, and life is wearisome.
We inherit our bodies and souls
from our parents. Since the fall
of Adam, we inherit a corrupted
nature. On the other hand, the
spirit is the breath from God
(Genesis 2:7) which isn't
corrupted and doesn't change. We
see this in vocational genius that
is consistent throughout the life
of the person. A person who loves
music, will always love music, and
a natural mathematician will
always like math.
On the other hand, all appetites
can change. For example, even the
appetites from the vegetative soul
will change. We will tend to crave
those foods which we have been
eating during the last year.
Transvestites are made (not born).
The appetites of the sensitive soul
change more easily than those of
the vegetative soul. For example,
we are far more likely to have our
anger or joy subside than our sex
drive. While we are alive, we can
expect our appetites to change
which gives us profound
opportunities and devastating
liabilities.
We can reduce the conflict between
the soul and the spirit by becoming
more holy which is why holy people
live longer than the general
population. This is also why
immoral people do not live as long
as the rest of us.
The linkage between life
expectancy and morality has been
demonstrated in many studies. For
example these 2 demonstrate the
link between church and a longer
life.
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The BBC reports:
From (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/401091.stm)
The research looked at 4,000 old
people from North Carolina, and
found that of the 1,177 who died
during a six-year period, 22.9%
were frequent church attenders,
compared with 37.4 who were
infrequent attenders.
Similar results were produced by
the University of California at
Berkeley in a study of some 5,000
people aged 21 to 65.
Those who attended religious
services at least once a week had
a 23% lower risk of dying over the
28 years on which the research was
based.
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About.com reports:
From (http://longevity.about.com)
http://longevity.about.com/od/longevityboosters/a/religion_life.htm
A study using data from the
Women's Health Initiative found
that women aged 50 and up were 20%
less likely to die in any given
year if they attended religious
services weekly (15% reduction if
they attended less than weekly)
compared to those that never
attend religious services. This
analysis was controlled for age,
ethnicity, income level and (most
importantly) current health
status. The data was collected
through surveys and an annual
review of medical records. What
was interesting was that the
religion effect applied to overall
risk of death, but not to risk of
death from heart conditions. There
is no explanation for why that
might be. The fact that the study
controlled for overall health
status makes it more possible that
attending religious services has a
positive impact on health (not
just that healthier people go to
services more often).
Another study also found benefit
to attending religion services,
this time expressed in added years
of life. Researchers have found
that weekly attendance at
religious services is associated
with 2 to 3 additional years of
life. These findings were
controlled for other factors such
as amount of physical exercise and
taking cholesterol medications.
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Studies have also shown that the
opposite behavior produces the
opposite results. If we suffer from
immorality we have a shorter life
than the average.
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LifeSiteNews.com – A new study
which analyzed tens of thousands
of gay obituaries and compared
them with AIDS deaths data from
the Centers for Disease Control
(CDC), has shown that the life
expectancy for homosexuals is
about twenty years shorter than
that of the general public. The
study, entitled “Gay obituaries
closely track officially reported
deaths from AIDS”, has been
published in Psychological Reports
(2005;96:693-697).
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A study conducted in Vancouver
British Columbia and published in
1997 in the International Journal
of Epidemiology (Vol. 26, 657-61:
http://ije.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/26/3/657)
indicated that "life expectancy at
age 20 years for gay and bisexual
men is 8 to 20 years less than for
all men."
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The concept that the conflict
between the spirit and soul is the
principal influence of life
expectancy is also demonstrated in
the Bible. In the beginning, Adam
and Eve had no conflict, and the
body did not die. After sin came
into the world, man died after a
very long time. When man became so
wicked that God had to start over
(i.e., the flood), the life span
of man dropped to less than 1/10th
of what it was. With the
advancement of science and
religion, the life span of humans
is growing again which indicates
the beginning of the restoration.
Our antagonists would argue that
the advancement of medicine has
led to longer life, but we would
argue that the advancement of
medicine occurred only from our
spirits that we reconciled to our
soul through Jesus Christ. In
other words, our medical ability
is tied to our spirituality.
Without the Christian spirit which
was made possible through Christ
(to state the obvious), our
medical knowledge (a function of
our spirit) would not
significantly advance. If we are
intellectually honest, we will
admit that the preponderance of
medical innovation came from
Christian countries, and those
countries never invented much
before they were Christian.
The life spans of humans testify
to the saving power of Jesus.
In the beginning, humans lived
forever, then as they became more
sinful they gradually lived a
shorter and shorter time until the
flood. Then they lived a much
shorter time. As humans became even
more sinful, the life span of a
human reached its smallest length
when Jesus started His Church.
After the formation of
Christianity, humans have
progressively increased their life
spans. Only one logical conclusion
can be drawn from this; by
participating in the Church of
Christ, the appetites of our souls
are brought more in line with the
attributes of our spirit. Then we
live longer, because we are less
weary.
Eternity: The
relationship between our soul and
spirit determines our destiny on
earth and our happiness in
eternity. While we are on earth,
the closer we come to path that
God designed for us, the happier
we will be. In death, the
agreement between the soul and
spirit is the key to peaceful
existence in the presence of God.
If the spirit and soul oppose each
other, we will obviously suffer
anguish in death.
It is incumbent upon us to choose
the path that leads to our
calling. We can not add to what
God has made, we can only become
the person we are called to be.
The parts of us that are not from
God will not be saved. God doesn't
change. He will have the same plan
for us when he judges us as when
He created us. When He looks at
our souls, He will determine if
they want the same thing that He
designed into our spirit.
While God judges us, we will still
be attracted to the same things
which might be good or bad. If we
desire what is sinful, we will be
electing our own ruin. The agony
in Hell is the soul wanting things
that the spirit rejects (and vice
versa). On the other hand, if we
have found tranquility in our
identity, it will lead to our
salvation. In Heaven, all things
cooperate towards the interest of
Life.
Some parts of us are the same on
the day that we die as they were
on the day that we were born. They
stand like immovable rock that the
vicissitudes of life do not
change. The immutablility of the
spirit in this life continues as
an identity after death.
In Hell, our very spirit finds no
satisfaction in our appetites. The
appetites of our soul long for a
false identity which does not satisfy the
spirit, and the immutability of the
spirit is eternally frustrated.
With intelligent recursion, the
process is repeated at different
levels of recursion. At the end of
the world, the good go one way,
and the bad go in a different
direction. We can expect the same
thing to happen as we die. We
wouldn't expect the souls with
good appetites to go the same way
as the bad.
While we are alive, the body lives
together as an interdependent
system that the body requires.
After the body dies, the souls are
no longer dependent upon each
other, so souls with different
appetites drift apart. We call
this process purgatory.
Rationality:
When the spirit assumes a soul,
the soul becomes rational. Besides
enabling the human to have triune
abilities, our highest powers (the
powers of the intellect) come from
our spirit.
We often think of reason as a
psychological experience of an
individual, but our reasoning is
affected by many different things.
For example, the Holy Spirit
inspires the thinking of the
Church. In turn, the Church
influences our reasoning. By
participating in the Church, we
often reach the same answers of
the Church without knowing why. In
fact, our theology will be no
better than our experience as the
Body of Christ. In this example,
we see that we don't have much of
an understanding of what reason
is.
We often hear some technical
person explain that computers will
have more intellectual ability
than humans, but what exactly is
intelligence? If we want to say
that it is arithmetic, we already
have computers that can do math
much faster than a human. In fact,
computers display no ability
whatsoever without a program that
is written by a human. Since
computers are one hundred percent
dependent upon humans, we can
hardly say that they are smarter
than humans.
Our ability to reason is obviously
far more than a bunch of brain
cells making calculations, but
even if that were the case, any
parallel processing array has to
have a higher intelligence than a
bunch of unguided calculations.
Our spirits are social beings.
When we dislike someone we will
tend to disagree with them, and
when like them we tend to agree
with them. The more we like
someone, the more likely we are to
learn from that person. When
people tell us that we are smart,
we will learn more easily. Studies
have shown (Elkins - 1958) that
children who are more accepted
also learn more easily.
Love makes a group more
intelligent. Since we learn more
from those that we like (last
paragraph), then the more we like
each other, the more intelligent
we are individually and as a
group.
Intellect comes from the spirit
(St. John of Damascus). We can
imply that as a group gains in
intelligence, it is becoming
stonger in spirit. In other words,
love, intelligence, and spirit all
flow from the same dynamic.
When life giving love infills are
beings, the frowns on our faces
are replaced with smiles which
naturally draws us into
relationship and intelligence, and
it also creates a more joyous
spirit that accelerates our
ability to learn. Love make us
believe in Love which opens arrays
of infinite possibilities, and our
imaginations are provoked with
creative inspirations that are an
unmistakable sign of our Faith.
For the elect, being saved is the
better part of life.
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