Philippians, part 2

We now move into Philippians chapter two. The first half of the chapter is very well known in christianity. It starts off with Paul telling the Philippians to make his joy complete by being likeminded, having the same love, spirit, and purpose. "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves." Let us pause right there.

At first glance this policy may sound admirable. However, it fails on a fundamental level. Its almost impossible for a person to think everyone else is better than they are. Better in what way? More skilled at certain tasks? It is usually clear when a person is better at a job than another person. Should they try to  act as if they are not? Are they to be considered morally better? Even if they are a thief or a murderer? Are they to be considered spiritually better? On what grounds? We cannot know the exact level of the quality of each persons psyche. We cannot measure a person's spirituality. We don't even really know what that means. Is all ambition selfish? Is it wrong to surpass the accomplishments of another, and accept recognition that you have done so? Would it not be a lie for a master craftsman to consider his new apprentice better than himself? Some people have better lives than others, because of circumstances, choices, opportunities. It is natural for people to look for ways in which to better their lives according to cultural standards. Where is the fault? Some people act better, some people sing better. Some people are wiser, kinder, and gentler than others.

I would say that the fault, if there is a fault, is in not treating others with the same regard we would wish for ourselves if we were them. Why should we expect to be treated with regard, if we are unwilling to extend the same to others?  Some remedies are empathy, sympathy, and compassion. Those are not  the same as false humility and self-abnegation. If we find ourselves in any kind of position that is considered superior to another, we also need to recognize how much of a lottery life is. It is not because of our personal virtue that we were born at a certain time, in a certain place, to a certain family, with certain genes. Life is not fair, but we can refrain from kicking others when they are down, without making a pretense of groveling in the mud ourselves. We can also refrain from exploiting any advantage we have over another person.

I  think Paul fails at his own advice. He clearly thinks he is better than the readers of his letters in many ways, even though he tries to deny it. He seems to think he knows more about what Jesus and god want because he's got a personal phone line to god. He receives revelations. God chose him to go to the Gentiles. He expects other christians to listen to him and his teaching about Jesus. He expects everyone to listen to him and his teachings about Jesus. When he tells the Philippians to be likeminded, he means that they should all think and believe as he does. You can bet your boots he thinks he's better than those other people in chapter one who are supposedly preaching the gospel just to make trouble for him. He thinks he's doing all his unselfish preaching work for his god, who probably doesn't exist. So who is he really doing it for? He's doing it for himself, because he believes his own delusions and is convinced that he will reap the ultimate reward if he perseveres. This is the same motivation of vast numbers of Christians who have also believed Paul.