Philippians 3:7-12: The Mystery of Altruism
Monday, July 4, 2022
Matthieu Ricard
Whatever gains I had, these I have come to consider a loss because of Christ.
On June 15, 2015, talk show host Diane Rehm spoke on the topic of altruism with her guest Matthieu Ricard. Ricard, a Frenchman who left a career in molecular biology for life as a Buddhist monk, has published an international bestseller, THE MONK AND THE PHILOSOPHER. Listen to some of the podcast today to discover why “Ricard argues that altruism is the key to solving major world problems like inequality and climate change”. Like Ricard, we ask ourselves about the mystery of altruism: How is it that consideration of others solves challenges more efficiently than power, money or fame. http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2015-06-15/matthieu-ricard-altruism
We might consider reading some of Ricard’s words as we contemplate the mystery of how we become strong in our weakness and confident in our vulnerability. We may also want to explore the relationship Ricard has with his atheist father and discover how East meets West in this intimate relationship. For a quick review and a link to an audio version of THE MONK AND THE PHILOSOPHER, visit: http://www.enotes.com/topics/monk-philosopher
Or listen to Ricard’s Ted Talk and learn about how the evolution of cultures can bring about change in the world through enhancing cooperation rather than competition, sustainable harmony rather than sustainable growth, caring economics, local commitment, global responsibility, and an extension of altruism to the other 1.6 million species on the planet. Consider how these ideas mix or clash with values that Jesus brings to us. Listen, watch, and learn about qualitative simplicity at: https://www.ted.com/talks/matthieu_ricard_how_to_let_altruism_be_your_guide
Image from: https://dianerehm.org/shows/2015-06-15/matthieu-ricard-altruism
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