Carl Jung

If there is anything that we wish to change in the child, we should first examine it and see whether it is not something that could better be changed in ourselves.

So long as religion is only faith and outward form, and the religious function is not experienced in our own souls, nothing of any importance has happened.

Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.

As far as we can discern, the sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light of meaning in the darkness of mere being.

When God became man all darkness and evil were carefully kept outside.

It is good if evil is sensibly covered up, but to act unconsciously is evil.

God can be loved but must be feared.

Divine Duality and Human Perception

Carl Jung explores the complex nature of Yahweh in the Book of Job, portraying a deity embodying both benevolence and malevolence. This duality challenges human understanding and faith, as modern individuals struggle to reconcile these extremes. Jung states, 'Such a condition is only conceivable either when no reflecting consciousness is present at all, or when the capacity for reflection is very feeble and a more or less adventitious phenomenon.' This dual nature implies an amoral existence, making it difficult for humans to comprehend divine justice and suffering.

Job's Moral Superiority and Rationality

Jung highlights Job's insistence on his innocence and his quest for a fair trial before Yahweh, despite acknowledging divine power. This underscores the ethical conundrum presented by divine actions. Job's steadfastness and moral integrity force Yahweh to confront his own nature, revealing Job's superior knowledge. Jung notes, 'Without Yahweh's knowledge and contrary to his intentions, the tormented though guiltless Job had secretly been lifted up to a superior knowledge of God which God himself did not possess.'

The Role of Sophia in Divine Transformation

Jung discusses the importance of Sophia (Wisdom) in Yahweh's transformation. Her presence brings balance, enabling Yahweh's decision to incarnate as a way to reconcile with humanity. 'Sophia steps in. She reinforces the much-needed self-reflection and thus makes possible Yahweh’s decision to become man.' This intervention signifies the importance of wisdom in achieving completeness and aligning divine actions with moral and ethical standards.

Christ’s Dual Nature and Predestination

Jung delves into the paradoxical nature of Christ, emphasizing his profound love for humanity juxtaposed with a predestinarian outlook that limits his message to the elect. This duality highlights the tension between universal salvation and selective election. Jung states, 'If one knows that one has been singled out by divine choice and intention from the beginning of the world, then one feels lifted beyond the transitoriness and meaninglessness of ordinary human existence.'

The Necessity of Embracing the Dark Side

Jung argues that individuals must acknowledge and integrate their inner darkness to achieve wholeness. He emphasizes that true wisdom, akin to that sought by Job, is crucial for this transformation. Recognizing and confronting one's darker aspects allows the synthesis of opposites, leading to a complete and balanced self. 'For the problem is not only moral: we also need the Wisdom that Job was seeking.'

Embrace Dualities in Life

Rather than seeing life’s challenges as purely negative, consider them as part of a complex whole, embodying both good and bad. This perspective can help one reconcile with seemingly unjust or contradictory experiences.

Seek Understanding, Not Just Resolution

Instead of seeking to resolve all contradictions or injustices, strive to understand their deeper meanings and implications. This might involve accepting that some questions may remain unexplained but can still contribute to personal growth.

Engage with Inner Darkness

Consciously acknowledge and integrate your darker aspects to achieve psychological and spiritual balance. This helps in mitigating vulnerabilities and strengthening moral resilience.

Value Relationships and Connections

Cultivate relationships and interconnectedness (Eros) to balance goal-oriented pursuits. Relationships provide essential emotional grounding and ethical context, echoing the relational void Yahweh experienced in the Book of Job.

Yahweh is not split but is an antinomy—a totality of inner opposites.

He is too unconscious to be moral. Morality presupposes consciousness.

Without Yahweh's knowledge and contrary to his intentions, the tormented though guiltless Job had secretly been lifted up to a superior knowledge of God which God himself did not possess.

Such a condition is only conceivable either when no reflecting consciousness is present at all, or when the capacity for reflection is very feeble and a more or less adventitious phenomenon.

If it is a matter of justice, who can summon him? ... He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.

The violence is meant to penetrate to a man’s vitals, and he to succumb to its action.

Yahweh is a phenomenon and, as Job says, 'not a man.

Yahweh’s divided attitude, which on the one hand tramples on human life and happiness without regard, and on the other hand must have man for a partner, puts the latter in an impossible position.

Yahweh has no Eros, no relationship to man, but only to a purpose man must help him fulfil.

Sophia steps in. She reinforces the much-needed self-reflection and thus makes possible Yahweh’s decision to become man.

Myth is not fiction: it consists of facts that are continually repeated and can be observed over and over again.

God wants to become man.

When God became man all darkness and evil were carefully kept outside.

It is good if evil is sensibly covered up, but to act unconsciously is evil.

God can be loved but must be feared.

Yahweh is not split but is an antinomy—a totality of inner opposites.

He is too unconscious to be moral. Morality presupposes consciousness.

Without Yahweh's knowledge and contrary to his intentions, the tormented though guiltless Job had secretly been lifted up to a superior knowledge of God which God himself did not possess.

Such a condition is only conceivable either when no reflecting consciousness is present at all, or when the capacity for reflection is very feeble and a more or less adventitious phenomenon.

If it is a matter of justice, who can summon him? ... He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.

The violence is meant to penetrate to a man’s vitals, and he to succumb to its action.

Yahweh is a phenomenon and, as Job says, 'not a man.

Yahweh’s divided attitude, which on the one hand tramples on human life and happiness without regard, and on the other hand must have man for a partner, puts the latter in an impossible position.

Yahweh has no Eros, no relationship to man, but only to a purpose man must help him fulfil.

Sophia steps in. She reinforces the much-needed self-reflection and thus makes possible Yahweh’s decision to become man.

Myth is not fiction: it consists of facts that are continually repeated and can be observed over and over again.

God wants to become man.

As a general rule, the unconscious aspect of any event is revealed to us in dreams, where it appears not as a rational thought but as a symbolic image.

Thus a word or an image is symbolic when it implies something more than its obvious and immediate meaning.