8/13/2019 Ownership of Self
1/3
The Ownership of SelfWho owns you might seem like a stupid
question in this day and age. After all, slavery
as a stain on society was made illegal quite some time ago. Yet
we are hearing of more and
more cases coming to light in our so called modern age. Whether
as domestic or industrial
workers, invited into the west with promises of good work
opportunities and decent wages.
Only to find themselves under lock and key, without pay, and
their passports confiscated.
Or they may be brought in illegally so that they don't even
exist to the country's
authorities.
We are told within christianity and other major religions that
god created us in 'HIS'
own image. This does not mean physically, but with a soul or
spirit as an individual in ourown right, and with freedom of will.
So essentially, nobody has the right to claim ownership
of us, not even god. We own ourselves in mind, body and
soul.
Of course we may contract ourselves out in the world of
employment, but that is a
mutual contract, where we agree to certain terms and conditions,
within reason.
And the employer agrees to treat us fairly and has a statutary
duty of care within the
workplace towards his/her employees.
There are other types of contracts, regarding affairs of the
heart, whether verbal,
written or implicit when two people meet and fall in love.
In our modern society, the idea of marriages or partnerships
being for life has evolved
somewhat. The understanding being that people and their
emotional feelings can and do
change over time. Where once the flower of young love and mutual
passion bloomed,
dissillusion and disappointment may have caused this love to
wilt and die. For whatever
reason and where there is mutual recognition that this love has
run its course, there may
not be any problems. Of course there may be financial, property
or issues regarding
children that need to be addressed. These should, and can be
dealt with through mutualrespect and compassion.
But problems may arise when the breakdown is one sided. When one
of the partners is
unable or unwilling to recognise that the partner has fallen out
of love with them. This may
raise the ugly head of jealousy, possessiveness and anger. The
partner expressing these
8/13/2019 Ownership of Self
2/3
emotions, in a sense is trying to take ownership of the other.
He or she may resort to verbal
abuse and or physical abuse of varying intensity. This is often
in order to cling onto the
other or to undermine the other partner's self confidence or
self esteem. They will often use
such statements as 'you need me or you are nothing without me
and nobody else will want
you'.
All of these of course are manifestations of fear of rejection,
abondonment or loss. This
may have nothing to do with the current relationship but stem
from childhood issues or
previous failed relationships. Perhaps he or she simply has a
mindset that regards the other
as belonging to them indefinately. In other words, viewing the
other partner as their
property with no right to end the relationship. In extreme cases
this can often lead to
tragedy, including the murder of the other partner, and or any
children involved, as has
recently been reported on various news stories.
As stated previously, the only person who can own you, is
yourself and you alone have
responsibility for your own actions.In some situations, a
partner may become so undermined or abused that they begin to
think, 'it must be my fault, they don't mean it, or perhaps I
can change them'. We all have
a right to our own choices and decisions regarding
relationships. Nobody has a right to
force you into a marriage or relationship and nobody has a right
to keep you in a marriage
or partnership against your own will.
Happily, recognition of the dangers brought about due to failed
relationships is being
addressed by law in most western countries, but some do still
slip through the net.
Of course, issues concerning the right of self ownership is not
confined to personal
relationships. Over the centuries, religious authorities have
sought to control an
individual's religious and spiritual beliefs. In extreme cases,
patriarchal and often
misogynistic religious authorities would declare any individuals
or groups with differing
beliefs as heretics. As long as these authorities could maintain
a fear hell and damnation
together with a fear of torture and execution, then they could
control the populace and the
wealth that came with it.
This sort of control is the real heresy. Usurping an
individual's personal right to their ownspiritual connection with
the divine. Even children do not belong to us in the sense of
ownership. We are their guardians, protectors and teachers until
such time as they are able
to express their own individuality as sentient spiritual
beings.
Just as we, as adults have, the right to own OURSELVES.
