Communication as a relationship: Outside reading

In John Durham Peters' book, Speaking Into the Air, he challenges the reader to define communication. He explains that soul-to-soul communication is the purest form of communication, but humans cannot achieve this because we are imperfect beings. I would agree and when looking at different religions, they are centered on having a relationship with God and communicating with God.

According to the Christian Bible, God made man in his image, but was separated from God because of sin, creating a break in his relationship with God. Because of this separation, man sought ways to fill this connection by seeking it in relationship with others, so God gave commandments to the Jews for them to live by. There are 613 commandments listed in the Torah. Each one is meant to strengthen their relationship with God. The Jews said blessings and prayers to be in a relationship with God. The Jews later built a temple where God dwelt and His people could be in his presence to pray and communicate with God. The Jews believed that they could communication with God by completing works to have a relationship with Him.

Despite the laws given to the Jews, God’s people continued to disobey his commands and sought out connections with others in replacement of him, so he made a way for his people have a relationship with God again by sending his Son down in the form of man, a perfect Adam, to live a life that his people could not. Jesus, while he was earth, was in relationship with his followers teaching them to obey God. He disseminated sermons helping to bridge the gap of communication between God and his people. Ultimately, God sent Jesus to die on the cross so that our relationship could be restored with the Father. I believe that humans’ separation from God is the reason why relationships are so important in communication. We seek connection with one another to try to connection with our Creator.

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