UnReal.

Last night was a very different outreach experience than the prayer station at Copley Square.  Since we are learning about value and our worth in Christ, Brenda Lewis asked us to take a survey to the streets and get a glimpse of the general population's worldview.  The survey was made up of three seemingly simple questions:

1.  Are humans more valuable than an inanimate object (e.g. table, lamppost, piece of paper)?

yes, no, or equal

2.  Are humans more valuable than an animate object (animals)?

yes, no, or equal

3.  In your opinion, from what do humans derive their worth?

For our entire group, the answers came quickly and naturally.  First of all, of course humans are more important than a table.. need I say more?  Secondly, humans are more important than animals.  Case in point, if a puppy and a baby were stranded in the street with a car quickly approaching and you only had time to rescue one, which would you save?  I love puppies, but I would hands down save the baby.  Finally, we all decided that we derive our worth or value from Christ.

However, on the streets we got some interesting answers.  Mind you, we were at Harvard Square so this could have something to do with the replies, but nevertheless, they were still... rather absurd.  Many people decided that we have equal or less value than INANIMATE objects.  Meaning, a table and a person have the same contribution to society.  Furthermore, a few people actually said they would save the puppy, not the baby.  As far as the question on worth goes, many people said it had to do with greed, wealth, good works, etc.

These are startling answers because most people that answer in that matter feel that they have absolutely no value in this world, no worth or significance whatsoever.  This gives me even more of a passion to tell them about Christ, everyone has value.

Forever perplexed.