Humanity is broken

This chapter (CH 2) centered around the event of Don watching news coverage of genocide in the Congo and how it brought him to the realization of humanity being in a state of "brokenness". Not so much in the "brokenness we usually associate with a Christ-following life (one in which our pride or our strong-willed nature is broken by our connection with Jesus) but an actual mechanical or mental brokenness...one where we literally need God to fix us. He continued to address issues like thinking of others before yourself, self-addiction, and he continued deeper into the idea that each one of us innately needs and desires to return to this "fixed" state; through the process of renewed relationship and connection with God, which, initially was our condition, at the beginning, before the fall of the world.
Romans 3:21-24

Here are some questions that we used as we discussed these topics:

1. (Page 13) “I believe that the biggest trick of the devil is not to get us into some sort of evil, but rather have us wasting time. This is why the devil tries so hard to get Christians to be religious. If he can sink a man’s mind into habit, he will prevent his heart from engaging God.”
   -How does religion interfere with your being able to engage God with your heart?
   
   
2. How hard is it for you to think about other people more than yourself?
   
   
3. What do you feel like you are losing by thinking about people more than yourself?
   
   
4. (Page 23) “I know now, from experience, that the path to joy winds through this dark valley. I think every well-adjusted human being has dealt with his or her own depravity…I think Jesus feels strongly about communicating the idea of our brokenness, and I think it is worth reflection.”
   -How does the realization of our own brokenness lead us through the dark valley to joy?
   
   
5. Don said he realized the broken state of humanity by what he saw on TV. Do you have an experience about your realization of human brokenness?
   
   
6. Who do we blame for the problems we see all around us? What do you think our role is in these problems?