Doing right

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   Doc Youngposted 9 years ago

   what drives mankind as a whole to do that which is "right" - assuming the definition of "right" is as follows, outtake from dictionary.com:
   
   right
   adjective, right·er, right·est. 
   1. in accordance with what is good, proper, or just: right conduct. 
   2. in conformity with fact, reason, truth, or some standard or principle; correct: the right solution; the right answer.

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      AshtonFireflyposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      I'm not sure that I would agree all of mankind has a drive to do that which is "right," according to the definition you provided. I think all of mankind only has a natural drive to do that which best serves himself. To some this is right, to some this is not. Each person has a notion of what they think is "right" to do. Even then, sometimes they do it, sometimes they don't.
      
      What is "right" is not universally accepted, and therefore the notion of universal pursuit of it cannot be universally acknowledged.

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      psycheskinnerposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Some combination of self-interest and compassion.

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         wildernessposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         That's the way I see it, too - most people instinctively understand the rudiments of karma, (get what you receive) and act accordingly.  Not all, unfortunately.

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      Rad Manposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      We are currently living in societies that are vastly different than the societies that we have evolved to live in. Imagine a tribe with 50-100 people all depending on each other for survival and all letting each other know what was and what wasn't acceptable behaviour. What was for the good of the tribe was most important and that requires compassion and care as well as discipline. Today one can hide and become selfish, perhaps that's why we have prisons. However most of us still have the desire to help breed in us. It's part of humanity, and it can be seen in our closest relatives. For example monkeys will complain if they feel they are being mistreated, but will not complain if they are being favoured. Chimps will all complain if one of them is being mistreated or unfairly treated.

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   Kathryn L Hillposted 9 years ago

   The sense of right must be instilled by parents. If it is instilled by parents during the first six years, it will be strong. Children have a natural propensity to follow the parent or adult in charge. The parents' window of opportunity to set the boundaries of proper behavior continues until the child is about fifteen. After that, he starts to guide his own will. What he has absorbed from his parents now emerges as his own.

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   Cgenaeaposted 9 years ago

   To me, doing what is right takes love. To someone else, money. To others still, the right thing takes intelligence and drive to beat everyone else to the top of the "heap" no matter what. Then stick your head over the railing and "look down your nose".
   And there are a tremendous amount of other options of what "right" represents.
   And another thing, my parents (both at home, and totally committed) were TOTALLY different from me. I had other ideas. They were/are fine citizens. Not one of the stereotypicalities apply. Both of their children were totally different people. We made our own patterns. Not everyone fits into a neat little box.
   Right, becomes wrong when we pass the mic.

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   lone77starposted 9 years ago

   Humanity as a whole is driven to do that which is wrong. How? Self-concern. Each individual is looking out for their individual selves. This is selfishness. This is ego, the opposite of love.
   
   Only when we follow the teachings of Christ -- to love our fellows (even our enemies) as ourselves -- will we be able to heal the world (tikkun olam). This is the "right" solution. All other actions lead to suffering and self-destruction.
   
   When we are Love, then everyone benefits. Abundance exists. Pleasure abounds. Suffering ceases to exist.
   
   http://perceivingreality.com

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      Doc Youngposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      ... yeah ... but ... have you ever said to God "Lord i am a sinner and i can't change on my own, Jesus come into my life and save me" ...

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         Kathryn L Hillposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         have you?

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            Doc Youngposted 9 years agoin reply to this

            ... yup ... and you?

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               Kathryn L Hillposted 9 years agoin reply to this

               Why do you ask?
               
               
               It is Each To Their Own in these here forums.

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                  Doc Youngposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                  ... just checking ... in response to yor q ...

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         wildernessposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         No - why would I?  I am dictate my actions and take full responsibility for them.  If those actions need changed, I will do it and not rely on a mythological creature from the past.

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            Doc Youngposted 9 years agoin reply to this

            ... agree or not, at least it is a pleasure to get a straight answer ... wish your were on my team ... maybe some day ...

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         MelissaBarrettposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         Yes, I did.
         
         He then told me to get off my ass and stop being a victim. He said that he was quite busy enough on his own and that maybe if I wanted to change I should probably go about it the way that normal people do and stop whining about it to him.
         
         He then told me to stop being a lazy ass who expected everyone else to do the hard work for them, gave me a number to a therapist's office, and wished me well.
         
         On the way out, he told me that I might want to volunteer at a homeless shelter or a burn ward to get a little perspective and also to stop thinking that the world revolved around my belly-button. Then, he said, I could maybe offer up a prayer that wasn't all about my insignificant petty self-involved problems and at least pray for something useful if I was so convinced that all problems could be solved by spending all my time yapping at him.

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            Doc Youngposted 9 years agoin reply to this

            ... hhmmm ... i think i've been insulted ... hard to tell as it lacks originality ... ... next ...

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               Cgenaeaposted 9 years agoin reply to this

               Great peace have they who love thy law, and NOTHING shall offend them...
               Grain o salt...bitterness is as bitterness does.
               Our God is waiting for us all to say yes. But he knows that not everyone will. His way is that we realize our need for him. Not things. He wants us to acknowledge him in all of/everything we do. He wants our undivided attention. Then and only then, may we be free.

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                  MelissaBarrettposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                  So, if one wanted to stop using drugs, or beating their wife, or raping little boys.... you would suggest that all they needed to do was ask God to change them? The Bible says that? Where?

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                     Doc Youngposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                     ... eewww ... melisser ... slow it down ... too much discontent ... specially on a sunday in the mountain momma ... certainly not a beckley girl with that attitude ... must be in williamson ...

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                        MelissaBarrettposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                        Not discontent, low tolerance for BS. What part of the state does that make me from? If it helps, I don't have a gun rack in the back of the pickup I don't drive and I have all my teeth. Does that narrow it down a bit for you?

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                     Cgenaeaposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                     To change, one needs to change his mind. David was big on doing it all wrong and coming to know. We need something to change it to. Our way is not working. We need a new way. His way is available to us. We come to know his way. We change.  No finger-snap alive... process. Relapse rates; remorseful sodomists of babes, and mentally insane husbands may all attest to the fact that our own efforts are often not enough.

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                        MelissaBarrettposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                        And Christ alone didn't work too well for Jim Baker or Jimmy Swaggart... didn't seem to go too well for Fred Phelps either.
                        
                        Believing in Christ doesn't automatically make you a better person no matter how many times you say you are weak and turn yourself over to Christ. Eventually, you actually have to get off your butt and do something to change yourself... if you are really wanting to do something other than give lip service.
                        
                        After all, even demons acknowledge Christ and admit his powers. I read that somewhere once.

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                           Cgenaeaposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                           It starts...in the mind. Once renewed, you are able to know what to do. Mind renewing is the "reading" no one should miss. It is a process. You cannot let Jesus only reside on your lips. We must be doers. But doers of the word. You cannot do what you have not come to know. The pastor said, "Slow growth is sure growth. If you start doing before you know what to do...all your doing is in vain.

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                              Cat333posted 9 years agoin reply to this

                              Well said, Cgenaea!

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                                 Cgenaeaposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                                 Thank you for that. I always prefer to align with spirit, and be a voice that is recognized by spirit. No offense to anyone.  God works with us according to our own faith. No one else's.
                                 My heart wants what God wants; even if I must change my mind.

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               MelissaBarrettposted 9 years agoin reply to this

               No, you haven't. I don't know you to insult you.
               
               I do, however, think that telling people that all they have to do to change is pray is dangerous and completely unproductive. Change takes actual effort.
               
               Saying a prayer and then sitting around waiting for Jesus to change you is going to produce absolutely no change. There is nothing in the Bible that says it will. I have no idea where that line of thinking even came from but it's denominational (I could even tell you what denomination) and not supported by most Christians... me included... obviously.

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               Emile Rposted 9 years agoin reply to this

               I wouldn't say it lacked originality as much as it showed a lack of patience. But, considering the ridiculous nature of the statement it was in reply to, who could blame her?

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                  MelissaBarrettposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                  Patience has never really been a strong suit for me. I'll pray for that as soon as Jesus gets me that job as one of Mc Hammer's backup dancer. (I said that prayer a LONG time ago, never practiced or auditioned or anything, but I'm confident Christ will make it happen.)

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                  Doc Youngposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                  ... careful ... your qaballa is showing in an insensitive manner ...

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                     Emile Rposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                     I can't decide if you are for real, or simply a sock puppet on holiday. I'm leaning toward the latter.

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                        Doc Youngposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                        ... see ... no sense of humor ... everything is an insult if it doesn't agree with your ideology ... but then again, humors not one of the branches on your surreal tree of life ... there are few things in this world that are worth taking seriously ... sorry, you're not one of them ...

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                           Emile Rposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                           You are very odd.

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                              Sed-meposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                              lol. This is a strange place.

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                              bBereanposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                              Just wait until the tigers and bears have a chance to chime in.

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                              Doc Youngposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                              ... finally a compliment ... thank you, my friend ...

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                                 Sed-meposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                                 Emile does not smile, nod and blink. She's a thinker and a discuss-er. Unfortunately, there are few to no threads where we are able to share our beliefs without being challenged, but that is a good thing when the challenge is about open dialogue. It sucks when it is about insult and stone throwing. I am often very impressed with Emile, she is almost always about the dialogue. In my humble opinion, you should avoid being a stone thrower, especially when dealing with a dialoguer.

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                                    Doc Youngposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                                    ... shall i defend myself ... i think not ... there is no necessity ... or value ... the retorts of your "friend" speak for themselves ... your unwarranted, misguided intrusion in her defense does the same ... so i will continue to respond in a manner deemed appropriate ... and it has become tiresome, not to mention irresponsible to see the use of words and bending of scripture regarding phrases such as "stone throwing" and "judging others" thrown toward people on both sides of the cross, in an effort to demean others in a saintly, holier than thou attitude patterned toward self aggrandizement ...

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                                       Sed-meposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                                       You are called to something higher.

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                                          Doc Youngposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                                          ... as i said "tiresome" ...

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                                             Sed-meposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                                             Do as you see fit.

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   Cgenaeaposted 9 years ago

   Whew!!! I almost worried...

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   ematthowertonposted 9 years ago

   I am a gun owner, I drive a truck and I have all my teeth. I am from the South and if I wasn't a supporter of the 1st Amendment, I might've taken offense to your description of a person believing in Christ and praying. If you like ridiculing people for their faith then take your best shot. I have skin tough as leather. Good luck with the "backup dancer" thing. If it's God's Will, it will happen. If not, He has other plans. God Bless You

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      Sed-meposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Hello good sir, it is helpful to click "reply" on the actual post of the person you are replying to. It allows us to know for sure who you are speaking to. If the posts seem hard to follow and out of context, click on "Chronological" instead of "threaded" on the top right of the screen. It will be very helpful to you.

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