Goodness
What drives people to be good? Or are we inherently good? Reading Mrs M's blog about morality and values made me think about this. With Christians I can understand it - inspired by Jesus and following God's laws; love your neighbour as you love yourself etc. But what sort of paradigm do those use that are atheists? I was very interested to hear that Zackie Achmat from the Treatment Action Campaign is actually an atheist. He has done more than a lot of Christians combined (me included - ouch!). Where does he get this sense of compassion and goodness from? Is it just about treating others with respect and treating them like you want to be treated? Is it just about basic human rights? Or do we learn how to treat others from our parents and those around us? That seems a little too simple though, and a cop-out for evil people. We always have a choice. Maybe it's that good people are touched by God but they just don't ascribe it to Him...?
2 comments:
I think the way people are raised has a lot to do with their eventual lives and the way they choose to lead it. Tobes and I were talking about this over lunch yesterday...I wonder what she'll have to say about it
You get to a point in your life, when you realize that Karma is a reality.
Why treat someone else in a manner which you would "never in a million years" allow someone to treat you?
Making someone smile or just feel appreciated gives you energy, it gives you a reason, a purpose in life.
No matter how bad your day is going, or how horrible your life is, if you are somewhere and a stranger gives you an honest smile, you really can not help but to smile back. It immediately lifts your spirits (as little as it may be, a lift, is a lift in the right direction)
Some people have to hit an all time low in their life, or sadder still, make someone else hit an all time low, to have something awakened inside them and realize life is way too short.
No one knows when they will no longer be, do you really want to go after making someone cry, knowing you'll never be able to correct it?
Will this then burden you for eternity?
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