My own self-interest.
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What Keeps You on the Straight and Narrow?
- Thread starter SalixIncendium
- Start date
Lack of desire to do anything harmful to someone else. I've enough of my own problems/issues to deal with. There's no benefit in me in causing problems for anyone else.
To me, it's like asking, "Why don't you glue a pingpong ball to your forehead"?
I don't particular care to. Maybe if I had the desire, but way too much work to spend on something I have no interest in doing.
My moral compass points were it points. Maybe that changes with age...
It's the natural way.
QuestioningMind
Well-Known Member
The ability to empathize. If I know that I wouldn't want someone else to do a certain thing to me, then it would be wrong for me to do that certain thing to someone else. If the only reason you don't do something is because you fear punishment, then you're acting out of fear, not out of a sense of morality.
Actually, it isn't fear but rather grace and love that keeps me on the path.
Fear, in my opinion, causes one to fall more often. You don't look down on a tight rope, you look at your destination.
I remember a gold medalist skater who had fallen 3 times in practice and the anouncer said something like this:
"She fell three times. She must overcome the fear...". Well, she made the twirl in the air. How? Not by focusing on the fear of falling but on the successful jump.
No, miracles and signs and basic beliefs do not keep you on the straight and narrow. Powerful thinking and self-motivation do.
Rational Agnostic
Well-Known Member
Simple. I care about and have empathy for other people. If fear of going to hell or hope of going to heaven is your only reason for being good, you are most likely a psychopath, as psychopaths lack empathy, and only do good out of their own self-interest.
I think altruistic thinking is related to evolutionary psychology, in the sense that being a reliable helping hand can earn a lot of respect. As a result, others might step up and help you in return. Humans tend to be quid pro quo in that regard.
Obtaining status through brutality can backfire, hence the emergence of a more intelligent and sophisticated approach towards survival, especially since often times going "above and beyond" can make you a stronger individual yourself.
Therefore doing something seemingly selfless is often the most selfish thing one can do.
Obtaining status through brutality can backfire, hence the emergence of a more intelligent and sophisticated approach towards survival, especially since often times going "above and beyond" can make you a stronger individual yourself.
Therefore doing something seemingly selfless is often the most selfish thing one can do.
Twilight Hue
Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
Karma suffices. If you act ill or cruel, or kind and compassionate, one can eventually expect the same in kind in general.
It's how a person wants to be treated by the way one treat others that keeps a person on the straight and narrow or wide and reckless.
It's how a person wants to be treated by the way one treat others that keeps a person on the straight and narrow or wide and reckless.
Common sense. It's not that hard to figure out that mutual co-operation also benefits the individual. It's not rocket science. For those who seem to need fear, I simply don't understand them. We don't speed on the highway because the cops could catch us, but because everyone is safer, including ourselves.
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He's bigger than me.
I'll be honest: kharma and the idea of having an omnipotent being peeking over my shoulder (for me those two things are tied together pretty tightly) often compels me to do things I otherwise might not do and refrain from doing things I otherwise probably would have done.
I think for a lot of us a belief in God is a kind of metaphysical ankle bracelet. Ankle monitor - Wikipedia
I think for a lot of us a belief in God is a kind of metaphysical ankle bracelet. Ankle monitor - Wikipedia
Ponder This
Well-Known Member
Indubitably fear of the negative consequences of Hell does keep people on the straight and narrow. However, hope for the future also keeps people on the straight and narrow too. So fear is not the only motivation in general. However, fear may indeed be the principle (and possibly only) motivation for some people. To put this in perspective, there are people who, in the absence of a fear of consequences, would have no qualms about killing millions of people for the sake of personal convenience. I don't mean that as a matter of speculation. I mean that people actually exist who do not place any intrinsic value on human life, not even their mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, or children. The only reason they 'value' them is because of the negative consequences that would occur to them personally. I realize that this way of thinking is totally alien to some people, but this way of thinking actually exists and has been studied. It is the subject of certain questions psychologists ask people that helps determine a psychological profile.
Spiderman
Veteran Member
For me it's being kind to people, Daily Mass, daily rosary, Liturgy of the Hours, meditation, incessantly begging God for enlightenment, and to be filled with the Holy Spirit, incessant prayers to the angels and Saints, especially the Blessed Virgin Mary Mother of God, to guide me and Inspire my thoughts and actions.
It is extremely helpful, and I have come a long way, but I'm still quite screwed up, and I wish my prayers would be more thoroughly answered
Spiderman
Veteran Member
Amen!
God bless Frank, surround Frank with angels and Saints to inspire him, guide him, Enlighten him, cherish him, protect him, give him understanding of God's Will and fill him with the Holy Spirit!
May mother Mary hold him close to her heart and Jesus hold him in his wounded hands, when he must suffer the cross and the afflictions.
May the crosses he carries lead to a glorious Resurrection, atone for sin, and give him many riches, Treasures, and a beautiful mansion in the next life!
In Jesus name I pray!
Amen!
Shadow Wolf
Certified People sTabber
What exactly is good?
The moral compass pointing is what keeps one going in that direction.