Hello y'all! This thread is a result of some thinking I have been doing. It seems to me that we are all really good at talking the talk (this is a forum after all), but I'm not sure how well we walk the walk. I think it is hypocritical for us to say one thing, and do another. Besides being hypocritical, it really takes the meaning out of the things we say. I would like each of us to stop and think about what we believe, and why. Give it some real thought. Can you honestly say that you live in 100% harmony with your beliefs?
Well, when beliefs are in a constant state of eternal progression, that is like seeking harmony with a flowing river. The rocks would symbolize your markers of concreteness, yet the rest still flows. The key is to isolate those rocks I think, and hold to them. Let them create themselves from within. Don't let others throw them in your river. Then, be open to the possibility that the river could dislodge one of your rocks, sweeping it up river until it is broken apart and becomes part of the flow once agian. Can harmony be made with a river? I don't know, but I think the first step would be accepting it for what it is. I think for me, that is what it is.
I know I can't. If you can, congratulations! If not... shame on you. Why not? I can think of a hundred excuses. But that's what they are excuses. We have no excuse for not living what we believe. I believe that it is imperative that we each strive to live exactly in harmony with what we profess.
If you are too hard on yourself it could damage your love for yourself.
There is not a single person whose actions are %100 in harmony with his or her values. Every person is hypocritical, but some more than others. You're way too idealistic. We are not morally obligated to live %100 in harmony with our values, because we are not able to. It is not reasonable to hold a person accountable for something s/he is not able to do.
Furthermore, "do what is right" is a little bit on the vague side to put it lightly.
Exactly. As in the case of the missionaries who went to try and save the tribal ladies from female circumcision. They did change thier minds, and they were right in trying, but that brought great repercussions which created a larger tradgesy than what they were experiencing before. It is possible to be harmed by "what is right." Light can bring warmth but it can also blind.
Expanding on what Storm has said, there are sets of beliefs that can be at odds with everyday reality, we don't have the ideal conditions to live by every supreme ideal.
also many ideals are meant to inspire certain behavior and reality,
Right, in which most of the ideals neither harm the doer or anything else. It can't even be realistically wedged into "wrong."
I think "right" and "wrong" are both coins with two opposite sides, one that heals and one that harms.
I think I understand what you are saying. And I don't think it has to conflict with what I'm saying. Let me see if I can simplify my position. Why do you do what you do? Because you feel like it? Or because you believe it is the right thing to do? I hold that everything we do should be because of the latter.
Unless it is harmful.
My opinion.
Harm for me, is the platform by which I decide what is right. Harm none... (unless for protection. lol) You can't be biased with harm, there is no middle ground, no justification. It is either harmful or it isn't. Then I go from there.
So with the lady crossing the street, if you see that she is blind and about to walk into incoming traffic and you turn away adn let her kill herself... sure you didn't kill her, but your lack of acting on that awareness did. It's indirect but it's still harm by you. Unknowing actions that bring harm accidentally of course can only be learned from. If you don't learn, well that's a problem.
I'm babbling. I have no idea what I am talking about. lol.
