What will you do to save (or ruin) the world?

[turk179]

Is there anything you do or have planned that will make the world a better place. Maybe it's a small gesture like helping and elderly person across the street or maybe it is paying for a strangers dinner while dinning out yourself. Or maybe you are feeling the opposite and will be letting the air out of someones tires today.
Today I will be paying for someone Else's gas.
So what can you do?

 

[ChristineES]

I am not a great person, so all I can do is be polite to people I meet and try to help those in need I come across. Since I am religious person, I also pray for those in need (I am reluctant to write this since I know that any nonbeliever will ask, "what good is prayer?" but I believe in prayer and sometimes that is all one can do for someone.)

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Uhhhhhh.............
.......................
I'm more prone to let the air out of someone's tires.

Today I will be paying for someone Else's gas.

That I can imagine will make someone VERY happy. But as for me, I'm more likly to syphon the gas out of someones car that gets on my bad side.

I do however donate money to animal shelters and wolf institutions, such as Wolf Park and Internation Wolf Society (which I am a member of).

 

[Hema]

I suggested to my fiance that when we get married, from time to time we will give charity to a nearby orphanage or animal shelter.

Apart from that, I think that we should all make it a day to day activity. Whenever someone needs help, we should never hesitate to assist.

Shri Satya Sai Baba says "Hands that help are holier than lips that pray."

To me, when we help others, the universe will ensure that one day when we are in need, someone will be there to help us.

 

[Bishka]

Well, it was more my husbands idea, but I'm doing it too. My best friend, who has been ill most of last year and has recently declared medical bankruptcy, we are hoping to take her to London, England this summer.

 

[Quagmire]

I'm going to breath the air, float on my back in the River of Serendipty, and (to the best of my ability) keep my heart, my mind, and my hands open and see what I bump into today.

 

[giant space amoeba]

Is there anything you do or have planned that will make the world a better place. Maybe it's a small gesture like helping and elderly person across the street or maybe it is paying for a strangers dinner while dinning out yourself. Or maybe you are feeling the opposite and will be letting the air out of someones tires today.
Today I will be paying for someone Else's gas.
So what can you do?

Im a beleiver that even the smallest of actions can indirectly make a big difference. But either you got to make a lot of small actions or many people make small actions. This can be for bad or good. Of course the bigger the action, the more significant the impact. We'll never make a perfect world because there is no such things "perfect", however i try to do some things. I buy fair trade (rather than give to charity, though i do want to give to water aid or something) and i like to help people, i try not to ask for money back (unless i desperately need it) from my freinds. I try to encourage positivness (which is hard when you dont feel positive yourself), and i make other small gestures either to the environment or other people. However i don't like to be walked over like a doormat with my nature (i cant help it, for some reason ive always tried to be nice - and failed!).

Err - does that answer your question?

 

[PureX]

Is there anything you do or have planned that will make the world a better place. Maybe it's a small gesture like helping and elderly person across the street or maybe it is paying for a strangers dinner while dinning out yourself. Or maybe you are feeling the opposite and will be letting the air out of someone's tires today.
Today I will be paying for someone Else's gas.
So what can you do?

The rest of the world is not my responsibility. I didn't create anything or anyone. I'm not in charge of anything or anyone, and I don't even know what would be the "right way" for things to be.

So I will just mind my own existence, as best I can determine that it should be expressed.

The one concession I will make to my declaration of non-responsibility is that I can, do, and will see myself expressed in other life forms, and I can, do, and will see the essence and nature of other life forms expressed in me. And I believe that this tells me that we are in a way, one huge complex living organism. And if this is so, I should try and figure out my place and purpose within this mega-organism, and fulfill it. I have spent much of my lifetime at this task, and expect to continue at it. But I'm still mostly ignorant regarding these questions, and live by trial and error.

I have no plan. But I do have an intuitive sense that leads me to try and increase the joy, peace, and sense of value of other people, and of life (forms) in general, as I encounter them.

 

[eudaimonia]

Is there anything you do or have planned that will make the world a better place.

Sure. I work on making myself a better person. It all starts there.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[lilithu]

The rest of the world is not my responsibility. I didn't create anything or anyone. I'm not in charge of anything or anyone,

You do not exist as a self-contained unit.

and I don't even know what would be the "right way" for things to be.

"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" is a good start. (Note the mutual dependancy in that golden rule?)

 

[michel]

Sure. I work on making myself a better person. It all starts there.


eudaimonia,

Mark

Very true. The trouble with me - and I hope that it isn't fed by vanity, is that I believe that I am here for a purpose. Apart from being a Husband and father, I have done various things in life to try and help others - but that still isn't enough.

I *think* I have learned what it is that I am here for. One of the most important and needy tasks now is to bring understanding and tollerance between all people - but, at this present time, most urgently, between Muslims and Christians. One of our members (I am ashamed to say I have forgotten who), pointed me to http://www.ministryforpeace.org/ and I am in the process of joining them; aslo a friend of mine will be helping me to try and arrange"multi cultural evenings" - non-denominational - to try and show that, deep down, whatever "label" we have, we are all just people, and that violence and hate are totally senseless.

 

[eudaimonia]

That sounds like a good activity, michel. Good luck with that.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[giant space amoeba]

The rest of the world is not my responsibility. I didn't create anything or anyone. I'm not in charge of anything or anyone, and I don't even know what would be the "right way" for things to be.

So I will just mind my own existence, as best I can determine that it should be expressed.

I don't beleive in an absolute purpose. I beleive this universe just exists and i happened to exist within it.

Saying that i AM here and the things i do affect other people so i better make the best of it. Therefore i make my own purpose, and i want to make sure that my puropes does not harm others negatively.

Of course we do have the right not to be bothered what happens to others but i guess in my case its emapthy, i dont like to suffer therefore why should i let other people suffer? It doesnt always work even if you try though because everybody is diferent and has their own purpose, that might involve any thing i think im doing is good but they may see otherwise, i guess we must compromise but not at the sake of individual liberties.

Im trying to maintain a balance of looking after myself yet be mindful of other people.

 

[Majikthise]

I bought a four cylinder truck that's great on gas.
I've had all new windows installed in my house to save energy.
I raise my kids to be respectful and empathetic towards others.

 

[Gentoo]

I'm trying to cut disposible everything out of my life. I'm trying to get a job where I can educate people of all ages on the importance of nature, and hpefully get them to see that taking care of the Earth is everyone's duty rather than letting it fall on the shoulders of a few.

 

[Hema]

You do not exist as a self-contained unit.

True! We depend on others as well. We depend on garbage collectors, farmers, doctors etc.

 

[Feathers in Hair]

I bought a four cylinder truck that's great on gas.
I've had all new windows installed in my house to save energy.
I raise my kids to be respectful and empathetic towards others.

Not only that, but you keep an avatar which never fails to give me a heart-warming gigglefit. I think that should count for a whole bunch! :hug:

My dream is to be a writer who will help remind people of how good they are and can be. I hope to also join an 'adopt-a-tiger' type of organization, or sanctuary.

 

[lilithu]

Turk, ever since you started this thread I've had Rebecca Parker's words running through my head. (Dr. Parker is the president of Starr King seminary for Unitarian Universalists, so you are in good company. ) This is what she said:

Your gifts - whatever you discover them to be -
can be used to bless or curse the world.
The mind’s power,
the strength of the hands
the reaches of the heart,
the gift of speaking, listening, imagining, seeing, waiting.
Any of these can serve to feed the hungry,
bind up wounds,
welcome the stranger,
praise what is sacred,
do the work of justice
or offer love.
Any of these can draw down the prison door,
hoard bread,
abandon the poor,
obscure what is holy,
comply with injustice
or withhold love.

You must answer this question:
What will you do with your gifts?

Choose to bless the world.

 

[turk179]

After looking back over this thread that I started, I must think that it looks like I was trying to brag or bring attention to how good and nice I am. I realize that there is not that many people on this forum who know me as a person but I hope that none of you thought that. After seeing some of the responses and after the day that I am having, I must admit that maybe the world isn't ready for turk's stupid acts of random kindness. (It's amazing what a bad day can do to your perspective of life.)
Thanks lilithu, for making me feel a little more human today.

 

[Feathers in Hair]

After looking back over this thread that I started, I must think that it looks like I was trying to brag or bring attention to how good and nice I am. I realize that there is not that many people on this forum who know me as a person but I hope that none of you thought that. After seeing some of the responses and after the day that I am having, I must admit that maybe the world isn't ready for turk's stupid acts of random kindness. (It's amazing what a bad day can do to your perspective of life.)
Thanks lilithu, for making me feel a little more human today.

:hug: I can only speak for myself, but I think your true personality comes out in your posts. You are no different in person than in your 'RF persona', and from that, I would doubt that even the people who know you soley through the forums would ever think that you were 'bragging'. I'm sorry that you've been having a bad day. For what it's worth, just knowing people like you (and the rest of your family!) exist is an act of kindness itself!