It's not the Christians they're marketing to. They're investing for a return. But anyhow my point is there is no other belief being pushed as hard as Christianity in America. It is in our television, radio, podcasts, private and public schools, restaraunts, businesses, government & and even printed on our currencies.
It's hard for me to call a religion personal when it's sold to you.
It's hard for me to call a religion personal when it's sold to you.
I'm not a good person, but I STRIVE to be a good person. It's up to God and those I interact with to determine if my efforts are bearing fruit. My own moral code is based on both spiritual and humanistic concerns. The only time I'm truly ill at ease is when I'm in direct conflict with my own moral code. I don't know if I'll ever fully overcome those conflicts, but I can tell you that they're fewer, further between and less intense as I age. I hope that trend continues.
I agree with what Dale said, and it would be a part of my answer, but I will add, that I recognize there is a relative scale on which we all inevitably judge other humans. The problem though, with defining this scale, is it's completely subjective. Most people will have a tendency to not put much weight on things they do that are bad, when judging others.
For example, one person may be completely celibate and abstain from both sex, and sexual materials of any nature. This same person might be inclined to speed and run red lights. They will judge people who indulge in pornography and sexual immorality as bad, but will be less inclined to judge as bad the guy who regularly runs red lights, and ends up killing someone next week.
Although I believe as a general rule, we tend to accept that people who do not steal, cheat, or kill are mostly good people. But then that paints a broad brush that many people we don't consider generally good, would still fall under.
So, where do we draw the line? For instance, I tend to think that people who want to use government to control other's lives are bad people. Yet, I know many people who do believe this, and would have a hard time calling all of them bad people. Funny how that works, huh? I think it's because we have a real desire to blame an unamed bad guy, but we also have a desire to be loved and well liked. Sometimes those desires conflict.
So, ultimately, there are no "good people" but there are people who are relatively good.
For example, one person may be completely celibate and abstain from both sex, and sexual materials of any nature. This same person might be inclined to speed and run red lights. They will judge people who indulge in pornography and sexual immorality as bad, but will be less inclined to judge as bad the guy who regularly runs red lights, and ends up killing someone next week.
Although I believe as a general rule, we tend to accept that people who do not steal, cheat, or kill are mostly good people. But then that paints a broad brush that many people we don't consider generally good, would still fall under.
So, where do we draw the line? For instance, I tend to think that people who want to use government to control other's lives are bad people. Yet, I know many people who do believe this, and would have a hard time calling all of them bad people. Funny how that works, huh? I think it's because we have a real desire to blame an unamed bad guy, but we also have a desire to be loved and well liked. Sometimes those desires conflict.
So, ultimately, there are no "good people" but there are people who are relatively good.
Here's my take on it,
I think we are all born bad, I'm still bad, most of my thoughts are about how I can take care of myself, how I can get stuff, how I can entertain myself. Im very self centered! And I'm married, my poor wife.
I've used lonely women for sex, paid broken hurt women for sex, stolen little things, bought stolen things, hated people, fantasized about fighting and hurting men, I've lied to keep myself out of trouble, I stare at provactivly dressed women. The list goes on and on.
I have a 3 year old and and and 1 yr old kid, they are more self centerd than I am, I think the 3yo has already told her first lie, I didn't teach her that, nor did I teach her to hit people.
Alot of those things are common to alot of us. Thats the evidence I see daily.
Around 3400 years ago Moses wrote that God saw that all the thoughts of man were constantly evil, so I think its been a common theme for humanity.
Thats just my take, hope it didnt sound self righteous thanks for reading.
I think we are all born bad, I'm still bad, most of my thoughts are about how I can take care of myself, how I can get stuff, how I can entertain myself. Im very self centered! And I'm married, my poor wife.
I've used lonely women for sex, paid broken hurt women for sex, stolen little things, bought stolen things, hated people, fantasized about fighting and hurting men, I've lied to keep myself out of trouble, I stare at provactivly dressed women. The list goes on and on.
I have a 3 year old and and and 1 yr old kid, they are more self centerd than I am, I think the 3yo has already told her first lie, I didn't teach her that, nor did I teach her to hit people.
Alot of those things are common to alot of us. Thats the evidence I see daily.
Around 3400 years ago Moses wrote that God saw that all the thoughts of man were constantly evil, so I think its been a common theme for humanity.
Thats just my take, hope it didnt sound self righteous thanks for reading.
I think the foundation of being a good person is to be nice, in general. It seems a lot of folks today can't understand that.
I don't try to be good as much as I try not to be evil. I pray that that is enough.
Woody
Woody
