Are we here for others or for ourselves ? That is a question humanity has asked since the beginning. I don't think we are any closer to an answer today than we were a thousand years ago. Instinctively we know that just doing for ourselves is a selfish act and that is wrong. In the Christian tradition God so loved us that he sacrificed his only son to save us from ourselves. It is from that feelings of guilt stem when we fail to care for our fellow man. There are instances when instead of repenting for our misdeeds we attempt to justify them. We employ logic and reason, much like the fictional Spock of Star Trek fame would. Eliminate the emotions ! But, eliminating the emotional means eliminating the soul. Isn't that the truth of it all. Humanity is propelled by emotion. Logic and reason will not satisfy the need. We can talk and discuss until we are exhausted but at some point action must occur. The logic and reason may fuel the emotional response. That response may be viewed in a negative light, after the fact, but action is necessary. Conflict and war may be the result, a revolution may take place, or perhaps just the reaffirmation of what is already known. We are pushed to action when we become uncomfortable. That occurs when we allow ourselves to be made so. Self doubt is the corrosive that eats away at our souls. What is required is a certainty of the soul. It is more than just knowing, it is believing. Knowledge and belief are separated by a very thin veil. And so we must ask, what is this soul ? It is in the origin of the soul that hold the answers.
Are our souls are own ? That is to say, is each soul unique, independently created, or formed by others ? Does life begin with the creation of a soul ? Do you have to be born before gaining a soul ? Just where does the soul come from ? I would say the soul is a gift from the creator of life, whatever you conceive that creator to be. It has been long established that humanity shares the same basic " rights " as written in our Declaration of Independence. It was declared in that document that those rights stem from God. God is, to me, the creator of life. It follows then that the soul comes from that God as a gift, a part of creation. A piece of the whole. Each of us are just a piece of the whole of humanity. As such we are obligated to care for the whole. We are not here to satisfy ourselves but to contribute to the whole. We are to do so even when it is uncomfortable. The discomfort should serve as a reminder. Discomfort will move us to action. The action we choose should be of benefit to others, not necessarily to ourselves. Relief comes from doing what is right and just. How can we know ? We can only compare it to a standard. It is the adoption of that standard that defines us and I would say our soul. That is the choice we are given. How we use the gift we have been given will determine success or failure.
We must remember our obligation is as much to instruct, as to grant. Just as a parent should instruct their children so should we serve as an example to humanity. All things in moderation. Aristotle spoke of moderation in all things. Often that phrase is attributed to the Bible but that isn't so. I submit the truth of it is so great that it became associated with the Bible. The Bible does contain words of truth. Yes, I know, man has tampered with the text. The moral of the story remains the same however and that is what is of importance. It is that moral that we should focus upon, not necessarily each word of the story. That is the moral standard I try to employ.
What does all of this have to do with the question, are we here for ourselves, or for others ? Guess that depends upon the answer to this question, are you here as a random act or here to serve a purpose ? Are we all just an amusement ? The ancient Greeks thought so, as evidenced by their mythology. They believed in Gods, Gods that would interfere in the events of man. Would a single God do the same ? Having read my Bible and gaining some understanding of the moral of that story I would have to say I am here to serve some purpose. I was created as a part of the whole and therefore belong. When my purpose has been fulfilled I will be gone. It is not imperative that I know my purpose in order to fulfill it. That is a part of the struggle we call life.
Are our souls are own ? That is to say, is each soul unique, independently created, or formed by others ? Does life begin with the creation of a soul ? Do you have to be born before gaining a soul ? Just where does the soul come from ? I would say the soul is a gift from the creator of life, whatever you conceive that creator to be. It has been long established that humanity shares the same basic " rights " as written in our Declaration of Independence. It was declared in that document that those rights stem from God. God is, to me, the creator of life. It follows then that the soul comes from that God as a gift, a part of creation. A piece of the whole. Each of us are just a piece of the whole of humanity. As such we are obligated to care for the whole. We are not here to satisfy ourselves but to contribute to the whole. We are to do so even when it is uncomfortable. The discomfort should serve as a reminder. Discomfort will move us to action. The action we choose should be of benefit to others, not necessarily to ourselves. Relief comes from doing what is right and just. How can we know ? We can only compare it to a standard. It is the adoption of that standard that defines us and I would say our soul. That is the choice we are given. How we use the gift we have been given will determine success or failure.
We must remember our obligation is as much to instruct, as to grant. Just as a parent should instruct their children so should we serve as an example to humanity. All things in moderation. Aristotle spoke of moderation in all things. Often that phrase is attributed to the Bible but that isn't so. I submit the truth of it is so great that it became associated with the Bible. The Bible does contain words of truth. Yes, I know, man has tampered with the text. The moral of the story remains the same however and that is what is of importance. It is that moral that we should focus upon, not necessarily each word of the story. That is the moral standard I try to employ.
What does all of this have to do with the question, are we here for ourselves, or for others ? Guess that depends upon the answer to this question, are you here as a random act or here to serve a purpose ? Are we all just an amusement ? The ancient Greeks thought so, as evidenced by their mythology. They believed in Gods, Gods that would interfere in the events of man. Would a single God do the same ? Having read my Bible and gaining some understanding of the moral of that story I would have to say I am here to serve some purpose. I was created as a part of the whole and therefore belong. When my purpose has been fulfilled I will be gone. It is not imperative that I know my purpose in order to fulfill it. That is a part of the struggle we call life.
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