Before I answer this question I have a confession to make. When I started "Random Question Wednesday" I told myself to stick to the rules of the game (these questions are from a game called The Ungame). The rule is that you have to talk about what is on the card, no matter what, no draw agains or do overs. I drew this card a couple of weeks ago but didn't have time in my study schedule to fully address how I felt. This has been on my mind a lot lately, I put off posting this question for a couple of weeks so I could properly give it some time and attention.
I talk to a dear friend and coworker about all the questions I write about and her response to this one was; "What would Jesus do?" She knows me, we've had many discussions about religion, my 'lifestyle choice' and my having grown up Mormon. I told her that all Mormon children have a "CTR" ring to help them remember to always "Choose The Right". There is even an old hymn we sang called Choose the Right.
But now that I look at religion in a new light this means something entirely different to me. I no longer make a choice based on what someone else tells me that I should do. Who defines what is right and wrong? Do I make all my choices on what will benefit only me or something more? Do I have a social responsibility to do something in a particular way?
Here is how I feel; I have to do what is right for me and that could be a different choice than it could be for someone else. I also think that we do have a social responsibility to act accordingly in certain times and certain ways. This was something I learned in a high school social sciences class, not at church. We all have free will, we all have rights to live as we want and to pursue happiness. But do we always get what we want? An example is this; even though I would love to, I really don't have the right to shoot all the bad drivers. LOL
For me, I have to live by some guidelines. I also realize that I have to live with the consequences of those choices. So, I try to remember these things when faced between choosing "right" and "wrong";
1. Will a choice benefit or harm me? Or others too?
2. Does a choice make sense?
3. Will I regret the choice years down the road?
4. If my choice does affect someone else, am I treating them the way I would like to be treated?
Oh trust me, I make a lot of wrong choices! But my intent is to always do my best. I think that is the key for me, to just do my best.
I am very interested in hearing what people think about this! Leave me a comment or let me know if you post this question and your thoughts on your blog.
4 comments:
Good question.
For me, it boils down to common sense, taking a moment to think about the question and it's implications should you choose one way or the other.
I'm a firm believer that if people actually stopped and thought before they did certain things, they might just choose a different answer.
It doesn't mean I haven't made the wrong choices, it's just that maybe I wasn't listening to myself clearly, or was ignoring myself.
Just stop. And think.
Do as you will harm none.
Do unto others as you would have done unto you.
Common sense and enough information goes along way too.
That's how I roll.
We all start out with " our tribe" telling us what is right and wrong. As we become individuals, we all struggle with whether or not to accept or reject what our tribe teaches us.
Paradoxically, children recognize and sense BS more readily than adults.
I tend to use intuition to guide me what is right and wrong - but I have to go fast before the shoot statements and tribe dogma attack it.
I'm convinced after years out of the M Church, that you're right. I KNOW THAT the "still small voice" the Mormons used to talk about was ALREADY inside of me whether they were around or not. I, and I think MOST people have a SENSE inside of what is fair, right and true....and if they take "Bob's" moment to think about it, they'll hear it and know WHAT to do. MY only big mistakes happen when I just plow ahead and REACT to something instead of THINK about what it is I'm reacting to. GOOD POST, JIM.....always nice to make us humans think.
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