The Golden Rule

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leejosepho
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01 Nov 2010, 8:22 am

ruveyn wrote:

Think of Mother Teresa and the minds she has destroyed. And how much did she really help, teaching young Indian women to suck pus out of boils.

I have no idea how you might be equating that with altruism.

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ruveyn
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01 Nov 2010, 8:23 am

leejosepho wrote:

ruveyn wrote:

Think of Mother Teresa and the minds she has destroyed. And how much did she really help, teaching young Indian women to suck pus out of boils.

I have no idea how you might be equating that with altruism.

Altruism is putting the good of others before your own good.

ruveyn

Sand
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01 Nov 2010, 8:24 am

ruveyn wrote:

leejosepho wrote:

Wombat wrote:

Altruism has destroyed our civilization.

We decided to "help the poor" so we gave them money ...

That is welfare or whatever, not altruism.

It is not possible for altruism to cause harm.

Think of Mother Teresa and the minds she has destroyed. And how much did she really help, teaching young Indian women to suck pus out of boils.

ruveyn

It's an acquired taste.

auntblabby
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02 Nov 2010, 3:56 am

"good enough" only understands itself and cannot ever see anything greater than itself.

leejosepho
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02 Nov 2010, 6:38 am

ruveyn wrote:

Altruism is putting the good of others before your own good.

It appears I had been misinformed or something. I have been speaking of "All for one and one for all."

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ruveyn
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02 Nov 2010, 9:11 am

auntblabby wrote:

"good enough" only understands itself and cannot ever see anything greater than itself.

But it sees. On the other hand love is blind.

Old Russian saying: The Best is the enemy of the Good Enough.

ruveyn

Sand
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02 Nov 2010, 9:25 am

ruveyn wrote:

auntblabby wrote:

"good enough" only understands itself and cannot ever see anything greater than itself.

But it sees. On the other hand love is blind.

Old Russian saying: The Best is the enemy of the Good Enough.

ruveyn

Although it sounds the same, the emphasis is a bit better with "The good enough is the enemy of the best".

Wombat
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02 Nov 2010, 11:52 am

ruveyn wrote:

Think of Mother Teresa and the minds she has destroyed. And how much did she really help, teaching young Indian women to suck pus out of boils.
ruveyn

I don't know if it is true but I read that Mother Teresa lost her faith many years ago but still went through the motions as I suspect that many Priests and Rabbis do.

It is in our nature to want to help but there is only so much that we can do.

That is why well dressed Indians can walk past starving beggars in the street. You could give everything you have. All your money and all your time but it would be like spitting on a forest fire.

If a cold and hungry man came to my door I would feed him. But what if 500 hungry man were crowding the street? Should I give them all my food so that my family starves too?

ruveyn
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04 Nov 2010, 3:50 pm

Wombat wrote:

If a cold and hungry man came to my door I would feed him. But what if 500 hungry man were crowding the street? Should I give them all my food so that my family starves too?

Certainly not. You have to look after yourself and your family first. Any generosity to others must necessarily take second place in your concerns.

ruveyn

iamnotaparakeet
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04 Nov 2010, 5:44 pm

I think, "give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish, feed him for a lifetime" would apply. People who are in need of temporary assistance may merit generosity, but for a long term solution continual generosity is the wrong solution. People ought to be trained how to provide for themselves, not how to beg. There are certainly times when begging is all a person can do, and they need help then, but this as a permanent solution is horrendous.

Asmodeus
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05 Nov 2010, 8:15 am

The Golden Rule: He who owns the gold, makes the rules.

leejosepho
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05 Nov 2010, 9:01 am

ruveyn wrote:

You have to look after yourself and your family first. Any generosity to others must necessarily take second place in your concerns.

Yes, and I have recently had to set concerns even for some of my own family aside in favor of trying to look after my wife.

iamnotaparakeet wrote:

People ought to be trained how to provide for themselves, not how to beg. There are certainly times when begging is all a person can do, and they need help then, but this as a permanent solution is horrendous.

Although maybe not a large one, I believe that can be an issue when the "disabled" label is too freely tossed about.

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AngelRho
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05 Nov 2010, 9:04 am

Wombat wrote:

ruveyn wrote:

Think of Mother Teresa and the minds she has destroyed. And how much did she really help, teaching young Indian women to suck pus out of boils.
ruveyn

I don't know if it is true but I read that Mother Teresa lost her faith many years ago but still went through the motions as I suspect that many Priests and Rabbis do.

Mother Teresa didn't give up her faith at all. Any person of faith will have doubts from time to time, or they just become exhausted from living it out.

Consider the Psalm "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" The writer (David) is crying out to God because his whole world is crashing down all around him and he's in fear for his life. It is thought that Jesus recited this psalm while on the cross. If Jesus was the Son of God and also God, why would Jesus Himself have doubts?

I think part of the self-denial of the Christian experience is the endurance of these kinds of trials. Jesus recited a psalm because that which made Him human found momentary comfort in words uttered under duress. David knew God hadn't abandoned him. Jesus knew God hadn't abandoned Him. And if Jesus really did recite the entire psalm, then His message from the cross does not end in despair, but rather in praise.

There's no reason to think that Mother Teresa didn't have a similar kind of crisis in faith. She simply expressed her feelings at a time when she felt empty. Even the book of Job echoes the words of a person in pain, saying things out of character for someone who purports to know God. But given the circumstances, what is said is understandable. Mother Teresa was no different.

ruveyn
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05 Nov 2010, 9:25 am

leejosepho wrote:

Yes, and I have recently had to set concerns even for some of my own family aside in favor of trying to look after my wife.

your wife is the Rest of You. You are joined at the hip and other bodily places.

See biblical reference to One Flesh.

ruveyn

Sand
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05 Nov 2010, 10:19 am

ruveyn wrote:

leejosepho wrote:

Yes, and I have recently had to set concerns even for some of my own family aside in favor of trying to look after my wife.

your wife is the Rest of You. You are joined at the hip and other bodily places.

See biblical reference to One Flesh.

ruveyn

Interesting comment from an atheist.

ruveyn
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05 Nov 2010, 10:43 am

Sand wrote:

ruveyn wrote:

leejosepho wrote:

Yes, and I have recently had to set concerns even for some of my own family aside in favor of trying to look after my wife.

your wife is the Rest of You. You are joined at the hip and other bodily places.

See biblical reference to One Flesh.

ruveyn

Interesting comment from an atheist.

I believe the Gods are natural creatures. My Jewish ancestors might have had doings with advanced extra terrestrials.

ruveyn

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