Are we, as humans, not fulfilling our potentially unlimited capacity to do good and create justice? Why?

Question

I just feel that humanity as a whole is underachieving in our ability to do good and prevent evil.

Answer 1

First off, I agree we are not. As to why, well, I'll bet there's an individual answer for each person on this planet.

What is it that prevents you from giving of yourself?
Do you think it lessens yourself to serve others?
Why is there so much fear in the world?

I think that there has grown in our modern society, a subtle but pervasive fear of each other, fueled by our increasing isolation from each other.

How many new friends have you made lately?
Any conversations with strangers?

I'll have to admit that I am heartened when I see heroic work by many during events like natural disasters, but I am also dismayed by some of the less than noble issues of the day.

Whether we realize it or not, fear is at the root of warlike behavior

Think about the subtleties of warlike behavior:
are we guilty of war when we consider our race or country privileged?
how about when we try to regulate the thinking of other cultures by force rather than reason.
Is it warlike to think that the land of a persons birth must be the place of his livelihood?
How about when we consider that the god we believe in is the one others should accept?

Is any of this happening in our world right now?

We've got a lot of work ahead of us if we want to achieve the greatness we are capable of. And believe it or not, I think it's possible. One person at a time.

be an example for others

Bob

Answer 2

I agree 100%. we have not tapped into the potential that I think God has placed in each of us. I think that God lives in each of us, but we put him out in space somewhere. Tell me that evil don't get a kick out of that way of thinking. What if instead of telling people what rotten no good sinners we all were we would start to tell people that they have unlimited potential of bringing God into the world. How about instead of fighting over a statue of the 10 commandments being taken out of a court house and start showing our neighbor that we care enough for them to mow their yard while they are on vacation or take the time to stop and help someone change a flat, just think how the world would change.

Answer 3

Hey dude I think you should read this book called Jaiva Dharma. ITs awesome, it gives in depth insights about all material and spiritual aspects. Here's the 1st paragraph of the Intro (you can get it from www.purebhakti.com, and if you really do read it tell me what you thought), "Of the many religious traditions in the world, almost all of them
adopt various methods to propagate their respective ideals.
With this in mind, they publish literature in different languages.
It is self-evident that in the realm of secular education there are
elementary, intermediate and advanced levels, as well as higher
and lower branches of learning. Similarly, it is self-evident – and
those who are widely read and deeply learned in comparative religious
studies universally admit it – that there are gradations of
knowledge in the metaphysical teachings of the diverse religious
traditions. Amongst all these religious ideologies, the instructions
given by Sri Caitanya Mahäprabhu on the religion of prema (pure
love) are the highest revelation from all angles of vision. Surely,
once the world’s impartial thinkers are exposed to such sublime
understanding, they will unanimously accept this fact."