Do you honestly do good for the sake of others, or is just for eternal rewards?

Question

The religions of the world seem to agree that you should do good to others, sometimes at your own expense.For example, if you see a beggar on the street, it is "good" for you to give him some food or money. It's a bit of an inconvienance for you, but the begger is very needy so you should do this anyway?

Now here's the tough question: do you do good for sake of others, or is just because you want some profit in the afterlife?

Put another way, suppose you have two options. First: everyone who ever lived goes to hell, except you. That option seems quite selfish. Your other option is for you to go to hell FOREVER with no hope of escape, but the rest of humanity goes to heaven and will be eternally grateful for their salvation. In other words, you can choose between eternal rewards or the greatest charity possible. Which option, honestly, would you choose?

For those of you saying others: would you go to hell to save humanity? Leave the actual situatioin out of it, this hypothetical question.

Everyone here pretty much dodged my question.

Answer 1

Well honestly speaking, most of the time i do good for my satisfaction , feeling that yes i can be useful to some one else.....
Ooops such a difficult condition but i ,ll go for the second option, though its very difficult to live in hell but its even more difficult to get selfish n let others burn in hell , i ,ll try to sacrifice myself for the comfort of others.. this is wht i m thinking now..i realy have no idea wht will i do if it happend actualy,

Answer 2

Hmmmm. I think your question lacks a third reason why people do good. If i were to rewrite it, i would state it this way:

Do you honestly do good for the sake of others, to make yourself feel good, or is just for eternal rewards?

My answer:
I give blood very regularly. I've been doing it for many years. I give blood so that others may live, and because i owe a blood debt. (I was in a car accident when a teenager. If not for the existence of bllod banks, i would not have survived.) I give blood because it makes me feel good, because it's an easy way to do good. You know?

I also work with castoff children, those without permanant homes, regular meals, adequate clothing--children and teens who are (as Janis Ian once put into words) 'lacking in the social graces'. I could have a better paying job but i do this one because i'm good at it and because i can and because it's not all about money. I do thhis good for their sake, and because i get paid to do it, and for them, too--oh yes definitely. For them. It's like a calling.

I often take food to homeless people begging with signs in the street. I don't give them money (i won't feed their habit) but i will buy them something to eat or something to drink. I do it as a gift to them, and to myself, too, to try to remember that there but for fortune and stubbornness, go i.

I don't believe in heaven and hell. I am not at all sure about which of the gods and goddesses that people have revered over time might be THE right one to worship--so i don't do any of that religious stuff, either.

Doing right by others helps me be a better person, which is, after all, my daily goal. And so i continue--because it feels good to me to do right by others.

We are all interested in doing that which makes us feel good, are we not, whenever and where ever we're going to profit most (so we hope), are we not?

Ah! The human species is definitely selfish at heart! That's what has made us so successful on this planet at this time.

Answer 3

I would and have done it for the other person's sake because you never know when you may be in the same position as the beggar. My husband and I have gone through some rough times and truly feel that we should do our part to help others because of our love for other people who are struggling.
Although we want to go to Heaven, it is not our reason for showing others kindness, it is a bonus if we do profit from God's love.

Answer 4

In reality I think most people religious or not do good expecting some kind of reward be it corporeal, intangible, or spiritual. This kind of thinking is bad. Sadly many times when you help someone he or she may never be in a position to repay you or just simply won't do it. I figure that if you do a good deed for someone consider it just that. A good deed. Do not expect anything in return and you will not be disappointed.

Answer 5

The Bible clarifies this point when it says that "our works are as filthy rags" to God, therefore it would not earn our Salvation and entrance to Heaven. Only accepting the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross would allow us to be saved. Therefore, the options you present are not valid either way. I would only choose Jesus's way.

Answer 6

i asked a similiar question the other day. it just struck me that we humans do good deeds subconsciously always expecting some kind of reciprocation (even when we expect God's reward - it's still something we expect in return) ........... selfish, right?

nope, i haven't found the answer really, except that i still do good deeds, i do them in the name of God and i hope He'll be merciful enough to forgive me for being a selfish human

one girl told me ''be happy that ppl STILL do good deeds'' ......... i think she was right

God bless u

EDIT: as selfish as it may sound, no - i wouldn't go to hell to save humanity

Answer 7

I do good because it is right, as well as it makes me feel great! It honestly helps me more than them I think!

As for the treasures it stores for me in heaven......bonus.

As for me paying the price for everyone to go to heaven?? Already been paid, some dont want to go it seems.

Thanks for the question.

David

Answer 8

To answer your hypothetical situation I would "take the punishment" for the rest of Humanity (a lot of people beleive that's what Jesus did). But to answer the question that you posted I believe they are one and the same --- we are all inter-connected!

Answer 9

a bit of both actually....but i beleive 'donts' are more important than 'dos'..for eternal rewards...we avoid most bad things in order 2 get eternal rewards...while at times v do some good things just for the sake of goodness...and not for rewards hereafter...

Answer 10

Personally I don't believe in eternal awards, therefore I can only do good for the sake of others.