I have a theory, what do you think?

Question

I have been playing with the idea that there is no such thing as an action that is inherently or universally wrong. Sex, drugs, drinking, killing, speaking, fighting... The list goes on. Any actions that we can all take is NOT wrong or right because of the action, but because reasons behind making them.

Speaking can be kind or abusive, as well as kind for the purpose of being self-serving and abusive for the sake of helping someone to see they acting stupidly.

Killing, because you are stopping the suffering of another or yourself, versus killing to because the suffering of others is entertaining.

Sex, to feel emotionally connected to someone we love, versus sex because one is seeking dominance or their own pleasure without real care about their partner.

Can you see how what is right and what is wrong it almost arbitrarty beyond the idea that the motivation itself?

The Bible tries to teach us what we should want. We are suppose to not WANT the bad. It's the mindset that matters.

Answer 1

~ Your brain is polluted

~ Repent

Answer 2

Yes and no.

Motive is weighed heavily, but don't forget about circumstance.

What you are describing is a battle with no terrine. Know what I'm saying.

Killing in self defense. You might feel great satisfaction or pride, or even pleasure in achieving exact revenge.

Even still, this situation might hold up in Court so long as you can prove you were in a life threatening situation and did not use excessive force. For all intent and purposes lets say you really were.

Some might call you a hero for it. Though technically since you took great pleasure in it and maybe you always wanted to kill someone. You got your legitimate chance and took it.

Is this evil or good?

Are we supposed to turn the other cheek?

And lets say it was self defense and you killed by accident.

What then? Same outcome.

Lastly, what of actions speak louder then words?

Big difference form telling a poor starving man God bless, from actually feeding him.

I figure you might say your motive for feeding is what counts and not the actually feeding.

However, feed the poor is a good thing to do because God said so.

There are men of faith that don't do much for the poor and those that do.

What about the peoplee who have never heard of the bible and still feed the poor out of the kindness of their harts.
What if a faithless man feeds a christian?

I'm sure there are men of no faith that still do good and bad. Just as there are men of faith that do good and bad.

Is it any less of a good deed?

I imagine you might say yes it is less of good deed if you don't believe in God. However, I think that is the real question.

Are good deeds still good if you don't believe in God?

I'll ask this one and see what I come up with.

You might be right, I don't know if there are exceptions. You can do the right thing for the wrong reason, or even the wrong thing for the right reason.

I bet people would feel 50/50 on this one.

I have to admit, good theory.

I would love to hear your thoughts on my response.

Answer 3

I'd say that it's true that we usually base our opinions of a particular action on the reasons behind the action. However, I wouldn't say that this is always the case.

I believe that there are actions that are just a smidge away from being inherently wrong. For example, rape. I know we can talk about killing and war saving lives and helping people, but it's not likely that rape is going to save anyone.

I don't know. I'm probably just as confused about this theory as you are. What do you think?

Answer 4

I see what you are getting at but I think that you are using categories that are too general like when you say "sex" or "killing". Adultery is wrong whether you are seeking an emotional connection with the other person or not. Murder is wrong even if you are doing it to stop someone from suffering because you are taking their life without their permission.

Answer 5

I sort of agree with you. It's like electricity - it's wonderful! It lights our homes and provides us with technology - and I could go on and on. Then - a baby crawls across a room and sticks a fork in an electrical socket. Now electricity is a bad thing.

Things can be good or bad depending how you look them. And if you're DOING them - it has to do with your intentions.

if your actions have good behind them - and feel right in your heart - they are not wrong.

Where I disagree with you is regarding the killing. I don't know how good intentions could be there. I'm the woman who catches spiders and bugs and takes them outside. People pose the question to me about "But what if somebody was threatening to harm you - or your child - wouldn't you kill them?" I don't think so. I can't totally say - because I've never been in that situation. But if the "bad guys" want to do bad things - then I don't want to "stoop to their level" - I would just let them do what they do - knowing that it's bigger than this time right here on earth - and when I move on - I'll move on with peace in my heart.

Answer 6

If we each lived individually in a bubble in our own universe, and all the people around us were like props on a set, without any depth behind them, I could agree. But I believe we are each in this together as a collective, so I think you have to judge the actions we each commit against the whole collective and determine what is right and wrong that way.

Answer 7

I'm an atheist and I'm not much into moral relativism,

there ARE absolutes in the universe and "sin" means, as Aristotle would put it, "missing the Mark".

There are brutalities so cruel and horrifying that they would and could NEVER be right, no matter what 'good intention' behind it--- if that could even ever be POSSIBLE!

Where ever there is suffering and injustice,
it's in the 'bad" catagory, hun.

all of us agree on certain things and this is part---probably the only reason we are a successful race.

Raping,torturing and murdering cruelly---senslessly, children? babies? could never be right, NEVER.

Sounds like this is spoken strait from the mouth-piece of a young, no kids, no responsibilities liberal type.

Answer 8

Yep, I agree, your argument seems logical. Religion is ancient, mainly because back in the day, people didn't know how to govern themselves, and needed a set of guidlines to follow in order to be "good". Now adays, because we have a multitude of resources at our hands to create a positive mindset, from several opinions, we don't really feel a need for religion, not that it doesn't help those who still have a hard time determining right from wrong. So I guess, religion is less applicable to today's society, but was very much needed in the past, hence its existence. I understand your point, makes a lot of sense to me. :)

Answer 9

I am interested in your theory and to further consider that viewpoint... imagine if everyone never did anything wrong, there would be no policemen because there would not be a need for that. No lawyers, no handguns... but we all have a role to play for everyone to play in the game of life and also there can be no measure of good without bad to refer to.

Answer 10

i agree.
everyone has their own view of right & wrong and awe act upon it.
everything is relative.it depends on the way u look at it.but i think that what all religions try to teach us is that there should be general rules for right and wrong and they try to consider the motivation among that.
i dont think that humans are THAT good by nature,and that we are not suppose to "not want the bad things",this is why there should be atleast some common rules....

Answer 11

What you are getting into is known as subjective reality. True, there is no real universal right and wrong (at least none that can be proven). However, there are some things that we, as a society, must declare to be wrong (rape, robbery, pedophilia, etc.).