The road to hell is paved with good intentions?

Question

Why is this so?

Why is it that humans can start out with good and pure intentions and end up with evil deeds? And what can be done to stop the next stone being laid on the road to hell?

Serious answers only please.

Thanks.

I must admit I am surprised by the fact that no one yet has said anything about forethought. For example, Middle africa during the ninties there was a massive famine. many charity organisations sent food and supplies to the region, however they gave no thougth to how to distribute the food once there. The local warlord of the time seized the foods and by using these as bartering tools he was able to consolidate his power, brining even more misery and suffering to the people.

Just somehting to consider.

Answer 1

maybe.. the world may never know. sometimes i belive that any answer can fit the situation. I mean if you think about it, every answer could be the one.... but we living humans, will never know.....

Answer 2

The reason is that more often than not the problem is that the intentions are not really good or pure. The original sin was pride. Funny thing is that this has become the root of all others. There is no wrong that is committed that does not have a root in self-focus. For example, when someone is angry it is in response to how THEY are being treated in comparison to how THEY FEEL THEY SHOULD be treated. The focus is on them. Greed, avarice, lust, jealousy, resentment, laziness, etc are all focused on the individual and how they relate to the world around them, but the focus is on them not on doing what is right for the sake of doing right. Instead they are interested in the reward. The reward can either be SELF-satisfaction, SELF-esteem, etc, etc.

Answer 3

It's a nice thought but human nature being the way it is we always repeat the same mistakes. We do not learn from history.

You mentioned forethought and that is necessary and true also. But are minds are finite and not able to know the future.

For now all we can do is continue to perform good intentions to help the few we can. And continue to correct the mistakes which are forethought lacked.

Answer 4

I think the quote has to do with sins of omission. Good intentions only go so far; positive action needs to be taken in order for good results to occur. For example, good Germans who did not DO anything to stop Hitler were guilty of laying paving stones.

What can be done to stop the next stone being laid? It depends on the situation, but just bemoaning evil is not enough.

Answer 5

I wish I knew the answer to that. I do know that sometimes when we start something and we are well meaning perhaps we start to feel that we are giving too much of ourselves without anything in return and somehow in our minds we end up resenting that. I hope that isn't always the case though. It's human nature to mess up. Our only hope is that we serve our purpose well and bring more joy than pain to those we meet along the way. Then perhaps our intentions will match our actions.

Answer 6

This sounds like something may have happened to prompt you to ask this. I guess it is hard to give a specific answer to a vague question but I will do my best.
Personally, I think the best way to keep that next stone from being cast is to make choices in your life based on scripture. People are fixated on logic. We will say that we trust Jesus with our salvation but do we trust him with anything else? We want everything to have an explanation. Jeremiah said, " Mere mortals can't ruin their own lives ... men and woman don't have what it takes." (Jer 10:23) We need to stop trying to control each and every outcome. Life is so much more peaceful when you decide to stand on God's word and trust Him, regardless of circumstances!
It sounds cliche to think "What Would Jesus Do?" but if we think about directing our actions towards fulfilling our purpose and serving God then we cannot lay that next stone. As servants, missionaries and champions of scripture; our actions cannot bear evil.
I don't know if you were looking for spiritual guidance with this question but I can think of no other possible way to respond to you. If something is happening in your life, pray over it, give it up in prayer, repent anything that you may have done against another and consider more carefully the choices you make in the future. If this is about someone else, again - pray for them, be available to discuss anything they need to unburden themselves from and be open minded.
Good Luck and God Bless.

Answer 7

There are two answers I have for you.
First, I think the answer lies not in what happens but with human nature. There was a philosophy developed by Adam Smith that basically tells us all that we have a selfish side. Even with morals we are selfish because we might look to promote ourselves with those morals. Thus selfish behavior. I think that those good intentions are done out of pure intentions but humans and their peers recieve them as selfish behavior in order to promote oneself. Since we all don't want to be known for evil behavior, we associate it with others, making ourselves look good. Again, selfish behavior.
Also, I think that humans tend not to look at the consequences when performing actions as well. They don't stop and think, " Will my good deed result in good things?"

Answer 8

If we are talking about all humans conceived in the mind as acting collectively to produce a global destiny, then revenge is the harder stone turning good yet unwise intentions into its material strength. But, good intentions are not bad and revenge is a bad intention.

Answer 9

Many people have different interpretations of the adage. Many people believe its false. Let me clear this up first, it doesnt mean that the only way to hell is through good intentions. It also doesnt mean everytime you have a good intention its another stepping stone into hell either.

What it means is good intentions used in the wrong sense will lead you to hell. For example, if you murder someone because they hurt you and it will make you feel better...that is a wrong use of good intention.

Saints make it to heaven because they use good intentions correctly. Evil people go to hell because they use the phrase "good intention" in the wrong sense.

Answer 10

A prime example is Hitler. His intentions were to make the human race stronger, more intelligent... but he believed that meant eradicating the inferiors...

It all comes down to this - The ends justify the means.

If we can destroy that philosophy, we'll do a lot to stop the laying of the stone.

Answer 11

Thinking for ones self, and not following the leader is a good example.
Example a kid who wants to be liked will do as there friends do, therefor being a good friend, but the activity might be against the law or against the morals he/she grew up with.

Best thing I can come up with lol!