If we didn't have Mother Theresa, what would we compare good people to?

Question

Mother Theresa, no she wasn't perfect, but her name has been equated with a "good person." If she had never existed, what would we call good people?

The point? How do we know what good is without a comparison?

Jesus, yes of course. But dig a little deeper on your understanding level. Most people aren't getting the point.
How do you know what is good and what is evil?

Ah Logan, more cultural relativism. *sigh* So the difference between Mother Theresa and Nazi's is purely a matter of cultural perspective? I think not.

Answer 1

Dear Last Ent,

First, I must say that we have Jesus Christ as our example. He is God, yet became man to demonstrate the awsome love of God. The Bible states in Hebrews 4:15, "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin."

I also wanted to name some women in the Bible who were saved (born-again) and loved and obeyed God. The life and works these women did are an example of how women or girls should live today. We read about Dorcas in Acts 9:38-40, "And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not delay to come to them.
Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.
But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up."

If you read the book of Esther in the Bible, you will see the life of a woman that loved God and risked losing her life to save her people.

Another example is Ruth the Moabitess, who left her own country to ensure the well-being of her aged mother-in-law, now a widow. This is contained in the book of Ruth in the Bible.

And there are many more examples that I could state. The Bible is where you want to look though--it is the authority.

Answer 2

If you take the "Simple Life" shows there is something similar about the way Paris roughs it to the way Mother Theresa roughed it, but that's an extreme stretch. Other than that, they are both women (though Paris is more a girl in an woman's body than an actual mature woman), they both have higher callings (Mother Theresa believed that the best thing she could do was serve others, Paris believes the best thing anyone can do is serve her), and the both were public figures. I think you could do a much better job contrasting the two though since Paris is almost the direct opposite of Mother Theresa.

Answer 3

Who did we compare good people to prior to Mother Theresa?

I don't like this kind of cultural relativism. There's no straight line between "good" and "bad." There are good atheists, bad Christians, good Jews, bad Muslims, etc. Good and bad of everything and everyone. We don't need to judge at all, do we?

Answer 4

Mother Theresa wasn't perfect (and no other person)
only Jesus

Answer 5

There would still be people like Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Florence Nightingale, St. Francis of Assisi, let's not forget Jesus himself - the list goes on and on.

Your second question is a bit harder. I suppose we would know good based on the effect left behind by the person or the deed. If it is positive, it is good. If somebody is comforted, fed, sheltered, clothed, loved, cared for, that is a good thing and the person doing it is good, not a bad one. If somebody is harmed, hurt, injured, killed, robbed, that's a bad thing and the person doing it is bad. Simple common sense.

Answer 6

Anything within myself that people might call good is the Lord acting through me and anything that people might call bad is my own faults shining through. people know what is good and what is bad without comparisons. They had nothing to compare with Jesus when he walked the Earth and he drew people to him like anything. People have a sixth sense about this. I have walked by people and have felt the evil of them and by the same token when Pope John Paul II walked by people they would break down in tears with the Holy Spirit just radiating off of him.

Answer 7

There were many good people, besides Mother Theresa

Answer 8

What about Jesus?

http://inhisgracecards.com

Answer 9

Just like you wouldn't be able to appreciate Mother Theresa if there was no Hitler.

:)

I rejoice on your vision...

Blessed Be,
V

Answer 10

I'm not sure i would call mother teresa good. She herself said she was doing her work to convert people, not to help them

when you do a good deed you exepect nothing in return; otherwise it's a bribe. she was bribing these poor people into being catholic and I would consider those intentions less than pure.