Are acts of kindness done for an eternal reward, fear of damnation or because it's the right thing to do?

Question

During the Seventh Crusade, led by St. Louis, Yves le Breton reported how he once encountered an old woman who wandered down the street with a dish full of fire [In the Islamic version, it's a torch] in her right hand and a bowl full of water in her left hand. Asked why she carried the two bowls, she answered that with the fire she would burn up Paradise until nothing remained of it, and with the water she would put out the fires of Hell until nothing remained of them: ''Because I want no one to do good in order to receive the reward of Paradise, or from fear of Hell; but solely out of love for God.''

Today, this properly Christian ethical stance survives mostly in atheism.

http://www2.kenyon.edu/Depts/Religion/Fac/Adler/Politics/atheism.htm

Answer 1

You left out the most important motivation for people who act out of kindness: Earthly rewards. People are primarily motivated by selfishness and the expectation of something in return. Such a reward does not always have to be tangible; it can be simply to gain status within a society or culture or to gain a devoted following.

Answer 2

I didn't follow the link because I usually don't follow any of them. The story is beautiful and I liked it. I actually, use to do this when I was in a happier state of mind. Practice random acts of kindness. It feels darn good and it had nothing to do with going to heaven or hell. You know the saying "a smile is contagious so pass it around." Do it not because it's right not because you get some brownie points in heaven do it because you are touching someone's life. Think about the way you can "touch" another person? What kind of prints do you want to leave behind? A love "touch" is way better and when you do it for someone they will go off in their day and maybe (hopefully) do it for someone else. Thanks for posting this story.
BTW, gypsy, I'm Catholic and I have never done a good deed out of fear. I love the feeling of love that I give that's why I do it.

Answer 3

Well! If a person does good and is help-full to another who is less fortunate and is rewarded for doing so I would suggest that the reward invalidates the good will.
I would not donate to charity or be a patron to charity if I expected to become a "Sir" a "Lord" or be awarded the M.B.E.
I would not give a donation to the less fortunate if I expected publicity for such.
However, to have those rewards placed on you by others places you in the predicament that refusal often offends.
So you gracefully and quietly decline without publicity by suggesting that someone else might be more appropriate in receiving or would appreciate the reward more than you thus doing yet another kindness.
Kindness to others is reward in it's self.

Answer 4

undemanding. i've got under no circumstances dedicated a heinous act. I unquestionably have a incredibly good recognition for empathy, kindness and compassion. My morality comes out of that, no longer concern. I gave up the thought in eternal damnation greater suitable than a decade in the past because of the fact it merely made me miserably judgemental.

Answer 5

I think all acts of kindness should be a reward to person doing the kindness. You do it for yourself. I personally don't think there is a heaven (as taught by the bible) and I think this is hell.
Now I'm not saying I don't think this is all there is because I don't know. But since nothing is lost in nature I think we are passing through a material world. And I know I would be bored very quickly sitting playing that harp through eternity.

A friends of mine one said to me that she had baked some cookies for her boss and he didn't say thank you. Now, that may be rude of him. But I asked why did you bake and give him the cookies?? Did you want him in a position that he needed to say thank you or did you truly want to gift him the cookies. She thought and said I wanted to give him the cookies. So I said...you got what you wanted so you don't need the thank you. You did an act that was a reward for you.

Answer 6

From my point of view, IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO. Paradise is not gauranteed, nor is Hell. Religion and Christianity has taught us to be righteous, that we all have a life after death, which We, as long as we are alive don't have any clue except the Holy Scriptures.
I have no doubt in the love of God, I can feel his caring hands, guidance and love for me and my loved ones. And if we do any good to anyone we exemplify our love for God. The consciousness of doing the right thing comes from the Wisdom as taught by the Holy Bible and other Religious Scriptures and the love of God. Theres a saying "Whatever You do to the least of My people, that You do unto Me"........

Answer 7

I think random acts of kindness are done for all three reasons, all this varying on faith, stage in life, thought process in life, fear level, etc. There are different times in our life where we will do soemthing kind, and it will not be done sincerely for God, but perhaps of selfish reasons, or the fear factor, or the simple carved out mentality we have, which is borderline fear in some cases also.

Answer 8

I agree with the desire to good in order to serve God, but i am driven by the internal reward as much as the eternal award. i like performing acts of kindness because they make me feel good about myself. I feel like a valuable member of society and like i am bettering a word where un -kind acts are displayed nightly on the ten o'clock news.

Answer 9

I think it is a process. One might perform an act of kindness out of fear of damnation, but repeated acts of kindness develop the soul. Eventually, one would perform acts of kindness not just for the love of God, but while asking how to perform them better.

Answer 10

you should just turn this into a survey ask people why they do it instead and let them choose, cuz obviously everybody looks at it differently

that woman would do it because it's right
but obviously the others were doing it out of fear or for a reward.. just depends on how you look at it.