Is anyone here actually a "good person"?

[Me Myself]

Let me preface by saying that I am not a good person by the standards I use which is one who does not ever do evil. I'm amazed at how many people here actually feel like they deserve the label of a "righteous and good person." The implication is that if Heaven is real then these people feel they deserve to get in on their own merit. What exactly happened to convince anyone that they are something special when it comes to morality? Where do people draw the line between a "good person" and a "bad person"?

Well, my standards will never be "never do evil" because being "good" and being "perfect" are not necesarily the same. I do feel that if a person is generaly concerned about not harming other people and from his heart making people happy and feel well about themselves he might be a good person. As a human being, even good can make mistakes, but even a good farmer can have some bad harvests from times to times. Even a good farmer doesn´t tend to have 100% gain on his harvest, nor a good salesman sell 100% of his products.

I think that no merit we can have is only "our own" but it is also of God because he created us. I also believe that it is still also our own, because well... he created US with that merit. I don´t think it´s that important "of who is the merit" but the willingness to share it with other people and help them manifest THEIR virtues, that are their own resemblance to God, as I do believe we were done in his image.

For starters, from where do people get the notion that you have to be "special" to be "good"?

I think we are all good persons and if you have to be "special" to be "good" then we are all special. A loving parent loves all his children, and if God is almighty and all powerful and all knowledgable and still loves us, why would we that must learn from him not love ourselves and understand that we are valuable too?

That´s my opinon at least

Blessings to all

 

[Killetzbaal]

Mary Poppins is practicly perfect in every way!

 

[Gjallarhorn]

I am good by my own standards, but not as good as I think I should be.

 

[Erebus]

I'm not a good person, though I'm not a bad person either. I don't dedicate myself to helping or harming others, I'm perfectly happy to just look after myself and the people I care about.

 

[Splarnst]

The implication is that if Heaven is real then these people feel they deserve to get in on their own merit.

But mainstream Christianity only has two ultimate options. So, if I'm not absolutely perfect throughout my entire life, I deserve to be tortured in a lake of fire for all eternity? That's completely absurd.

 

[blackout]

I am a loving person.

That is good enough.

(especially being that good and bad are merely subjective platitudes)

 

[blackout]

I am a loving person.

That is good enough.

(especially being that good and bad are merely subjective platitudes)

Then again,
Love is subjective too.

But at least it is something that I feel deep within me.
It is a thing I KNOW within my own Self.

 

[Penumbra]

Let me preface by saying that I am not a good person by the standards I use which is one who does not ever do evil. I'm amazed at how many people here actually feel like they deserve the label of a "righteous and good person." The implication is that if Heaven is real then these people feel they deserve to get in on their own merit. What exactly happened to convince anyone that they are something special when it comes to morality? Where do people draw the line between a "good person" and a "bad person"?

"Good" and "bad" are rather vague descriptions of morality, and rather useless when it comes to a detailed discussion on morality.

For one thing, certain aspects of morality are subjective, so the funny thing is, even by the standards you use that you don't reach, I bet there are aspects of those standards that I find to be immoral.

I've never found the Christian concept of everyone being a sinner to be a particularly healthy mindset. Self-deprecation isn't humility, but you can consider yourself and everyone around you a bad person if you want to.

 

[Breathe]

Maybe god should just give righteousness to dolphins instead. I've never known a dolphin to be a serial killer. Other animals have been like bears and sharks. Never know I guess, maybe dolphins are just good at staying out of the news.

Turns out dolphins are ********, like other animals.

NB guys: I used an URL shortener because the link comes out censored otherwise, because it, like the article, has swearing in it.

 

[Madhuri]

Let me preface by saying that I am not a good person by the standards I use which is one who does not ever do evil. I'm amazed at how many people here actually feel like they deserve the label of a "righteous and good person." The implication is that if Heaven is real then these people feel they deserve to get in on their own merit. What exactly happened to convince anyone that they are something special when it comes to morality? Where do people draw the line between a "good person" and a "bad person"?

I doubt that most people agree with your definition of good.

I, for instance, perceive 'goodness' as the intention to be kind, compassionate and selfless. We all mess up and make mistakes, cause suffering to others, but that doesn't necessarily make us bad people. A lot of the time, those harmful actions are based in ignorance, where if the individual understood the consequences, they would not do it. I think there are a lot of good people in the world.

So it comes down to how you define the term.

 

[Guitar's Cry]

I am a loving person.

That is good enough.

(especially being that good and bad are merely subjective platitudes)

Drat! Out of frubals for you.

That's kind of how I feel about myself. I do things that are considered bad, and sometimes hurt people, though it is primarily done inadvertently--though I can be vengeful and jealous. But overall I am compassionate, and that seems to be my core feeling with my interactions with the world.

So I am loving, and that is all that's needed for me.

 

[blackout]

I doubt that most people agree with your definition of good.

I, for instance, perceive 'goodness' as the intention to be kind, compassionate and selfless. We all mess up and make mistakes, cause suffering to others, but that doesn't necessarily make us bad people. A lot of the time, those harmful actions are based in ignorance, where if the individual understood the consequences, they would not do it. I think there are a lot of good people in the world.

So it comes down to how you define the term.

See, I don't even agree with that.

 

[Madhuri]

See, I don't even agree with that.

Which if fine, because 'good' and 'bad' are relative/subjective so everyone is likely to have a different perspective of it.

 

[blackout]

Which if fine, because 'good' and 'bad' are relative/subjective so everyone is likely to have a different perspective of it.

exactly.

 

[idav]

I doubt that most people agree with your definition of good.

I, for instance, perceive 'goodness' as the intention to be kind, compassionate and selfless. We all mess up and make mistakes, cause suffering to others, but that doesn't necessarily make us bad people. A lot of the time, those harmful actions are based in ignorance, where if the individual understood the consequences, they would not do it. I think there are a lot of good people in the world.

So it comes down to how you define the term.

I perceive not being bad as not causing suffering to others but it depends on how the suffering individual defines it. Of course it's more complicated than that as people often don't really know what they want and there are other issues but we can certainly try.

 

[Madhuri]

I perceive not being bad as not causing suffering to others but it depends on how the suffering individual defines it. Of course it's more complicated than that as people often don't really know what they want and there are other issues but we can certainly try.

Do you mean intentionally or even unintentionally?
A person can cause unintentional suffering to others (we all do it), that doesn't make him/her a bad person.

Otherwise, 'not being bad as not causing suffering' is very linked, imo, to being compassionate, kind and selfless. Not wanting to cause suffering to others stems from those feelings, after all.

 

[idav]

Do you mean intentionally or even unintentionally?
A person can cause unintentional suffering to others (we all do it), that doesn't make him/her a bad person.

Otherwise, 'not being bad as not causing suffering' is very linked, imo, to being compassionate, kind and selfless. Not wanting to cause suffering to others stems from those feelings, after all.

Of course there is a lot to consider but sometimes it is intentional. For example I sometime don't allow my kids to have dessert because they didn't eat their dinner and they suffer emotionally for whatever reason cause they can't have their cookies or whatever.

I do agree that it is linked to generally wanting good for other individuals. We all know what suffering is and we all want to avoid it but again everyones version of suffering is different and I'm not always willing to oblige.

 

[Father Heathen]

I am a good person, as I try to conduct myself with reason, compassion, honor and honesty.

That's far better than being "good" merely out of hope for postmortem cookies and out of fear of postmortem spankings. The bible is rife with absurd and unsubstantiated claims, arbitrary demands, and advocacy of cruelty and injustice; such as giving instructions on how to sell your own daughter into sexual slavery for example (Exodus 21:7-11). The bible is nothing but the superstitious savagery of ancient primitives, has no use beyond toilet paper and no place being used as a moral compass in the modern world.

 

[Guitar's Cry]

I am a good person, as I try to conduct myself with reason, compassion, honor and honesty.

Those shifty eyes suggest otherwise.

 

[freethinker44]

There is another option, that none of us are good people.

No, that's not an option. unattainable goals are the same as no goals.