Please explain the point of being Good?

by Brocephus 18 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  Brocephus

  I never understood the point of being good and righteous if the only punishment for not doing so was "nothing" I would die and nothing would happen. Just nothing, no hell, no pain, no regret... just nothing.

  On the other hand if I am good.... I have to deal with the JW's and their rules and boring meetings FOREVER!!! No worldly girls to sneak around with on Saturday night.. No Keg parties to sneak off too on Friday?...

  I told my parents as a teenager all of this. They looked at me like I had horns growing out of my head.
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  Terry

  Morality (goodness) is a PRACTICAL matter solely.

  You won't be allowed (by others) to get away with exploiting them or hurting them. They will gang up on you.

  You go along to get along and it works out as a mutual benefit.

  It is, like I said, PRACTICAL.

  What society tolerates stealing? What society permits murder?

  Who will allow you to engage in adultery without repercussion?

  You see?

  If you lie to people they won't trust you and you won't be able to function in any social setting with them

  NOT BEING GOOD never works for very long even if you form a gang. Just ask Hitler why he was stopped after so much early success.

  GOODNESS works because it is socially practical. You can be as bad as you like inside your own head as long as you don't go too far expressing that badness.

  Ever hear of prison?
• 

  Brocephus

  I meant Good as in obeying the JW rules... not refraining from murdering and raping my friends.
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  Elsewhere

  > I never understood the point of being good and righteous if the only punishment for not doing so was "nothing" I would die and nothing would happen.

  Human are social animals. We are programmed to interact with each other in ways that allow us to work together. If one disrupts the ability of people to work together in a productive manner it threatens the survival of the group.

  This is why humans evolved concepts of "good" and "evil".

  Being "good" improves the quality of life of all people and helps ensure survival of the group.

  With the exception of sociopaths, we are "good" because we are programmed to be "good".
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  Elsewhere

  > I meant Good as in obeying the JW rules

  There is no good reason to be good.
• 

  alanv

  It depends on what is meant by good. There are many things the society disapprove of which do nobody any harm. So we could reason that is perfectly all right. Other 'bad things as Terry says will hurt people so most people would call that bad.

  The old adage to do unto others as you wish them to do to you is a pretty good benchmark.

  The reason JWs try and be good is because the carrot is living forever in a paradise earth. If that were really true it would be well worth living a 'good and righteous' life. Unfortunately it is not, so we have to set our own standards of what we feel is right or wrong
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  zoiks

  The threat of nothingness is in some ways more scary than the threat of eternal punishment. Who wants to die forever? Who wants to not ever be alive again? The promise of living forever appeals to a base, instinctual drive for survival.
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  chrisjoel

  Well come on dude, the punishment is that your not going to live forever. You ll be dead and the JWs will live forever and walk over your grave perhaps on a daily basis depending where they bury your ass assuming you still have an ass if you dont die and the vultures eat you at Armgeddon.
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  THE GLADIATOR

  The only place you need to be good - is in bed!
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  snowbird

  *sigh*