There is one choice, 1 vote for DennisP1's debate

Understanding why we do what we do

The Decision Process

Underlying Motivations

Why do I want to do this? What caused me to take this course?

Clearly understanding ones’ motivations will help them better understand what it is they want to achieve. Want in this case is synonymous with intend.

The Purpose of an Act

Ask yourself... Why am I doing this? What reaction will this act have? What do I want to achieve? Purpose here is synonymous with goal.. One needs to know where they are going. Each action must have a purpose in attaining that goal. Otherwise, there may be frivolous acts that will or may hinder the achievement of others. One may have many goals simultaneously working... like multi tasking. We need not focus exclusively on just one, but as opportunity arises to complete an act that further brings you closer to your purpose.

Intentions

This is the power behind our actions... If we intend to hurt we will do things that will ultimately cause harm. If intentions are for good, then good will come from our actions... Sometimes mistakes can be made and what we intended doesn’t happen... At this point it is time to re-examine our actions and the motivations for those actions.

We can assume that our acts or actions having had a different result then in tended was somehow wrong. .To repeat this act and expect different results is the basis of insanity... So, by stepping back and examining our actions carefully, we learn or we can say we now know. For what is knowledge except the study of what is known. Then when knowledge becomes certainty and expanded to all surrounding areas of knowledge, one just might be considered wise, thus understanding the reason why, at least in the realm of intelligent decision making.

• Good Intentions

  The first thing, and more depressing thing, that I would like to mention is that people with good intention can do terrible things without meaning to. No one makes decisions that they think are bad. Every person makes decisions that they believe are right and follow their moral values. Uninformed people can sometimes make terrible mistakes and cause horrible tradgedies with good intentions.

  Secondly, I love your concept to step back and think about things. I wish all people would take time and do this, but many people don't and just blunder almost blindly through life from day to day.

  Knowledge is not wisdom. Knowledge is facts. Wisdom is knowing what those facts mean and how they relate to ourselves and the world. The most knowlegable person may never be wise.

  Finally, I agree with you on purpose. Every act has a purpose, every deed has a purpose. There is reason behind everything that happens.

  Voted for by A Dreamer Awake.

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  • DennisP1
    February 3, 2006
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    You said; "Every person makes decisions that they believe are right and follow their moral values." The problem is moral values are not always agreed upon. As we can easily see by looking at the wars and devistations in the Middle East, Korea, and South Africa. You are Christian and therfor live by, or at least believe in, the New Testiment. In the Middle East they live by the Koran and Old Testiment. Here are a few quotes from the Old Testment that have caused some of the wars. Quote: Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church. 1 Corinthians 14:34,35. Quote: But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. 1 Corinthians 11:3 Quote: Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. Colossians 3:18 Quote: Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Ephesians 5:22-24 Quote: Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety. 1 Timothy 2:11-15 If we could get others to look at the end results of decisions based on these, I believe, false concepts. Perhaps we could find a safe harbor for our children to grow up in. There is no question in my mind that the world faces much more serious problems than these issues. I'd like to hear your views. Dennis
  • A Dreamer Awake
    February 3, 2006
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    Dennis

    Every person does have different moral philosophies. Different cultures have extrememly different opinions on what is right and what is wrong. This either means that what we are talking about is right in many different ways or that one person is right and the rest are all wrong. Despite this, there are ultimate and slightly varying truths. I am speaking in good intentions as wanting to save a limb, but infecting a wound and killing off the patient. Good intentions means that people are doing things to try and help, but are mistaken, and hurt others more than helping them, or help them in the wrong way. There are many opinions on what is right and what is wrong, so obviously, there isn't a strict universal truth about every little detail which we can all easily comprehend. Ever bit of discovery takes effort, and that is why philosophy takes a lot of thought. There are many universal truths, if you're wondering what I meant, but some truths are found to be vague or not yet understood, and those are the things that people argue about. About women in the Bible, I must wonder why you brought that up? If you were trying to be relative to me, as a female in society, then we can talk about that part of the Bible, too. There is no doubt that society has changed. The belief I have in these verses is that women had been easier to trick, and therefore, the societal system was that women would answer to their husbands. Nowadays, women have come to be educated and normal members of society. I think that in some respects, women are smarter than men, and in turn, men are better at some things then women. Perhaps, with more intelligence and little ability to stand against temptation, it is easier to be sucked into doing immoral things. You must note that women are not second class to men in who they are, but in physical strength, we are second. Past that subject, and if you have more points to mention about it be my guest, I'd like to know what other serious issues you'd like to talk about. Please tell me what you are interested in speaking about in a reply as soon as you can. A Dreamer Awake
  • DennisP1
    February 9, 2006
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    Hello Awakened Dreamer, You said, "The belief I have in these verses is that women had been easier to trick, and therefore, the societal system was that women would answer to their husbands." This is far from true. Prior to the rule of Constantine and the onset of Christianity. We had a matriarcal society. I must in all honesty say, men respected woman then and woman ruled well. Unfortunitly most records of their reigns have been distroyed. We can surmise that wars were fought by the men and this probably ended with some upset or jilted general overthrowing at first small governments and usurping their power untill Constantine finally finished it. Then of course man needed to justify his actions and distroy all contradictory views. Therefor the witch hunts and the continued persecution of and submission of, woman. Don't think I'm some kind of Bible basher, I'm not. Actually I'm very religous and was born Catholic. Yet after studying the history of the chuch I was left sickoned by the lies, bloodshed and self grandizing used by it to gain power. BTW, Outside of my condemantion for most religous organizations, my interests lie in philosophy and education. Den
  • A Dreamer Awake
    February 9, 2006
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    Another Reply to Dennis

    First off, do you notice that your replies seem very negative and angry? I know that mine do, and I'm sorry about that, but if you haven't noticed, your replies don't seem ultimately friendly. Now, about women in the church. You don't know what exactly was going on or what would have occured if women had continued to rule. It looks like good things would have occurred, not terrible things, but how do you know if war wouldn't have broken out and we could have destroyed ourselves. In all honesty, we have no way to explain what would have happened if women continued to rule. Perhaps the prosperity and all of the inventions would backfire on us. We can't know what would have happened. You'll probably reply about what a long shot this is and that women were being better rulers than many men, yes this is true, however, I believe that God has a reason for everything he says and does. We have to be open minded, which I'm trying very hard to be. Now, I'd like to know what it is that you mean by you left the church. I was born in a Catholic family, too, and I left the Catholic Church and am a denominationless Christian. If you left Christianity in general, why? If you left the Catholic church, I understand. Your BTW, well I know I sounded very negative, but I don't doubt that you are a well educated person who thinks a lot. If you didn't think about life and philosophy, then why would you be on this site? Also, I was very unclear with any things to say on the women topic. I am no expert, although it is a topic I've thought on frequently. I'm only fifteen, I haven't had the most time to consider every issue pertinent to me yet. Please tell me exactly what you meant by leaving the Church. Trying not to sound angry or anything, A Dreamer Awake. P.S.-Awakened Dreamer, is a creative comeback. Please understand that some may find offense in twisting their name around to make it seem like you're giving the person a reality check. Again, negativity creeping in. Please reply soon and tell me more about what you meant.
  • DennisP1
    February 11, 2006
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    Hello 15 year old girl, There is no need to feel that our discussions are in anyway personal attacks on beleifs. I was much like like you at 15, in that I originnaly believed all that I was told. Then during debates on the the theories of evulution (Bacon's belief that we evolved from apes vs the religous views that we are direct decendents of Adam and Eve) I was thrown out of perochial school, in the 2nd grade btw, for causing to much of a disturbance. My mother was a strong Catholic though my father was athiest. Well, maybe not a complete athiest, since I think he did believe in a God, yet he certainly did not believe in the church's doctrin. During the 1950's and earlier the church believed that if you were not married in the church then in the eyes of God you were not married. To make a long story short, this made my mother believe she was living in mortal sin, and the priest, later to become a bishop, told her she could not receive communion and I could never join the priesthood, of which my mother had hopes, for I was considered a bastard child. Well this eventually caused my parents break up. Here is a poem my mother wrote back then that shows her feelings better than my words and how much pain the church caused my family. I loved him so much and for so very long, I prayed and pleaded when hoped seemed gone. But his heart was hardened, deaf were his ears and his eyes were blind to my many tears. ... With body and soul weary and sick I clung to his hand with a death like grip as my heart cried out in a desperate plea; Oh God, Dear God, won't you make him see. ... The waters are deep, the nights so dark and Heaven and Hell are so far apart. You are my life-line to heaven I know, But I can't save myself and let him go. ... My heart is breaking as I struggle and strive In trying to keep us both alive. Maybe Lord if I let him go, He'll follow along the path I know? ... For my strength and faith are waning fast as I feel myself slipping from your mighty grasp. What should I do God? Oh, what should I do? I just can't go to Heaven without him too. ... For it wouldn't be heaven with out him there and to leave him alone just wouldn't be fair. Forgive me lord if I'm doing wrong, But arn't we all your children, the weak and the strong? ... So I'll carry on to my dying breath, Feeling your love won't leave us bereft. And though the waters close over my head, And I find myself walking among the dead, I know if I call your name from the grave. I will hope even then we both can be saved.. Now you know a little more about me and my family. Den
  • A Dreamer Awake
    February 11, 2006
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    Again to Dennis

    First off, I am sorry for what happened to your family. I'm sorry that church traditions really seemed to break up your family. However, Christianity is not about tradition and I do not believe everything I'm told. I don't believe that you have to go to confession with a priest, as I've been told. I believe that the one who saves you is God, not some man who went off to become a priest. I believe that you are wed by God and not because you are in a church when you are married, though it is a good idea to be in God's house when you are wed. After all, then how did people get married when there wasn't a church, when they didn't even have a home? Basically what I want to say is that just because a church or denomination does wrong things that hurt people, it doesn't mean that Christianity is doing those things. Traditions and denominations are made by people's interpretations of the Bible, which can often be very misguided. I remember when I was a little girl and I went to Sunday School. The nuns really didn't like me. I asked a lot of questions and didn't get the whole baptism with water or the eucharist, confession, or most of the rest of that stuff. I haven't just sat around and listened to what everyone told me and took it like a good little girl. I've thought a lot about these things and you shouldn't weigh my opinions so lightly as to say that I have believed everything I've heard. I have come to understand that Christianity is not being Catholic and that traditions aren't rules. I also know what grief mistakes about the Bible have brought about. Does the word indulgences ring any bells? Yes, a lot of terrible things have happened, and I still don't like the way a lot of things are run, especially in Catholic churches. I place my faith in God first and foremost and that I believe is the way it should be. You shouldn't be angry with God for people's doings. Many priests and spiritual leaders have done terrible things while wanting to do the right thing. There are many things wrong with every church setting, because people run the masses. Please do not think that telling me aobut the terrible things that happened to your family, which by the way I am very sorry happened, are going to make me automatically see that since a Church tradition tore your family apart that everything about my faith is wrong. And for your information, I believe that Creationism could have happened through Evolution. Heather.

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