LS Righteous

From: Rob Stillwell (Stills@Bigfoot.com)
Date: Thu Jun 03 1999 - 06:29:47 BST


Hey Everyone!

Good topic. I'm going to take the lead on this with an initial position of
"No". Knowledge of righteousness does not result in righteous action.

At first I was leaning the other way. When someone knowingly does something
wrong -- it could be argued -- that he/she never really understood the whole of
the situation. If they really understood their wrong doings -- they would not
do it!

Sometimes, we make genuine mistakes. Unfortunately, I think there are times
that we honestly know when something is morally wrong and we do it anyway. That
is why there is guilt! Guilt even makes it against our self-interest to do what
is wrong. But still, we have all experienced it.

Why do we knowingly do bad things? To explain, I'll give a personal example.
(Please don't hold this against me. I still feel bad about it.) Back in the
1980's there was a guy in my junior high school that was effeminant. I would
tease him to be more popular with the "cool" guys. I knew that I made him feel
bad, but I did it anyway.

My explanation of the situation does not come in terms of the MOQ (I am not
quite sold on it). Very briefly, a dualistic view of experienced quality vs.
the self clarifies the situation. The reality (dynamic quality) of the
situation dictates what is good. Seeing the hurt on a person's face while
everyone laughs is pure and simple dynamic quality. It screams "what are you
doing you big meanie!". Yet, my mind and attention were static. I *chose* to
focus my attention on being popular and then acted accordingly. I numbed myself
to quality.

Many -- if not all -- human evils are not a result of ignorance. We have a
good understanding of experienced reality. The problem lies internal -- with
attention and attitude. By listening, observing and being sensitive to our
knowledge and experience we will guided towards the right path. It has not a
matter of knowledge. It is a matter of choice. Do not ignore the voice in our
mind alerting us something is wrong. Chose to be sensitive to the whole of
reality.

MOQ.org - http://www.moq.org



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