I have an article to share. If you think that it is suitable, you may publish my thoughts in your blog.
Mr. Lee
Do good or bad acts in a lifetime: The calculated risks
An interesting analysis: Should one do good or bad acts in a lifetime? Advantaging oneself at the expense of others’ would only make sense if:
1. There is 0% of a God in this world, or
2. If there is a God, he does not punish or reward accordingly to one’s good and bad behaviours.
Say if an individual lives to one hundred years old. He has been reaping benefits at the expense of others through bad behaviours in his lifetime. He might have “gained” for one hundred years, but “lost” for eternity if a judicial God exists.
Even as modern societies become more secular, based on calculated risks, it is still more worthwhile to do the right and correct acts in one’s lifetime. This is despite the possibility that there is just a small chance, say 10%, of a judicial God existing. It is because most likely than not, one’s afterlife would be for eternity. One may enjoy his ill-gotten gains for 100 years, but could possibly pay for his misdeeds for eternity.
Hence, one is better off at “investing” in good and correct acts rather than bad acts in a lifetime.
Mr Lee
We should try our best to do good even ther is no God because it is the right thing to do.
ReplyDeleteIn some countries the leader commits suicide to "redeem" himself rather than face the shame.
ReplyDeleteBut in other countries, the leaders have no shame. They have laws, the police and judiciary to legalise or protect them of their shame. They only care about what happens in this material world now, not retribution in the afterlife.
Mr Tan,
ReplyDeleteSometimes, a good or bad act is very subjective. Eg: I have some colleagues who are simply bad! but they do not know that and thought that they themselves are good. I think everyone of us should have a good moral sense of judgement in doing everything and stay away from the 7 common sins.
This argument is known as Pascal's Wager and there have been several criticisms.
ReplyDeleteSee http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pascal%27s_Wager =)
singaporeshortstories.blogspot.com said...
ReplyDeleteYour colleagues have no moral values to reflect the wrongs or rights therefore they do not know whether they have done is right or wrong.
Morality and the sense of right and wrong are very complex issues and it is best we keep God out of these. Sinning is a reality of life and it does not spare the scoundrel or the saint. The saint has a past and the sinner a future. Even godly men have their downside and it depends on how you see and interpreter things. Gandhi led thousands of ordinary peasants in his satyagraha march against the British knowing full well that they will be shot at and killed and yet he proceeded on. Is he not culpable for their deaths? Buddha left his family behind to seek nirvana. Some may ask: is not abandoning one’s own family and aged parents patently wrong?
ReplyDelete