Does it matter any more about being a good person?

Suppose you don't know about the laws, rules, principles an how to apply them. You are just believing in God and trying to live right and treat people like you want to be treated and help others when and where you can in the way you can. Does that mean if you don't know the rules in life than being an good person is just what it is being an good person but you want share in the material wealth life as to offer.

That there is an great possiability that you will be bogged down in the rut of life's unhappiness. Is it not about being good or bad but more about learning the rules and playing by them.

I just ask because sometimes it seems from the outside looking in that people who are not trying to be a good person seem to grab more of life's treasures and enjoy to the fullest. I don't understand why. It as thought they are saying I am going to have my life here and when I am dead I am done that is it. So, there is no consequences.

On this journey or quest of life does it even matter to people who they hurt along the way and how they get to the end results. Should we be the best we can be along the way as we gather information sort,disguard, shelver and keep along the way of our journey until we are at an end of this physical journey. We don't even seem to care about one another or mother earth. Isn't this not an bad thing?

Just thought for ponder:

asked 22 Oct '09, 16:28

flowingwater's gravatar image

flowingwater
7.1k63197

edited 22 Oct '09, 16:39

Barry%20Allen's gravatar image

Barry Allen ♦♦
11411

Great question. And to flip it on to other side: If you haven't achieved great material happiness in your life does that mean at some level you've been bad or had bad thoughts?

(08 Dec '13, 15:51) Inner Beauty

inner beauty, that may depend on the circles one chooses to live

(09 Dec '13, 18:33) fred

Sounds like you believe you should be or should have been rewarded for being a good person.

What are the rules you refer to in paragraph 3.

(06 Sep '23, 13:17) ele
showing 0 of 3 show 3 more comments

I believe being good matters. Goodness is an innate quality that serves us in too many ways to mention. Briefly, some sort of goodness means that society can exist, that there is some sense of taking care of each other's needs. It certainly makes sense to me that the survival and advancement of the species depends upon some degree of goodness. Goodness is also a quality that leads to spiritual growth. Goodness gives us outlets and opportunities to engage in reality creation. There is a reciprocal effect, too, so that when we find ways to bring some benefit to others, there will be some benefit to us as well. Businesses know this well. Find a need and fill it, and people will buy your product or service.

But I want to focus on your fourth paragraph. Many people have the mistaken notion (often out of Christian upbringing) that doing things for material benefit is wrong. They have been taught that our reward is in heaven, so they are taught to be content with having little in this physical life. There is also the Christian notion that self-denial is a virtue, to the degree that if something sounds like fun, we should reject it. If it is true, as you suggest, that you notice more people who are not trying to be good grabbing more of life's treasures and living to the fullest, I suspect it's because 1) you may equate the desire for such things as not good, or 2) there are far too few good people in your circle of acquaintances who feel free to live life to the full and enjoy life's treasures. That's a shame, though, when we have more material possessions and have a joie de vivre in our heart, we have far more tools to help pass on the goodness to others.

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answered 23 Oct '09, 06:31

John's gravatar image

John
4.2k11240

I'm not familiar with any of the Christian beliefs that you stated in your last paragraph. Where are these churches located and what type of Christian churches are they.

(06 Sep '23, 13:10) ele

What matters above all else is that you believe you are a good person...and you do whatever it takes to make yourself think that.

For when you are aligned with who you really are (at a higher level), you will never want to take advantage of others because the abundance of the world will naturally flow to you in every aspect of your life.

Society has changed over the years and the accepted standards of what is right and wrong, or good and "evil", have also changed. But being true to who you really are is far important than any of that stuff.

One of my favorite Shakespeare quotes seems appropriate here...

This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow,
as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.

Hamlet Act 1, scene 3, 78–82

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answered 22 Oct '09, 21:16

Stingray's gravatar image

Stingray
93.6k22130369

Hopefully the person who believes he is a good person is not a psychopath, or otherwise delusional. I don't see any benefit to being true to that.

(12 Nov '09, 15:32) Vesuvius

@Stingray - Love this. So true. The last line of your quote holds the answer as to why.

(08 Dec '13, 14:50) Grace

Everybody gets what they attract according to the Law of Attraction. If someone is not getting good things whether they measure success by wealth, health or happiness, then they are attracting it as this is their dominant vibration.

Therefore, if somebody is being nasty to me, I need to think more about why I am attracting this sort of behaviour in my physical reality. It is never about the other person, it is always about us.

The reason we attract bad behaviour from others is because we are not feeling good ourselves and we are therefore not attracting good things. I have come across people who no matter what they do, however hard they work, however nice they are, always attract bad experiences, whether it is bad behaviour from others or just bad things happening to them.

The secret is to be happy no matter what as life is a journey where we will always launch new desires which will get fulfilled and then it is going to be the next desire. I will quote Abraham (Esther Hicks) here ...

You cannot get it wrong and you never get it done, and the reason you cannot get it wrong is because you never get it done...

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answered 22 Oct '09, 21:22

Pink%20Diamond's gravatar image

Pink Diamond
29.2k73683

edited 23 Oct '09, 17:53

Being a good person always mattered, and it still does.

It is unfortunate that the media we are exposed to gives the impression that some people are lucky, or have overnight success. In my experience, anyone who has obtained substantial material wealth has:

  1. Figured out what their talent is (everyone has one)
  2. Figured out how to convert that talent into value for other people
  3. Worked very hard to perfect that talent, and their ability to use it
  4. Played by the rules (for the most part), and
  5. Attracted people and resources that helped them achieve their goals.

The ones who didn't have these things, who relied on a gimmick, may have had wealth for awhile, but they can't hold on to it. Look at how the mighty have fallen in the banking industry, for example. That wealth didn't last because it wasn't honest; it enriched one group of people without providing true value to others.

Some people, like Britney Spears, did all of the right things, but obtaining wealth made all sorts of new choices available to them, some of which were unhealthy. People like that still have problems, and some of those problems are much bigger than yours. Problems that cannot be solved by a lot of money, except to hire a good lawyer or a good shrink.

As far as being unhappy or choosing to be hurt by others (yes, you are responsible for your own happiness), ask yourself this: is the happiness of anyone around you greater because you are unhappy? If the answer is no, then why are you choosing to be unhappy? And if the answer is yes, I would suggest that right now you need better friends, not more material possessions.

Look inside yourself for happiness. Don't look to others or material possessions for long-term happiness; these will always disappoint. Don't wait for completion of a goal to be happy; that feeling lasts for five minutes. Enjoy the journey. Become the kind of person that people admire and look up to, not because it strokes your ego, but because it attracts the kind of people you want to hang out with: people who will nurture you and help you achieve your goals.

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answered 22 Oct '09, 18:10

Vesuvius's gravatar image

Vesuvius
32.7k850201

edited 22 Oct '09, 22:20

Well, I am glad you think think being an good person matters. Thanks for your answer. I know you must love your self and believe in your self. I also know wealth does not bring happiness it just brings better choices of material possessions.Yes, wealth brings about choices there goes that free will again.

(22 Oct '09, 18:42) flowingwater

Unknown: Choices are ALL ABOUT free will - that is the whole point of choice - that we use our free will to choose. Or were you being ironic? :>)

(22 Oct '09, 18:55) Rebecca

I was being ironic.

(31 Oct '09, 12:01) flowingwater
showing 2 of 3 show 1 more comments

"Cirumstances don't M-A-T-T-E-R only state of being M-A-T-T-E-Rs".

What it means that our physical reality is just a reflection of our state of being. Why? Because we are spiritual beings having a human experience not the other way around.

So does it MATTER (materialize) if we be good or bad? Of course it does.

But you can ask what about poeple who are mean and wealthy and those who seem poor and good?

Well your happiness isn't determined by the size of your wallet. Many spisitual leaders today where quite "succesful" people in our societies terms, but financial wealth didn;t seem enough ( Gandhi was a lawyer).

It doesn't mean dough that you should condemn physical wealth. On the contrary, THAT is WHY we have come here, to experience uorselves as physcial beings and we should embrace ALL aspects of our selves.

What your goal is in life is not to have wealth but to have ABUNDANCE.

Definition of abundance is - the ability to do what you need to do when you need to do it.

that's it. Many people don't need so much money as they think they do. They just get caught up in this game we're playing to seem to have forgotten that it is ALL about who you are, not what you have.

Take the energy crisis for example. In many countries right now a question arises about building a nuclear plant, because we run out of energy. Is that really so? I live with my family now abroad and I see people wasting so much energy, just walking around the house with all their lights on, being totally oblivious that that kind of behavior contributes to the "energy crisis". The truth is if 40 million people for one night plugged there cellphones out after the battery is full, instead of leavig them for the whole night in the outlet, today we might not be facing those issues. So it's all a matter of awereness when you start seing things in a big picture.

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answered 22 Oct '09, 22:26

wildlife's gravatar image

wildlife
(suspended)

I gave up long ago thinking that people should just get together and think a certain way to solve a problem. People are who they are; they're not going to change for you. That's why exercises like "If everyone just turned off their cell phones at night" are pointless, because it's never going to happen. Change happens on this scale only when people collectively suffer enough pain that they become motivated to change. In most cases such change happens when it becomes socially unacceptable not to change. Smoking is the best example I can think of.

(12 Nov '09, 16:26) Vesuvius

I think it only matters if you believe it does, maybe that's why it seems like people who don't care have everything. In my opinion if you don't practice giving Love and compassion you are empty inside doesn't matter how much you seem well off. I believe that we are made of Love we only have to chose it. It is always a choice whatever you chose to put out, in thought, feelings and beliefs you always get back the same. If your life is not what you want, you can change it at any time (now), just by being the change you would like to see in the world. Make it a habit to look from within and without will mirror all your desires, hopes and dreams. The power of Love is always at our finger tips and so is misery if we so chose. We are always 100% responsible for our own lives whether we like it or not, so love life and life will love you back. It is as simple as that!

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answered 09 Dec '13, 10:01

petitesweetyme's gravatar image

petitesweetyme
5834

I agree with Rani, and it's all about what we believe. We can be good and believe that we are unworthy - this brings us bad experiences.

It doesn't matter what you know as long as you follow the goodness in your heart, the goodness that is what we learn from, within us, the part of God that is within us. We know when we are true to the spirit of God within, and that isn't about rules written by people in any book or any law, or any school, or any religion. If they match then great, but the truth in your heart is all that matters.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akbUqybGPGY&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKdHJyHB-Bo&feature=related

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answered 22 Oct '09, 21:38

Rebecca's gravatar image

Rebecca
2.3k515

edited 23 Oct '09, 02:18

Matters to whom ? .. first of all, good and bad are against the rules of life. he ( the other - the bad guy ) looks bad in your eyes. and you look good in your eyes and in the eyes of people who accepts the same beliefs about good and evil as you do. life doesn't understand all that. believe it, or not. we create our own reality, so they say. 99% of our reality is made up. we created it, it doesn't exist outside our own minds. we create virtual reality, believe it, and expect the whole exitence to follow it. and be very surprised if we noticed something ''wrong'' happening. and if we did, .. we blame life. satan, the other bad guy .. or anything/anyone else. but we never question our beliefs. that's why they are called beliefs after all. do you think a lion kills because it's evil ? .. stars die because of their sins ? .. planets are without life, because a God punished the race once lived there and cursed them all? .. with all respect to what you/me/them believe. life doesn't care. life only cares about the ones who care about it, care to know, learn and apply the laws/rules. one of these rules, is free choice. freedom could never be limited by anything. if it is, it's not freedom. do you think the laws we made up could ever last or be respected as universal laws ? .. laws of life are way more powerful. with no dogma or fantasy worlds attached. yes we still need dogma and still need false - imaginary - worlds to stop us from hurting ourselves. but as we get to learn and know the laws of life, we will kiss all that goodbye :-) and maybe .. few hundred years from now we will remember them and laugh, just like a grown up when he remembers the stories of santa and tooth fairy. good and bad doesn't exist my friend .. we created them. we believed them. that's ok .. but it's dangerous thinking to expect life to follow them. that would only cause pain and confusion. and maybe mental illness. things like, you think bad about yourself but you are good .. with all respect,would make things worse. we would love to hear such advice. it keeps what good is good and what's evil is evil and just turn the attention on something else. mental trick, an illusion to keep another illusion alive. no, in my opinion, the problem in thinking that I'm good, and any other is bad. would a killer be good or evil? .. a killer is a killer. not bad and not evil. ever read the so called holy books. how many times killing was ordered by God for many causes and reasons? .. a killer is a killer. good cause, bad cause .. that's personal. in the eyes of life, he just made what life already is doing all the time. is saving lives good or bad? .. read the holy books. how many times some prophet was ordered to run for his life and leave people behind. even his own family? .. saving lives, is also somthing that life is doing all the time. birth is not good, death is not evil. light is not good, darkness is not evil. the creator of good is the same creator of evil. one can not exist without the other. the moment good existed, evil existed. that's what the laws of life tell us. dogma would tell you another story, and that's when pain begins. you are not good and you are not evil. you are who you are. no suffering, no pain, no guilt. free

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answered 23 Oct '09, 03:52

Adel's gravatar image

Adel
2.0k149

Why does all this matter?

(12 Nov '09, 15:33) Vesuvius

"The material wealth that life has to offer" is neutral. Material being neutral. Obtaining it or getting rid of it, is to a large degree, meaningless. Heck, if I self realized as entirely a spiritual being, I believe I would claim it to be entirely meaningless.

Yet, here in human land, we attach a lot of meaning to it, not the least of which is 'necessary for survival' or wonderful for a happy existence. It is not unlike a video game where goal is to obtain as much of x, to win the game or increase skill(s) in the game. In that context, of the game, a player that sits still and enjoys just being will likely not have much fun or last long as the meaning attached to the game isn't about being, it's about doing and earning your way, so that you can stay alive, and do more.

Life's purpose, while here in human land, is about forgiveness. Which is an illusion and isn't necessary from a being perspective. Being that we all are and were created as Love, then forgiveness is ultimately unnecessary. So, don't really need to learn more to be more. Yet, if one has chosen to accept the belief in less or lack, then a path of unlearning is invoked. IOW, one is responsible for the blocks they have put on their path that have caused them to 'see' own life as lacking wealth, lacking health, and/or lacking peace. When all of those are no longer seen as lacking, and thus fulfilled, joy is abundant, love is remembered.

That might seem like some fancy shmancy spiritual rule I just came up with, but is really only necessary if lack is a belief held with any sort of conviction, which in my existence on this earth is something we feel is 'good' to pass along to our offspring as early as possible. Messages like, 'you have to earn a living' and 'life is tough, bad things will happen, and you must learn to make due.' We teach lack, for we (ahem) good teachers believe lack is part of the 'natural order.' We even think Mother Earth is lacking, and that humans have done things to make our Mother suddenly show up as lacking. In reality, this Mother is neutral, and changes are entirely superficial. Entirely. Superficial.

The Golden Rule (and its many variations on same theme) return awareness, rather quickly, to what is accurate about life and Self. You do unto others as you would have done unto you, because that is how it is. Some understand that as, if I do this to/for another, then someday it'll come back to me. In reality, whatever it is you are now doing, is being done unto you, right now. But if caught up in belief of lack, and really really caught up in that, it'll possibly take a few days, or perhaps a few decades to realize, 'oh wait, I get it, that was me judging Me. Wow! Only took me a whole lot of time to become aware of that.'

So, if judging those people over yonder, or right next to you, as being 'bad' - then guess what? Guess who you are really (as in really really) judging? I'll give you a hint, it is not others who you are judging. Elaborate means of self deception may have you believe that it is rational or plausible to judge another; while you are in no possible, conceivable way, judging your own self. Yet, when awareness of Self increases, you will realize exactly, precisely how judgment has always worked. Without exception.

We are all Good people. Playing with neutral things, for awhile. And getting over our bad (or mistaken) ideas of self lacking.

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answered 09 Dec '13, 12:01

Jman's gravatar image

Jman
5908

It matters, because our current goodness and effort to prolong it, someday it will put us to be rewarded by giving us an expanded awareness relevantly.

Does it matter any more about being a good person? It matters because goodness must expand our awareness gradually, because that's how goodness works.

  • If i am stupid right now but i am good people, then my awareness will be expanded further gradually.
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answered 09 Dec '13, 19:28

Seremonia's gravatar image

Seremonia
2918

Yes, it matters. In fact, it's hard to imagine anything that matters more.

I've been really lucky in my life to have met a lot of really good people over the years. One of the best was Joe S. Not only was he good, but he was funny and humble and attracted other good people to him like a beautiful flower attracts bees. Joe was a public speaker of sorts, and when people heard he was going to talk, the room would be packed with all of us eagerly listening, and learning, and laughing. When he died, his funeral was standing-room only. Joe's goodness buoyed me up through some of the darkest days of my life. Don't ask me why he befriended me; I found it inexplicable. When all of our livingroom furniture was destroyed, Joe showed up at our home, the back of his truck piled with odd and ends from his own home. It didn't match, and I didn't care. It stood for the kind of love that Joe showed to the world. His goodness surely mattered to me. That big, barrel-chested guy with the gravelly voice taught many people about love.

But there is something about the good people I've had the privilege to know over the years: they are good quietly, softly, behind-the-scenes. These people don't care if anyone knows they are good. They just are. And this quietness of being is a hallmark of many, many good people. There are so many "Samaritans" like Joe who just see a need and get to work.

Oh, yes, it matters! Often, one good person can negate the nastiness of a hundred. It's just a shame that news outlets prefer to report the bad. One could get the impression that it doesn't matter to be good.

Blessings,

Jaianniah

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answered 02 Mar '23, 06:46

Jaianniah's gravatar image

Jaianniah
37.8k13103607

to answer the question i will ask you some question: Who is good in this world? who is not in division? who is in truth? who does not sin against him self or other? who is with out sin to cast the first stone? who is merciful? who is at peace with a pure heart? some Christian might think that I am talking about the flesh or the physical and I am not talking about the flesh or the physical. it is not what you put in your mouth that will defile you it is what comes out of it. if you do not know your self you cannot know other and you are divided from your self and other. if you do not know yourself you live in poverty and you are that poverty. if you would be born of water and spirit you would not need to ask any question about being a good person the outside would be like the inside. since everything comes from the inside and goes out to the outside. Man like to make rules and law, do not bow before the letter of the law, and violate the heart of the law!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23vBzocKINU

if you would solve your division between your mind and your heart you would know what is good, justice, mercy, good faith. write this on your heart on this very day. respect the greatest commandment and the second greatest commandment if you are able to truly follow those two then you will also respect the 10 other commandments with the hearth of the law.

follow the word the word is truth. love the neighbor as thyself.

Let there be light, be the light that you can be experience, and enjoy.

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answered 09 Dec '13, 20:08

white%20tiger's gravatar image

white tiger
21.9k114116

10 yrs later does it matter
about goodness; for service
to others, yes, for service to self, no

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answered 13 Sep '23, 21:29

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fred
19.7k176

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