For example, if I have complete freedom to do as I please, with no accountability, responsibility, then beyond my personal desire to stay alive, why would I sacrifice my resources to another who has no personal interest or ability to extend my life? Why give, help, invest in others who will not give you anything back, except a positive short term feeling?
Proposition: If my actions have no eternal consequence, then ultimately my wrongs and rights that either I have done to my neighbour or that they to me, have no bearing beyond my 3 score years and 10, nor theirs.
For example, if the above is true, then if my neighbour takes the life of my daughter, and they are never held to account or if I tarnish the reputation of my neighbour and bear falsely to their name in order to benefit and are not held to account, then what would stop me if I am able to avoid painful or undesired repercussions?
Proposition: If justice and a moral code are pre-requisites for my actions, then by which justice system am I accountable to and to which moral code? What then are the consequences to the breach of that code and who carries them out?
For example, if David's client who falsely attested to not signing a contract to him and refused to pay fees, then David has a justice system to ensure justice is fulfilled. When it's not, there is outrage, anger.
When that Indian couple were raped and bashed on the bus, there is a national cry for Justice to be served. If it is not fulfilled, then a nation and international community are outraged.
Proposition: If objective Truth exists, and that includes that actions by a person have eternal consequences, then who is my judge and jury?
For example, when I made an unsavoury and rude comment about my mother, should justice be served? When I walked out of the cafe with too much change and I knew it and did not give it back to the waiter, should justice be served? When a man in his anger hits his children occasionally or wife, should justice be served? When a mother of 4 sleeps with other men, and lies about the use of money to the family, should justice be served? If I knowingly cheat the tax system, only by a few hundred dollars should justice be served?
The Hindu subscribe to Dharma (duty), re-incarnation, continually evolving to reach "atam" (soul), where your current life is judged by Brahman by which you return to hopefully a more evolved being. (BTW I am way over simplifying Hinduism).
The Buddhist subscribe to following the Noble 8 fold path to attaining enlightenment - release from karma, the cycle of life, release of the indescribable state - nirvana.
The Muslim subscribes to actions have eternal judgement and it is Allah who decides based on the conduct of your life if you are accepted into Heaven or Hell.
The Jehovah Witness subscribes to the actions of your faith in Jehovah by doing good works like witnessing to attest and earn his favour into being judged and accepted into this renewed earth.
The Mormon is not far behind in this ideology.
The atheist subscribes to no consequences beyond this life, no cause, effect, accountability or responsibility after they are physically dead. If you get away with it in while you live, then it is what it is, too bad.
Neale Walsch - new age author, states in his conversation with god (God?) about the question of accountability of people like Hitler (because Hitler was REALLY bad, unlike you and me who are just a little bit bad and mostly good) is that there is no "good" or "bad", there "just is" and that Hitler did the Jews a favour by releasing them from life to heaven: "The mistakes Hitler made did no harm or damage to those whose deaths he caused. Those souls were released from their earthly bondage, like butterflies emerging from a cocoon"
EITHER OUR ACTIONS DO OR DO NOT HAVE ETERNAL CONSEQUENCES - either there is a cause and effect and or there is accountability V's there is nothing, no meaning, no purpose, it "just is"
I heard one of the polly's on Q&A this week say that the objective of life is to live as best you can.
Now why? What defines "best" in any case. Apart from living our Dawkins' self professed "Selfish Gene", why do anything outside of our immediate self gratification.
The next question to ask ourselves is if there is objective truth and that includes that our life is measurable accountable, then our actions have eternal consequences and then who is that judge and what is the result or outcome of that behavior?
So often I am rebuked, shouted out through slogans, told I am arrogant, bigoted and judgmental for holding to the world view that our actions have eternal consequences and the implications of that. (Though I do not accuse or have told a person they are going to hell) Yet it seems that the world wants to "have it's cake and eat it too", by seeking out values, rules, laws and court and justice systems, yet is aghast that my and their personal life is not up for judgement or accountability.
"For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him." (John 3:17)
Why would Jesus say that? Why would a man, claiming to be God make such an outrageous arrogant and unequivocal statement? Either he is delusional, a liar or who he says he is.
Just to be clear, Jesus goes on to say:
And what does Jesus say when being crucified:
"Father forgive them for they know not what they do...."
Does it not seem odd to you, that if God exists, if there is objective truth, if there is objective moral laws and duties, that if broken/transgressed that if judgement / accountability is not tied to them, then what's the point?
Why is this important to Ironmen? Because, before you or I make a decision about what to do next, if I have no consideration to accountability, then chaos will triumph in my heart.
For example, if I decide to trash my manager or colleagues reputation, if I decide to out of spite make my neighbors life uncomfortable because they offended me, or if I decide to gossip about someone else, without fear or favour, then where does it stop....?
