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Can you live up to your principles and how do you try?

Lark

Active member
Joined
Jun 21, 2009
Messages
29,569
I've got a book I've not read yet entitled the year of living biblically about someone who tried to live a literal interpretation of both the old and new testaments for a year, I dont know if it'll be less inspiring or interesting and more of a pop cultural read but it makes me think, you could substitute other principles for biblical ones and I'll bet it would be just as challenging. So you could have the year of living socialistically or the year of living libertarianly or the year of living conservatively (although that last one may have a different meaning, ie modestly).

What do members of the forum think? Do you have "liveable" principles and how do you try to practice if you do?
 
T

ThatGirl

Guest
When I was younger, I was put into a situation that caused me to question everything I was. Was I a good person? Was I worthy of anything? Did I live a good life? What did I have to contribute, for myself, and others? Etc, etc.

I dove really heavily into spirituality and studied the bible for quite some time. Analyzing it heavily, and adopting the universal principles on which it was built. Even the contradictory points I made sense of. Establishing that first one must try to avoid negative experiences that could lead to having to make value based decisions, then if unavoidable, act from the next pillar of morality and judgment on up.

I felt very vindicated, and managed to live a non-contradictory experience within the bibles laws for over five years. I did not tell a lie, I did not do anything hurtful or harmful to others, and so forth, and had extreme sense of faith and balance.

Then one day, after a particularly bad turn of luck, it seemed that my understanding either evolved or snapped (still can't decide). I realized in a woosh of thoughts and meaning, that I had no ego, no will. I could not dispute my circumstance because it was not what I believed, nor had I taken any measures to direct my own will upon them, and yet I wasn't happy. I had lived by all the rules, trusted the world, and the world decided on its own without my influence, that I was still unworthy of basic human respect. If I was to trust the universe to place me where I should be, I have a big issue with what the universe thought I was capable of.

I remember saying one final prayer to God, apologizing. I told him that I couldn't live like this. That I felt I was throwing away the gift of life that was given to me, and my existence was useless. I told him, I had to start over, that I was going to make mistakes, and probably do some bad things, but I asked him to trust me, and my decisions, that hopefully somehow, I would one day find my way back under my own authority. Having given acknowledgement to the life I as a person, alive in the world, could produce.

Its weird because I ended up going to hell in a hand basket. Lol. I have recreated many things that I had walked away from that day, on my own. But still, I feel like something is missing. There was, is, a part of me that wants to go back to being so disciplined, so sure, and so innocent. But, there is also a part of me, that feels as though I don't belong there anymore, or maybe never did. Actually I don't belong anywhere. I feel like the character in The Light in the Forest, who has gone to each extreme in a incompatible battle, and cannot return to either side. So he ends up walking far in the middle of the forest, to live out the rest of his life by himself.

I suppose I am still waiting for whatever connects the two into one piece.

So, I don't think it is as hard as people think, to live by the rules of the bible. Like I said, the messages are actually pretty universal. Be honest, respectful of your environment, and aware of your contribution toward negative circumstances. First avoid, if unavoidable, stand up for the greater good. Let go of self driven ideals and act universally. If you do this, you should be able to live within all the laws provided with ease.
 

KDude

New member
Joined
Jan 26, 2010
Messages
8,243
I can live by own principles fine. But there's a whole other level of principles on the top layer that try to guilt me at just about anything I do. If they had a face, it'd be the monkey from Family Guy.
 

Elfboy

Certified Sausage Smoker
Joined
Nov 26, 2008
Messages
9,625
MBTI Type
ENFP
Enneagram
5w4
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
yes. my values are extremely easy to pursue
 

Lily flower

New member
Joined
Jun 28, 2010
Messages
930
MBTI Type
INFJ
Enneagram
2
That book was funny. Of course, the whole point of the Bible is to show people that it is impossible for humans to live a righteous life, so we have a natural separation from God (ie from "all good"). Because of that we then know and appreciate that Christ died to save us.

I try to live up to my values and morals, but I know that I fail (mostly in the thought life area - getting irritated by people, judging people, being selfish, etc.) I am just thankful that God is forgiving and that people can't read my mind!
 
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