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 Posted - 11/18/2009 : 21:24:42
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WHAT ARE THE 10 GOLDEN RULES FOR LIVING A BETTER LIFE?
In the past 5,000 years of recorded history, there have been many "golden rules" for living a better life.
I would like to discuss 10 Golden Rules for living a better life that I have found helpful.
10 Golden Rules For Living A Better Life
- KINDNESS
Be kind, understanding and friendly.
- COOPERATION
Be cooperative, generous and humble.
- FORGIVENESS
Show forgiveness, trust, and gratitude.
- LEADERSHIP
Show moral leadership, peacemaking, and independence.
- PLANNING
Plan ahead; show caution; don't be impulsive, reckless or promiscuous.
- ORDER
Fight chaos. Live a life of stability, purpose, and beauty.
- MODERATION
Avoid excesses; keep work-love-play in balance; compromise; live within your means.
- COURAGE
Be self-confident, optimistic and persevere against adversity.
- JUSTICE
Be respectful, responsible and honest. Treat others the way you want others to treat you.
- WISDOM
Learn from your mistakes, admit when you are ignorant, keep questioning. |
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Posted - 11/22/2009 : 15:58:38
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I HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
Ethical Objections To Parts Of The Ten Commandments
I am a humanistic, and as such, I respect all of the world's religions.
I was raised a Christian, and I formerly taught Sunday School in my late teens. In university, I took one course in theology.
Like all Christians, I believed in the brotherhood and equality of man, and in our ethical responsibility to help those who can not help themselves
However, there were parts of Christianity that troubled me. I was taught that the Bible was the sacred word of God. However, I had trouble with parts of the Ten Commandments, namely:
- Why would a loving God punish innocent children?
The Ten Commandments state: "I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and fourth generation of those who reject me."
- Why would a loving God condone slavery?
The Ten Commandments state "your male and female slave may rest as well as you."
- Why would God state that there is only one true religion? Why can't different people perceive God in different ways?
The Ten Commandments state "you shall have no other gods before me."
Unlike the Bible, modern day Christianity doesn't condone slavery. Thus I can accept that, historically, the Ten Commandments are an extremely important list of "Golden Rules" for better living. However, I personally find that the Ten Commandments are too rudimentary to be an adequate blueprint for how to live a good life.
The Ten Commandments (Deuteronomy 5:6–21): 6 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery;
7 you shall have no other gods before me.
8 You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
9 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and fourth generation of those who reject me,
10 but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.
11 You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.
12 Observe the sabbath day and keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you.
13 For six days you shall labour and do all your work.
14 But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you, or your son or your daughter, or your male or female slave, or your ox or your donkey, or any of your livestock, or the resident alien in your towns, so that your male and female slave may rest as well as you.
15 Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the sabbath day.
16 Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God commanded you, so that your days may be long and that it may go well with you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
17 You shall not murder.
18 Neither shall you commit adultery.
19 Neither shall you steal.
20 Neither shall you bear false witness against your neighbor.
21 Neither shall you covet your neighbor’s wife. Neither shall you desire your neighbor’s house, or field, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor. I am very thankful that I had religious instruction in my youth. As a humanist, I feel spiritually at home when I visit a Christian church. However, my humanistic beliefs also allow me to feel spiritually inspired when I visit my daughter-in-law's Sikh Temple, or my business partner's Jewish Synagogue.
Phil Long MD
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Posted - 11/26/2009 : 18:43:23
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GOLDEN RULE #1: KINDNESS
Be kind, understanding and friendly.
Today:
- Did I show compassion, kindness or affection?
- Was I sensitive to (and understand) other people’s feelings?
- Did I prefer to be with friends and enjoy their company?
QUESTION: Should this rule be one of the "10 Best Golden Rules" for living a better life?
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Posted - 11/26/2009 : 18:56:59
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GOLDEN RULE #2: COOPERATION
Be cooperative, generous and humble.
Today:
- Did I cooperate with others for a common purpose (and do a fair share of the work)?
- Did I unselfishly help others (without expecting personal gain)?
- Was I humble?
QUESTION: Should this rule be one of the "10 Best Golden Rules" for living a better life?
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Posted - 11/26/2009 : 21:59:32
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GOLDEN RULE #3: FORGIVENESS
Show forgiveness, trust, and gratitude.
Today:
- Did I forgive other peoples’ mistakes, and not bear a grudge or seek revenge?
- Did I trust people and not become overly suspicious?
- Was I thankful for the good things in life, and express thanks to others?
QUESTION: Should this rule be one of the "10 Best Golden Rules" for living a better life?
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Posted - 11/26/2009 : 22:07:21
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GOLDEN RULE #4: LEADERSHIP
Show moral leadership, peacemaking, and independence.
Today:
- Did I lead others toward a postive goal (or away from temptation to do evil)?
- Did I skillfully prevent (or handle) conflict within a group or family?
- Did I not fear being alone?
QUESTION: Should this rule be one of the "10 Best Golden Rules" for living a better life?
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| Administrator
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Posted - 11/26/2009 : 22:33:08
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GOLDEN RULE #5: PLANNING
Plan ahead; show caution; don't be impulsive, reckless or promiscuous.
Today:
- Did I plan for tomorrow (and not live just for today)?
- Did I think carefully before acting or speaking?
- Did I ensure my impulsive or reckless behavior didn't harm anyone?
- Did I not have casual sex (with someone who was not my permanent sex partner)?
QUESTION: Should this rule be one of the "10 Best Golden Rules" for living a better life?
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| Administrator
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Posted - 11/27/2009 : 10:24:12
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GOLDEN RULE #6: ORDER
Fight chaos. Live a life of stability, purpose, and beauty.
Today:- Was my mood stable and predictable?
- Was my social life stable and predictable?
- Did I have purpose and beauty in my life?
QUESTION: Should this rule be one of the "10 Best Golden Rules" for living a better life?
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Posted - 11/27/2009 : 10:24:35
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GOLDEN RULE #7: MODERATION
Avoid excesses, keep work-love-play in balance, compromise, live within your means.
Today:
- Did I avoid extremes or excesses, and show self-restraint?
- Did I maintain a proper balance between work, love and play?
- Was I able to compromise, and see merit in an opponent’s viewpoint?
- Did I live within my means?
QUESTION: Should this rule be one of the "10 Best Golden Rules" for living a better life?
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Posted - 11/27/2009 : 10:24:57
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GOLDEN RULE #8: COURAGE
Be self-confident, optimistic and persevere against adversity.
Today:
- Was I self-confident?
- Was I optimistic?
- Did I persevere against adversity?
QUESTION: Should this rule be one of the "10 Best Golden Rules" for living a better life?
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Posted - 11/27/2009 : 10:25:23
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GOLDEN RULE #9: JUSTICE
Be respectful, responsible and honest.
Today:
- Did I treat others the way I wanted others to treat me?
- Was I ethical, respectful, responsible and honest?
- Did I heed correction or make amends (if warranted)?
QUESTION: Should this rule be one of the "10 Best Golden Rules" for living a better life?
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Posted - 11/27/2009 : 10:25:48
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GOLDEN RULE #10: WISDOM
Learn from your mistakes, admit when you are ignorant, keep questioning.
Today:
- Did I learn from the past, live in the present, and plan for the future?
- Did I learn from my mistakes?
- Did I admit to my ignorance?
- Did I never stop questioning?
QUESTION: Should this rule be one of the "10 Best Golden Rules" for living a better life?
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| docsharp
Amazing Member (1000+ posts)
1685 Posts
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Posted - 11/30/2009 : 09:35:06
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Dr Phil,
I tend to think that this song from Baz Luhrman has some good advice,
Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of '97
Wear sunscreen
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be
It. The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by
Scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable
Than my own meandering
Experience…I will dispense this advice now.
Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh nevermind; you will not
Understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded.
But trust me, in 20 years you'll look back at photos of yourself and
Recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility lay before
You and how fabulous you really looked….You're not as fat as you
Imagine.
Don't worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as
Effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing
Bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that
Never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm
On some idle Tuesday.
Do one thing everyday that scares you
Sing
Don't be reckless with other people's hearts, don't put up with
People who are reckless with yours.
Floss
Don't waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you're ahead, sometimes
You're behind…the race is long, and in the end, it's only with
Yourself.
Remember the compliments you receive, forget the insults; if you
Succeed in doing this, tell me how.
Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements.
Stretch
Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your
Life…the most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they
Wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year
Olds I know still don't.
Get plenty of calcium.
Be kind to your knees, you'll miss them when they're gone.
Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't, maybe you'll have children, maybe
You won't, maybe you'll divorce at 40, maybe you'll dance the funky
Chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary…what ever you do, don't
Congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either – your
Choices are half chance, so are everybody else's. Enjoy your body,
Use it every way you can…don't be afraid of it, or what other people
Think of it, it's the greatest instrument you'll ever
Own...
Dance…even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room.
Read the directions, even if you don't follow them.
Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly.
(Brother and sister together we'll make it through
Someday your spirit will take you and guide you there
I know you've been hurting, but I've been waiting to be there
For you. And I'll be there, just tell me now, whenever I can.
Everybody's free.)
Get to know your parents, you never know when they'll be gone for
Good.
Be nice to your siblings; they are the best link to your past and the
People most likely to stick with you in the future.
Understand that friends come and go, but for the precious few you
Should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and
Lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you
Knew when you were young.
Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard; live
In Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.
Travel.
Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will
Philander, you too will get old, and when you do you'll fantasize
That when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were
Noble and children respected their elders.
Respect your elders.
Don't expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund,
Maybe you have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one
Might run out.
Don't mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40, it will
Look 85.
Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who
Supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of
Fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the
Ugly parts and recycling it for more than
It's worth.
But trust me on the sunscreen…
I believe that God sends everyone messages every second of every day, when it resonates with your spirit you can hear it, most people are just comfortably numb.
I reworded the above for a version I put on T shirt, I've lost the T shirt now but I remeber the following line that I thought appropriate to this thread. at the gliding school I was at, we had a Gliding order book that we had to sign to say that we had read and understood every quarter. I wrote.
Read and understand the rule books, not so that you live by them but,
So that when you feel the need to break or bend them, you understand why.
Which brings me onto the ten commandments, which I will discuss in a separate message.
On one occasion had I stuck rigidly to the orders, I would probably not be here, we would have a broken aircraft and quite possibly a very badly injured student.
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| docsharp
Amazing Member (1000+ posts)
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Posted - 11/30/2009 : 11:09:34
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When I was younger we used to refer to porn as training material as a joke but in fact it was somewhat educational. Basically the sex industry permeates every where within our society, it is really important for a young guy to be able to satisfy a partner, if you want to last more than a couple of months anyway. I heard that Hugh Hefner and his mates used to subsidise Cosmopolitan magazine, because it helped their business.
The days of no sex until marriage are gone in this part of the world anyway. It is not considered excess, it is a learning experience, and if you haven't got any experience porn is useful provided you don't go stupid that is.
Hows this for a bit of interpretation, for you? Jesus was upset that the temple had been turned into a market place and he lost his temper. John later said that he was referring in another passage to the body being the temple of the soul. So was Jesus upset about people turning their bodies into a market place? Then later Jesus stopped them stoning a prostitute. To paraphrase what was going on here..."Hate the sin not the sinner".
I am British and my ancestors have lived in this country a very long time. Before the Christian era we were lead by Druids, who allegedly used to arrange regular orgies apparently they had euthanasia too but nothing's perfect hey. They had a completely different view of death than society seems to have today. My CPN asked me a few weeks ago,"are you having any more feelings about self harm", I replied I have never even thought about self harm, he said "but I thought you were planning suicide six months ago" I replied "yes but I wouldn't screw it up, there fore it wouldn't be self harm." he said "yes it is." I think this might screw up my benefit claim.
Anyway I think that the Druids may have been onto something, some people have a naturally high sex drive and sexual activity of whatever form helps to keep them calm and makes them less aggressive. Unfortunately porn tends to be addictive, but when you ignore that side of your make up and become frustrated, I personally can verbally rip peoples heads off. I suppose I could just practice self restraint and get some pills, turn into more of a zombie. Free porn via the net is a heck of a lot of a more attractive offer, and some porn stars know they are providing these services and are a heck of a lot less likely to do themselves in, intentionally. Why did they used to give soldiers bromide? The Greeks used to encourage their troops to be homosexual. Its those people that are so far up themselves that say that porn is bad and a sell out that are in part responsible for all these suicides.
After all if it hadn't been for the sexual revolution, we wouldn't have had the incentive to invent birth control pills and then we would be in a right mess, euthanasia or all out war would be an absolute must to regulate our population and thus respect our environment.
The Pope and the Catholic Church based in the Vatican are subliminally keeping the human race from growing Spiritually.
Have you heard of Kundalini? Apparently it resides near the genitals so when one gets a Spiritual arousal of that kind, ones sex drive is affected one way or another, sounds like a symptom of psychosis doesn't it? |
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| docsharp
Amazing Member (1000+ posts)
1685 Posts
Gratitude: 909
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Posted - 11/30/2009 : 16:08:08
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>>The Ten Commandments (Deuteronomy 5:6–21):
>>6 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery;
>>7 you shall have no other gods before me.
When you did your theology course surely you were taught that you should not take things so literally or materialistically.
Egypt is not a geographical location , the Bible is a Spiritual text, the word of God no less, i.e. outside time. Egypt and slavery are states of mind, in Egypt the Israelites worked in dead end jobs for their masters, this is not a history book it is about right here right now, follow your heart and you will not wind up in a dead end job (or subject yourself to the mental slavery like in Egypt) Some work today is soul destroying, it will kill your spiritual self if you let it. Personally I was in what would be considered by others a great job, but it was involved in making excuses to screw up the environment, that excuse was financially motivated. It was in total opposition to my beliefs which require people to respect the land, I became ill and had a good reason to leave the job as I saw it as being against what God wanted man to do. So God (or my heart lead me out of the land of Egypt effectively). Who is saying this commandment when you read it? You are! And it is supposed to be coming from your heart, basically it is telling you to trust yourself, hopefully your heart is aligned with the Will of God.
8 You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. People
9 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and fourth generation of those who reject me,
This is an easy one, once you make an image of something it is in the physical unless you make it in your head. Don't worship anything except God, one of the most common things that people seem to worship is money or power, money is Cesar's (king of diamonds, one eye'd materialistic) Render unto Cesar what is Cesar's and unto God what is God's. If you have the genetic make up such that you believe you can hear God and you don't have faith in God you are gonna wind up in trouble metal health wise, that is a genetic condition that you do to yourself. it may take a few generations for that Ginetic condition to be watered down enough, it is about mental health that you deal with Right here and right now.
10 but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.
Get to know God in as many of his aspects as you can, for to know him is to love him and you will find comfort, all his aspects, includes those that Big Pharma provide, and as you say we should not be too proud to ask for help as we can all be instruments of God.
11 You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name. Westborough Baptists do this on a regular basis in my opinion, their actions bring the name of God into disrepute. The Queen of England has a version of this in all Royal Charters and Commissions you are honour bound not to bring her name into disrepute. It is a great shame that this does not apply to her government officials any more.
12 Observe the sabbath day and keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you.
13 For six days you shall labour and do all your work.
14 But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you, or your son or your daughter, or your male or female slave, or your ox or your donkey, or any of your livestock, or the resident alien in your towns, so that your male and female slave may rest as well as you.
Jesus fixed this one when he said the sabbath was made for man, not man made for the sabbath, basically my understanding of this is don't work all the hours God sends,take some time for yourself and those God has sent for you to love, or care for. This was put together in Roman times by Romans, slavery was a way of life then, the basic point is that you should extend the same courtesy regards rest to your slaves too.
16 Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God commanded you, so that your days may be long and that it may go well with you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. Dishonour to some parents is the worst thing they can experience, it is best to have your parents supporting you, don't piss them off, this is sound advice.
17 You shall not murder. Get caught you go to jail or get killed, how can you continue to carry out commandment one if you are dead? Also even if you are not caught, you may well feel guilt, which can be crushing.
18 Neither shall you commit adultery. If God has sent you a good wife, committing adultery is disrespectful to God, and will piss her of and you will give yourself a hard time if caught, if not guilt and lies follow.
19 Neither shall you steal. Do it and you will get anger against you, often punishment. I myself don't like this one because it requires the concept of property. Which I don't think that the Welsh Celts had, consequently they lived in peace with the Romans, the White Dragon from Germania, Anglo Saxons brought this concept to Britain. The Romans were learning this sort of ideology from the Celts I think.
20 Neither shall you bear false witness against your neighbor. Don't lie, less to remember, easier life.
21 Neither shall you covet your neighbor’s wife. Neither shall you desire your neighbor’s house, or field, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor. Jelousy is a bad thing, causes one to set goals that may not really be what your heart or spiritual self really wants. Makes people depressed when they don't get what next doors got. Make it easy for yourself.
Basically I think that commandment number one is the most important one of all, love God, trust in yourself. And the other things are all geared to not giving yourself an unduly hard time. Next love your neighbour as you would yourself. |
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| lynn2150
Super Incredible Member (10000+ posts)
21329 Posts
Gratitude: 9217
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Posted - 12/01/2009 : 00:01:03
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What a FABULOUS thread!
Note to self: ask God what His plans are, for me, for the day.
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10 Golden Rules For A Better Life (Discussion)
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