If you had the power to make everybody in the world think exactly like you
- Thread starter Moonbeam
- Start date
As nice as it would be to have a world full of RightIsWrongs....it would get a little boring. I like to hear other people's opinions and thoughts to validate my own at times and to form or change mine at others. The more diversity, the more I can learn.
Leave everybody exactly as they are. Sure, there's plenty of POVs I disagree with, but that's the fun/privilege that comes with living "free." We'll all pay for that "freedom" some day, but I'm not gonna be the dictator that removes an individual's right regardless of what may seem to be "the greater good." Why the question?
Vic
Elite Member
- Jun 12, 2001
- 50,422
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I don't see that "freedom" as something that we pay for, but which rewards us. In the same vein, I see the removal of that individual right as anything but in the greater good.
The fact is that no one could possibly know it all. Or even a tiny minuscule fraction of it all. Intellectual freedom has allowed the human race to learn and advance. When that right is limited, then so is knowledge, and that cannot possibly be in the greater good.
Quite frankly, I relish in our differing views and disagreements. And I see the desire to force conformity of belief as a form of active denial of reality. There is no greater proof of one's individual existence inside a greater reality than the fact that others are different, and think differently, from you. And the greatest form of selfishness IMO is the desire to force everyone to think like you and to conform to your worldview.
Life is much more interesting with diversity, and opposition even. Milktoast just doesn't sit well with me.
We teach this in church believe it or not. When God presented the plan of salvation in the Spirit World Satan had the idea that he would save everyone and not give them free will. Then Jesus stood up and said he would do the will of God and volunteer to be the saviour and die for our sins.
The point is that life is a struggle to overcome. Overcoming obstacles is what makes people grow and become better and stronger. God gave us free will so we would be choose to good or evil to see if we would pass the test and choose the good over the evil.
The point is that life is a struggle to overcome. Overcoming obstacles is what makes people grow and become better and stronger. God gave us free will so we would be choose to good or evil to see if we would pass the test and choose the good over the evil.
here's a similar question:
would you rather have your leg cut off or be given a handjob*?
why does the question even need to be asked? Who is seriously going to pick the former?
Note: the * is for anyone who tries to come up with some sort of retort that works around the question, i.e. the person giving the handjob is a man, the leg can be re-attatched, I'm a female so I can't be given a handjob, handjobs are against my religion, etc....ignore all such retorts.
would you rather have your leg cut off or be given a handjob*?
why does the question even need to be asked? Who is seriously going to pick the former?
Note: the * is for anyone who tries to come up with some sort of retort that works around the question, i.e. the person giving the handjob is a man, the leg can be re-attatched, I'm a female so I can't be given a handjob, handjobs are against my religion, etc....ignore all such retorts.
If everybody thought like me the beaches would be full of people having sex with one another, nothing would get done, and we'd eventually starve to death. Leave everybody as they are.
Vic
Elite Member
- Jun 12, 2001
- 50,422
- 14,337
- 136
Except that piasabird is a Mormon (hint: mainstream Christianity doesn't believe in what he posted), and Mormons don't believe in a hell.
Agreed though that the forced conformity factor is pretty freakin' high in the Mormon church, just not for the reason you gave. It's a congregational-based church with strict societal standards. Non-conformists and free thinkers, even the otherwise pious and faithful ones, are likely to find themselves shunned (formally or informally) by the rest of the congregation.
I personally find it annoying discussing theology with Mormons because (like piasabird's post), every point they make invariably begins with "We believe" and "We teach," etc. I interrupted one mid-sentence once to ask what he personally thought, and got a stunned and confused look, like I'd asked him to have a beer or something.
It shouldn't be in OT because I asked it here for a reason. Here people are tearing each other apart for thinking differently, but in this thread everybody's grateful for difference. How come we don't say, 'thank God you're voting for the other party? If everybody voted like me life would be a mess.'
I'll admit that there are a few specific things that I'd like having universal agreement on (the plane takes off), but for the most part having differing opinions is a very good thing IMO. Not only that, but the fact that differing opinions exist has altered my opinions over time, which would not have happened if everybody thought the way that I do.
jonks
Lifer
- Feb 7, 2005
- 13,918
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Because we all do agree on certain issues and we do want universal agreement on certain issues. We just do not want universal agreement on every single issue.
I think in a non-online poll you'll find 99% of people opposed to torturing babies. Online, probably 50-50.
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