Community Chat

[esmerelda]

It really isn't a difficult concept.

In a nutshell...

If you want love, be lovable.

If you want friends, be friendly.

If you want respect, be respectable.

Nobody will give you these things just because you exist.  

[cherry]

Christ did, he gave them freely ,to everyone

I really like you Esme, and I respect your courage for posting this

I just don't happen to agree with it

[esmerelda]

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@QueenDanceALot wrote:

Did Jesus teach that no one owes anyone anything?

That the reason you should do good things is so that other people will like you?

I didn't think so.

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@QueenDanceALotwhy do you do the good things you do?  Not so that other people will like you but why?

Anyone else who does good things...why do you do them?

[insomniac2]

A nine-year-old is still young. Poor child. . .

[QueenDanceALot]

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@esmerelda wrote:

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@QueenDanceALot wrote:

Did Jesus teach that no one owes anyone anything?

That the reason you should do good things is so that other people will like you?

I didn't think so.

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@QueenDanceALotwhy do you do the good things you do?  Not so that other people will like you but why?

Anyone else who does good things...why do you do them?

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Because it makes their lives better and/or just makes them happy.  You want people you care about to be happy.

While I agree with some of the author's points, I think that his self-serving and lengthy (public) diatribe to his daughter on Christmas to be pedantic and kind of mean.  Was his daughter just a spoiled little brat who demanded gifts but gave nothing in return?  If so, then I think he actually would take the blame for not setting a good example earlier on.  If not, then he's just being a Scrooge.

JMO

[esmerelda]

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@cherry wrote:

We all owe everyone a decent society, crime free. We owe the future generations education, and we owe  it to posterity to hand them the best possible world we can give to them

The Greatest Generation knew this, and sacrificed their life for this ideal, freedom.

When you forget what we owe to our neighbor ,you live in a Dickens like world, survival of the fittest, workhouses,despair,hunger, ignorance , poverty.

Let the light of love ,control our lives, and make the world a decent place,to raise a child. They are the hope of the future

I would have never said those things to my child. I would have told them what they owe to  others, and encouraged sharing and caring toward others, especially the least among us.

How you choose to treat the oldest, and the youngest ,in our midst, tells what type of a world you want to live in.

I am glad I wasn't raised in a home that gave me lectures, instead of  giving me the light of kindness, to be a lamp unto my feet

I feel very sorry for that child.

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@cherryIt all sounds wonderful.  But how do we as individuals give those things?  A decent society, no crime?  Governments have tried and tried and keep trying and...nothing.  Not everyone wants those things or we would have them.

How you treat people has nothing to do with what you owe them or what they owe you.

So she's nine.  Would it be better if she was 21?  If not, people should stop making an issue of the age.  But maybe that's the only criticism they can come up with, being unable to argue the points being made.

Sad that you saw it as a lecture.  I see it as a father sharing with his daughter something it took years for him to learn with his daughter, hoping to "prevent her from facing many problems that have hurt people who have never learned it."

[Noel7]

Dad to daughter summary:

"It's Christmas, don't expect anything from me, I owe you nothing. No one owes you anything.  But you may borrow my books by Ayn Rand."

[deepwaterdotter]

I think I get the OP's message:  When I choose to pay my taxes I want it to be spent on things that will make me happy.  I'm happy when hungry people who cannot afford a meal get fed.  I'm happy when those who cannot afford medical attention are cared for.  I'm happy when safe shelter is available for those who cannot afford a place to live.  

And when I'm unhappy, it's up to me vote for change.  It's all about my happiness, I get it.

[cherry]

We give those things by trying to ensure that everyone has the best possible start in life they can have.

Education and making sure a child can do their best by not being hungry are a way to start. Education is an important tool for all of us ,our entire lifetime

I know we can never have utopia , but I also know if we do nothing ,and pretend we don't see, we are only adding fuel to the fire.

Our church has free music lessons for the poor children in the area. To my knowledge they are not from my parish. It was just a way we could enrich their lives a bit

We also have free tutoring services for  children that need help with school work. We have a kind of Jimmy Carter rebuilding program once a year ,to help the poor with housing repairs

We give food and gift baskets to families at Christmas, and operate a food pantry all year long

It's better to light one candle than to curse the darkness