10-7-16
I mentioned in yesterday’s post that I had been reading Meditations, along with that book I have been reading Confucius’ Analects, and a book called A Patriots Handbook which is a collection of important texts concerning the USA’s history, culture, and people. In reading these books on different philosophies or ideologies, I have noticed that the defining principle of all three is the focus on doing good, as opposed to bad or evil. Aurelius describes what is “good” as being the things that all humans know to be good based on a natural, spiritual law. We follow these laws that are predefined by something greater than ourselves, and the things in accordance with that law are “good”. Confucius offers a similar idea that all humans are born naturally good, though we should stop worrying about what makes a good man, and be one. I think that this is my favorite idea, hypocritical as it may be that I’m writing on the topic right now. To worry every moment about doing the right or wrong thing is a waste of time, according to both philosophers we already understand what is good, and therefore it should be easy to decide. Without much thought, based on intuition.
I think that I am good, even though I know that I have done bad things in my life, as everyone has. Overall, I believe myself to be good. Guilty of self-love, overindulgence in my own thoughts, and perhaps oft a poor friend. I am careful with my words, I try my best to be resolute in my own beliefs and still respectful of others’, I would never intend to hurt another person, I attempt to be charitable and helpful to all. Even before my departure from Catholic school I had lost my faith, it has been nearly 8 years since then. Now I think I’ve begun to find it again, not in any organized religion or belief system, but in the knowledge of good and evil, and in the belief of a grand design. While on vacation I read this passage from Meditations, looking out over the ocean:
“Since it is possible that thou mayest depart from life this very moment, regulate every act and thought accordingly. But to go away from among men, if there are gods, is not a thing to be afraid of, for the gods will not involve thee in evil; but if indeed they do not exist, or if they have no concern about human affairs, what is it to me to live in a universe devoid of gods or devoid of Providence? But in truth they do exist, and they do care for human things, and they have put all the means in man's power to enable him not to fall into real evils.“
In pondering over different philosophies, in being in a very beautiful place in the world, in reading this very comforting passage, the culmination of these things has been a step forward in perhaps re-discovering a belief in something greater. It’s a good thing, I think, to have religion in your life. At boot camp I will be able to attend a Catholic church every Sunday, and I’m looking forward to that. Even if I do not fully believe in exactly what one religion has to say, I am most comfortable with Catholicism and wouldn’t mind at all rejoining the Church and perhaps one day raising my children within it. A father who believes in God is the firm cornerstone of a successful family, according to Confucius’ rites.
