Thoughts of Right and Wrong

Tuesday, February 07, 2006

Thoughts of Right and Wrong

It was the first day of philosophy class. Dr. Berger was calling out the names of each student and he had them stand up and he asked them questions. He didn’t ask, “Where are you from? What major are studying?” or “What year in college are you?” No, he asked us philosophical questions right off the bat! I knew I would not be comfortable during this interrogation. I am a terrible “on the feet” thinker ever since I was young, except when I was younger I was always right (NOT!). This time I was in a college philosophy class.

When it was my turn I was asked, “What is right?” This question can be cut up into many pieces, but I would like to answer right is good and wrong is bad or evil. One may ask, where does good come from? Good comes from God and good is God and God is good, all the time. Socrates would have said that good comes from serving “the god” by asking him questions. I believe that when I first asked, I answered looking to satisfy both parties of believers and non-believers. In my philosophy, I could say that the world is like the people of Athens, and I am like Socrates. My view of right and wrong will upset the people of Athens. Does it change the fact that right is right and wrong is wrong?

During my examination, standing there with twenty other students critiquing me and trying to grasp all the questions, another one swiped me. A question similar to “Is choosing God right or not?” I was asked. I answered to satisfy others, but I betrayed myself. I answered that choosing God is right, but not everyone has to choose Him, and their choice not to choose God, he or she is right. The truth in my answer at that time was people will make a choice whether God is what they want or not; however, the truth remains that God is necessity in our lives, for both believers and non-believers.

When I first answered, I may have conveyed that we should choose to God or not and I may have put the emphasis on choice. This is my more thought out answer: the choice of not choosing God is denying Him. Denying a person their identity or their existence is wrong. Not choosing God is wrong for both believers and non-believers. It is the harsh reality. If a student does not like a professor, does it take away his or her professor’s existence? No. The professor still exists. To diminish the professor would be wrongful act on the student’s part for it brings him or her to his or her original design to reflect the image of God. So, back right or wrong: they are opposites. Right in my simplest answer is good and good is God. Thanks for reading; I welcome questions or concerns or suggestions. Thanks!