does your belief in a higher power keep you

[AVID]

acting like a decent human being?

When reaching out a hand comes from the heart - I believe that is a higher power.

[Maat]

1. Well, since I believe that I'm a part of God,

I act like it; we are all parts of God that deserve to be respected.

So, I am a decent human being, therefore I act like one.

I agree with you - it comes from the heart (kindness/love); it is the reflection of Higher Power (Higher Consciousness).

[Ladyhawk]

8. I believe with Albert Einstein that...

..."A man's ethical behavior should be based effectually on sympathy, education, and social ties; no religious basis is necessary. Man would indeed be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death."

[Maat]

10. Good quote - I'm CERTAIN I'm not motivated by fear of ..

punishment and hope for reward after death.

I'm not Christian, don't believe in salvation, and believe in reincarnation of sort (not the belief that one must repeat until one repays for the past or becomes enlightened or anything like that); I believe that one's energy continues on.

I'm a Religious Scientist.

www.rsintl.org

I agree that no religious basis is necessary.

Higher Power is my inspiration, and help, however.

[babylonsister]

2. No. I use the morals I learned from my parents and

the tools I learned from life. I'm a flawed but decent person!

[movonne]

4. Ditto !!! I feel I have more morals than most of these so called religious

people.

[gumby]

3. No

.

[jdj]

5. maybe.

but some of the most moral stable people I've ever known are atheists. they seem more stable and centered than a lot of us.

[n2mark]

6. I do believe in a higher power

Let me say something regarding a higher power. I had a daughter who was a far out teenage from 14-18, the worst years of my life. She did very well during some of the years but the last two we unbelieveable. I prayed everyday and attended Mass on a weekly basis. Well one night I was just beside myself, so (I have a very large cross in my bedroom) I knelt in front of the cruxifix and prayed. I told the Lord this was his daughter and as a parent I was doing the best possible but said she is yours Lord. I can't control,
thank you for the gift, but Lord she is yours, you gave her to me. I surrender. Well, within ten minutes she knocked, knocked? at the door, asked, and asked to take her clothes out of the house because she was going to detox and a half way house. She did this on her own, but ten minutes of surrendering my daughter to the Lord to this day still amazes me.

My daughter is doing fantastic. Sometimes I envy her as I wish when at her age I could handle things differently,maybe the convent was my escape for me.

[n2mark]

7. Hope I made sense

but this was a miracle! My daughter was in really bad shape. The few minutes in front of the cruxifix changed both of our lives, I believe more my daughter then mine.

All I can say I do believe and thank you Lord.

By the way, I am a Catholic Democrat! and will never be anything else.

[n2mark]

9. and you can think whatever you want

I don't attend church every Sunday etc.......and am Catholic

[Maat]

11. Makes sense to me!

I share your joy.

I believe that your daughter is yours and Spirit's (she is part of God, as are you).

Glad her path is healthier now!

She sounds like she has many good qualities; sorry she lost touch with her own inner beauty for awhile.

[denile01]

14. Sure, that makes sense

I was raised going to church but my children weren't. No matter, they grew up to be great people. I wouldn't discourage them, though, to follow a religion that nurtures their spiritual life.

The difference between "fundie" religion and real religion is that fundies haven't figured out that God speaks very quietly.

[Dookus]

12. No

when one looks at all the good and all the evil done in the name of a higher power, I don't see any side winning.

We are good, for the most part, because we evolved to be good. It is a winning strategy for survival.

[LeahD]

13. I believe it is the Higher Power,

the Supreme Ultimate, who puts that need to reach out in our hearts.

[CoffeeCat]

15. Here's my perspective...

I've never actually articulated this, so bear with me...

I believe we all have a "self"--which is a place of peace, acceptance, love and greatness that we all possess. It's who we were born to be, and who we are before life adds on our layers of emotional protection.

Our soul is accessed when we are in "self".

When we're out of "self"--we're angry, judgmental, rigid, depressed, closed up, etc. It's not bad to be out of self. It's just life. It's all of the coping mechanisms that we use to tolerate life on Earth. It's also part of being a fallible human being with a wide range of "parts" that are separate from "self".

I'm learning to more in "self." Sometimes it's difficult--like when you have a part of you that wants to haul off and smack someone--or when you're feeling insecure.

I believe "self" gives you access to your soul--which is connected to something greater (a Higher Power, the universe, God, whatever).

I enjoy being in "self" with access to my soul. It just feel nice. So, I guess my motivation for being decent--is really just a desire to be in "self" and closer to my soul.

Being decent is a bi-product of being "in self". It's just something that happens when you're "in self"

I have no idea if that made sense to anyone but me--but there it is.

[LeahD]

16. What you are calling your "self"

is often referred to as your "highest self," your Buddha nature.

On edit....also your "true nature."

[CoffeeCat]

17. Interesting...

...I don't know anything about Buddhism, but you've sparked my curiosity.

I've just always referred to it as my "self" or my "higher self".

I have a therapist who is very spiritual--and he helps me to access self.

Thanks for the info...I'll have to read about Buddhism.

:)

[CornField]

18. *sigh*

First, I haven't taken time to read the replies to the OP.

Second, I believe the sentiment expressed the OP is one of the number one problems with society today. I do believe there is something greater than myself, but it isn't that belief (or the potential punishment from that greater being) that causes me to be a good person.

When I wake each morning, I make a choice whether or not I will care for my children. I make a choice whether or not I will continue to love and be faithful to my husband. I make a choice whether or not I will use professional ethics in my business. I am a decent human being because I choose to be.

To believe otherwise implies that no decent human being can exist without a belief in a higher power or something greater than him/herself.