Choices

CHOICES

Brent Anderson

On the surface, the word “choice” is just another word among the hundreds of thousands in our language. However, introspective examination reveals that the meaning of the word defines life itself, and furthermore life as we know it is solely about choices. While the ability to make choices is not of necessity a human trait, it certainly shapes the lives lived by the billions of humans on the Earth. The chain of decisions made throughout our lives ultimately describes us and leads to our own individual lifelong masterpiece or failure. The chain of decisions that defines us also helps us define time and space as it relates to our lives. Thus we see that the concept that the word “choice” conveys is ultimately the definition of life on Earth.

It is obvious, and at the same time distressing, that we are not all given the same abilities or range of choices that each of those abilities brings. While these differences are primarily a result of genetic serendipity and cultural restraints, we nevertheless order our culture on the basis of the haves and have-nots of genetic roulette and social pecking order. It is truly unfortunate that some come to this life with very few abilities, and so they unfortunately have very few choices available to them in life. Others seem to have an infinite amount of ability and unlimited choices, but at its most fundamental basis, life is blindly unfair and nothing can change that save human caring and love. The only recourse that any individual has is to take the abilities given, and then improve his or her situation through the practice of constant self-analyses of past decisions. To understand the effect of choices in our lives is a valuable tool. To understand the importance of making good choices that not only improve our own lives but those of the others with whom we share life is a seemingly rare ability, judging by the mess that so many make of their lives. In the interest of understanding the processes of making good (moral) decisions lets’ first consider the basics of life with respect to choice, and then focus on making decision that better our lives.

As each of us ponders our individual past, we understand it consists of a continuous trail of small and large choices that stretch back to the time of our conception. Practically every second of an individual life requires the exercise of volition on a conscious or unconscious level. Life requires each of us to move through the three dimensions of space while we are begrudgingly pulled forward by time. The paths we follow are indelibly inscribed upon space in moments of time past much like a needle might leave a scratch in a soft surface over which it is drawn. Our recorded paths are all uniquely singular, but if we are perceptive, we witness that our individual etched path almost joins those etched by others innumerable times. While it is obvious that we each live in a world occupied by billions, they in fact can never be a part of our own being on any level. The irony of life is that we are at once totally independent of, and yet dependent in innumerable ways, on others who occupy the adjacent space and time as we. While many yearn for spiritual connection with those whom they love, they can never merge, only interact and pass on to the next meeting. If we stress total independence in our personal lives we inevitably find ourselves yearning for the love and affirmation from others.

Those who learn early to make good choices usually find a life-long mate with whom they share love and trust. Their lives can be compared to double planets that orbit each other in a beautiful helical dance through time, and yet even with this close relationship they never can truly merge to become one. Our lone and egocentric minds must continue to wonder at the opaque motivations of all others who inhabit our singular, yet separate world. For some, this egocentricity translates to believing that the only correct course through life is their personal chosen path. From this lack of empathy for others arise all the choices that lead to evil in our world through the imposition of an individual’s will upon others without their consent. We all believe that it is a God given right that we make our own decisions, and that no one else has the right to interfere. God our Father allowed us to come to this place so that we could each exercise our own wills without unasked-for direct interference from anyone, even God. This was the intent and purpose of our Father and us before time and space began with our individual mortal births.

So here we are living separate lives in a human society created by the cumulative efforts of men and women over millennia’s of time. Ideally we each are trying to contribute to society with our best efforts both physically and mentally. It is obvious to each that some become better than average at contributing good work and actions to the whole, while most are content to be average, and a few bend all their abilities to not contributing. The later are the takers, and within this group there are those who become very proficient at taking. This is the natural order of all life on the Earth. No matter what group we examine, we will always find first the average, and then on closer inspection the achievers and the underachievers for any given trait. It is true that in many societies that the financial achievers are often resentful of those who are underachievers. The reason for this resentment lies within the fact that some underachievers make their way by stealthily picking away at the resources of the others in the group with an emphasis on the rich. The sad truth is that many of these same overachievers are also resentful of the average but for different reasons. That reason springs from greed since it is apparent to these dynamos that they could accumulate more for themselves if they could enslave and control the average population. The irony is that these overachievers then become the ultimate takers. Thus we see throughout history that powerful men have sought to enslave as many as is possible to their wills. If it was God’s ultimate intention that we have free will in this life, then doesn’t slavery become the ultimate evil after murder, which removes freedom of choice permanently?

Most of us would like to master the art of making good moral choices, and it appears to be an easy task until one starts practicing life. That which gets in the way is always the same, and that is selfishness. When we begin life we are totally selfish, as any one who has cared for a baby will testify. This is a consequence of the genetic code that demands survival and personal comfort regardless of the effect on others, especially sleepless new parents. As time passes for the new comers, they either learn to become less selfish in their choices or they follow the siren call of selfishness to their ultimate failure. Each of us either strives to become less selfish, or, not depending upon our individual goals. If we consider human goals, we find individuals who are completely unselfish, those who are completely selfish, and again, the majority in the middle. From this perspective, we can look at the achievers and non-achievers and understand that in terms of selfishness there may be financial non achievers who are totally unselfish, and achievers who are totally selfish. So while worldly achievement is based primarily on the gifts of intelligence and good looks, it does not predict the relative success of an individual in terms of unselfishness and its attendant moral high ground. We all have the ability to recognize selfishness within ourselves, but the problem is that some simply prefer to be selfish.

Knowledge of good choice making is not a revolutionary new concept, but one that has been known since our first ancestors walked the Earth. If we consider the lives of our ancestors, there are examples of many who have been extremely competent in their decisions, and of course many who were totally incompetent. The relative competence (unselfishness) in making good choices is not a predictor of financial success. The relative incompetence (selfishness however) may well be a good predictor of financial success. Indeed Jesus the Christ stated boldly that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven. This speaks volumes about the selfish pursuit of riches and attendant power with its ultimate effect on the soul of a man or woman. It also speaks volumes about that which is not directly mentioned which is unselfish service to our fellow man or woman. When a rich man asked Christ what he should do to follow him, he was told in the simplest of terms to go and sell all that he had and devote the proceeds to the service of his brothers and sisters. The man left knowing that he could not give up his wealth.

Making choices in our lives depends on our goals or the things to which we individually assign importance. As we have discussed, some would scoff at goals that lead to unselfish service. The majority will exhibit a mixture of this trait, and some will be outstanding in their dedication to service. “Good” is a relative term for much of mankind, but for God it is an absolute. It is sad to see so many of our Brothers and Sisters drift away into pursuits that will lead to personal unhappiness.

Some in their zeal to correct the behavior of others to their own standard, would seek to control others, and mandate by law or other methods their own values. However, there should be no doubt in our minds that our Father would not approve of the removal of freedom of choice. This leads us to think of those whose goal is to legislate morality. What these well-meaning people forget is that the very concept of removing freedom of choice is counter to the plan of God. In our zeal to control criminal conduct, we must always balance the need for each to decide what he or she will make of himself or herself. Freedom cannot rob justice, so if an individual commits a criminal act against brother or sister, the guilty party must accept the lawful consequence as defined by society, to meet the demands of justice. If we value our own freedom we must always remember that all deserve the right to try to find the way back home on their own terms. This is the same battle for the souls of men that has been fought throughout time, those who are good can not force those who prefer evil to be good, because by doing so they would become evil.

Ultimately we speak of spiritual sickness or health, which is the same sickness or health that has always been, and the good remains in spite of the best efforts of the evil to corrupt. “The good must be in the world but not of it”. We who have found the path home must continue to strive with those who are lost in the ways of the world by teaching them of the happiness that service to God and fellow man brings. This is the only option available for the good. So let us be untiring in our encouragement of, those who are currently “of the world” to join us in the peace and serenity of our Fathers household. Let us make choices that lead to following the spirit of those words spoken so long ago by Jesus the Christ “Love your Brother and Sister as your self”. Certainly those words mean that we should love all men and women who are making this lonesome journey through time and space. More importantly they mean that we should love our Father, who is God, for this chance to grow and learn through freedom of choice.