Withhold Wrongdoing

Not long ago, I was talking to a Christian fellow at the local Starbucks. As we got to talking, he realized that I was one without religion, and he immediately questioned my ethics. I thought this was rather interesting, because religion has nothing to do with ethics. In fact many groups have been slaughtered over religious ideals, and they have killed their fellow man merely over a difference in belief. I would submit to you that that is an unethical action, and yet it was their religion which allowed them to do it in good faith.

Indeed, they believed they were doing the right thing, in the name of their God. This is completely problematic. Someone who is an agnostic, or an atheist is not necessarily unethical. And just because someone calls themselves a; Christian, Muslim, Hindu, or any of a number of world religions does not automatically make that individual one with integrity, honesty, and a solid core of ethics. Now then, I would submit to you that it's up to every individual to withhold wrongdoing onto others, to live up to your ideals, regardless of where they come from.

Human beings have a mind, they can figure out what's right and wrong, it should be obvious. Anyone with a relatively average level of intelligence knows the difference. They hardly need to read it in a religious doctrine. In fact, I was rather taken aback by the nice Christian fellow at the Starbucks somehow suggesting that I did not have the moral foundation to do the right thing. It seemed to me that was about the heaviest insult that one could lay on another individual. And yet, he believed that with every bit of this fiber, he believed that those that were not Christian, could not possibly be ethical.

That is truly amazing. Over the years, I've met others who were either agnostic or atheist and I've asked them why they did something, perhaps they did something for the common good, volunteered with the local community, or raised money for important charity. Their answer has always been; "because it was the right thing to do." No one had to tell them that it was the right thing to do, they inherently knew the difference between right and wrong, and knowingly engaged in an empathetic, and righteous action.

We must all withhold wrongdoing, and when we see wrongdoing happening, we should stand up and say something. We should also be able to look in our own mirrors, know when we've made a mistake, and correct the problem. It takes a man to do that, and that man could be of any religion, or no religion at all. Indeed I hope you will please consider this and think on it, but most of all I hope you will withhold wrongdoing in your life.

Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank. Lance Winslow believes writing 24,500 articles by August 24th or 25th will be difficult because all the letters on his keyboard are now worn off now..

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