123 Meaningful Behavior and Feelings

Meaning: “conveying a significance that is not directly expressed . . .”

“Meaning” has so many faces and makes so many appearances in life, Dear Friend! To show you yet a few more of the seemingly endless adversarial relationships paired and exhibited in “meaning,” I am now going to address some issues surrounding meaningful behavior and feeling.

Issue #4: Desirable Behavior

“Desirable behavior” can mean: Self-sacrifice (to one) vs. survival of the fittest (to another).

Positive: Jesus thought/thinks desirable behavior meant/means self-sacrifice for the benefit of others (John 11:50-52, NKJV).

Positive: As duly noted by Atlanta psychologist Dr. Burt Bradley, America thinks desirable behavior is helping the weakest members of society (a Judeo-Christian concept).

Negative: Hitler believed in the superiority of the Aryan race, committing genocide because of his belief in this meaning. What a downer!

Negative: A popular notion derived from Herbert Spencer’s (British polymath philosopher) comments upon Darwin’s Origin of the Species promotes desirable behavior to mean survival of the fittest and that survival of the fittest improves quality of life. Dr. Bradley would not agree with this. Nor do I.

Issue #5: Desirable Behavior

“Desirable behavior” can mean: Humility (to one) vs. arrogance (to another).

Positive: Jesus humbled Himself and came to earth as a man (Philippians 2:5-8, NKJV).

Negative: Satan was cast out of heaven for his presumption (Isaiah 14:12-14; Revelation 12:9; Luke 10:17-20, NKJV). Ask an arrogant person if her/his behavior is desirable and she/he will most likely respond yes, citing personal superiority of some fashion or degree—unless pressed to the wall (or the wheel of his yacht) like Tony Hayward of BP by the public (or “little people” as he calls them).

Issue #6: Feelings

Feelings can mean: Feelings lie (to one) vs. feelings rule (to another).

Positive: The Triune Godhead has carefully edited emotions and promotes self-control (See Significant Truth #1: God, Blogs #11-110). God is not ruled by feelings. He is voluntarily ruled by reason and commitment to a value-system based on pure goodness.

Negative: The Adversary would have feelings drive appetites and promote self-indulgence (lusts) (Matthew 4:1-11, NKJV). Personally, I do not have any desire to be ruled by whimsical and sometimes downright deceitful feelings, not to say that some days I’m not better at this thinking than others.

Oh, there are so many issues that can systematically be explored like this! But, time to move on.

To be continued . . .