What Is Hope and Good?
Posted: Monday, March 16, 2009
by straight talk
Most people hope for the best that life can bring and with that they expect good to come with it if that hope is fulfilled. That is good things, temporal and yes in some cases spiritual. In many cases, not all but some, hope in an eternity, someplace better then this earth we live on. Others hope for things of this world only. World peace, prosperity, health and all that this world has to give. Nothing wrong with that if that is what you seek. I am more interested in how that is attained. So hope and good is having a varied and different perspective on life. Some see hope and good when others not.
So for an unbeliever to hope in a person is not unheard of. In fact for a believer to hope in a person is not unheard of nor wrong. As long as in their case their prime hope is in the God they worship and the person they place their trust on hope in has demonstrated their worth through works. Now as I said if you are an agnostic, atheist, or unbeliever you have relativity on your side. You can abuse a child and have no hangups. You can cheat or steal and have no hangups. You can exploit or covert and have no hangups all sins to a believer. You can lie and omit and ignore and have no hangups, none because it is not good or evil as you see it. To that person it imay be perfectly ok and alright because there is nothing to encumber them. Who says it is wrong and by what authority?
Yet take the believer, or yes even non, that exception, the one who holds to moral standards, ethics, virtue, integrity, honesty, and other elements of character. What of their hope and good? Well certainly they hope for good as well. However, this is where it all ends. You see what they assume [ass-u-me] will be done is many times not. What they perceive will be done, many times is not. What they hope for is many times not to be. Why, because of one element, man. When they trust in man they are bound to fall.
So while those without character hope and see good in the things done by man that they see as good for what they get and the how matters not to them, be that legally, illegally, morally or immorally, the bottom line is they hoped for it and they got it. Reverse that and you find that the one with character most likely suffers, does not get, falls way short, is exploited, used, abused and discarded. Their hope never comes and subsequently no good. The same reasons but a different expectation because what they perceived was wrong to start with, flawed.
So the answers to hope and good, well littered all over this land. In the teacher that abuses a student. I a financial institution that charges usury and finds no fault. In laws that destroy while feigning good and help. In the homeless told we want to help only to be told pay or else. In laws that support exploitation, greed, abuse and destruction. In law makers and leaders elected to serve the people who serve themselves. Who write the laws they hope will provide for their good. In those that pay them to write the laws that they hope will provide for their good. In those who would crush destroy and steal from another in multiple ways, their life, their being, their finances, their health and net worth as a human and yes their families and yes in some case their very life. Yes and find it all acceptable, within the law, only doing their job, necessary and many times unfortunate but that's the way it is.
Now I as one who has received, felt, learned, experienced this first hand and still am I can attest to how it literally destroys every element of a person. However as much as it does that, it is even sadder and harder on one who tries to maintain values and beliefs to see so many already totally destroyed as human beings. Lost souls without a soul, hoping for anything that they perceive as good for them. They live in fear, no not of God but of what they want that they may never get and what they have that they may lose. Yes their hope for more and with more for them brings good.
So just what is hope and good? I like to place it this way. Where your heart lies there is your hope and there is your good.
Robert T. Melaccio Sr. 2009 Copyright 2009 Robert Melaccio Sr.
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Top-level comments on this article: (3 total)I enoyed your article, Robert. I also read the comments by anonymous. I can understand why someone can take that opinion, given the moral brakdown by so many "religious" leaders. But, if one can make contact with the true God, then they will know what you mean.Please log in to respond to this comment.
I am a Catholic who has returned to my faith and the Church after some time away. I have found value in a renewed relationship with God. I take exception to the view that during the time I was not in a relationship with God that all of a sudden I had no sense of right and wrong and no ethical compass. I am the same person with the same values now as I was before my lapse and during my lapse. I have ALWAYS been a person who took very seriously my commitment to kindness, love, generosity, understanding, and service in both my thoughts and my deeds. That you would look down on me as a person at another point in my life because I could not claim a relationship with God is offensive and goes against all that Christ taught about how we should be toward one another. I think that even when I was away from God I had a better understanding of the way He wanted us to live, and practiced it, than you.Shame on you!Please log in to respond to this comment."Yet take the believer, or yes even non with one exception, the one who holds to moral standards, ethics, virtue, integrity, honesty, and other elements of character. Shame on me, really. I was pointing out that non believers do not necessarily have the encumbrances of sin as a believer, not that they do not uphold moral values.Please log in to respond to this comment."Now as I said if you are an agnostic, atheist, or unbeliever you have relativity on your side. You can abuse a child and have no hangups. You can cheat or steal and have no hangups. You can exploit or covert and have no hangups all sins to a believer. You can lie and omit and ignore and have no hangups, none because it is not good or evil as you see it. To that person it imay be perfectly ok and alright..." Your own words, with the implication that those who are not believers care nothing about right and wrong, that they are all just a rationalization away from committing atrocities. How insulting to those who do their best to be the best they can be and do right by others... If anything, could you say that they deserve MORE credit because there's no one making them do the right thing? That they get no other reward than seeing the results of their actions? There is no eternal reward in heaven for them.By the way, where did anonymous' comments go?Please log in to respond to this comment.Let me close with this. No amount of talking will change your mind nor mine. I respectfully disagree with your assessment. The facts speak for themselves, yes facts. An unbeliever, no matter how good they may be, is NOT encumbered by morality or religious beliefs. They simply cannot be. Certainly they can choose a moral life based on ethics or some other belief but once again they are NOT encumbered by SIN in their choices. It never enters the picture because they have no belief in sin and it depends on their belief system as to what is right or wrong. Examples usury and Abortion. If your Catholic then you cannot stand for Abortion. and if you do you are automatically excommunicated, fact. A religious law and belief where as an unbeliever can make a decision either way unencumbered. The Christian is obligated to follow a moral path and a Christian should always have that as the catalyst for what they do or don't do a because of who they claim to be.Please log in to respond to this comment.You're wrong, I can't be a "good" Catholic in good standing and have formally cooperated in an abortion, yet I am still welcome in the Church if I repent, take confession, and make penance. There is nothing in the Catechism about belief in abortion being a grave moral offense. However, I have never claimed to be a "good" Catholic. Religion and faith are not synonomous and there are other Christian faiths that do not share the same rules as Catholicism, yet are still Christian and devout in their faith in God. Quakerism is one.If it as you said, that it is the acts that count, WHO CARES about the label a person wears- believer, non-believer, Christian, non-Christian. Catholic, Protestant, Hindu, Muslim... It is your assertion that all non-believers are a stone's throw away from committing atrocities against their fellow man because they do not have a belief in sin to prevent them from doing it that I have an issue with. There are a great number of people who do not need the threat of hell nor the promise of heaven to keep them doing right by themselves and others. Stop looking down on them by dismissively labeling them. According to the latest statistics, the nonreligious as a group are growing, so maybe you need to have a little more faith in their ability to determine right from wrong objectively.Please log in to respond to this comment.Put faith in nonbelievers, I think not and as for your misguided replies, let me explain something about Catholics and abortion that is fact - Yes and when I speak of catholic we must be carefula s to what catholics. I refer to the Roman Church, not any other. I am truly sorry to say this because I do not want to offend you. I would advise contacting your local priest to see if they have been authorized by their Bishop to absolve this sin? Cannon Law 1351,54,57. If they have you are correct. However, contrary to popular belief this does not mean all priests can absolve one of this sin. In that case only a bishop or higher can finally absolve abortion. While a priest may absolve you that is only temporary, allowing you to receive or participate in Mass and the church. A Catholic is automatically, by cannon law excommunicated even if they condone, accept, allow, but not do or participate. Go pick up a copy of Cannon Law and it should also be in the Catechism. I gave you the courtesy of a reply but I do not care to continue when you attack without all the facts. Now unless the Pope or the Cardinals have changed cannon law it is there to find. Please if you are correct give me the change and I will apologize after cnfirming it as correct and not an outside source..Cannon law 1398- 2270, 2271- 2274, 2223, 1704, 357, 915, 855Please log in to respond to this comment.You need to read the relevant sections of the Second Edition of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1997), because you are wrong. According to the Catechism (#2271-2275), you can only be excommunicated latae sententiae if you procure a completed abrtion. Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense, which the Church attaches the canonical penalty of excommunication. Thought, approval, support of a woman's right to choose, or apathy toward abortion WILL NOT get you excommunicated unless you take direct action. I have provided the reference numbers, please feel free to go check them yourselfPlease log in to respond to this comment.
This sentence of excommunication applies to Catholics who believe or teach abortion is not a grave nor immoral sin. Heresy - canon law 751 - 1364. When you read the law you must read all that pertains to it. 751 - Heretic one who denies truth and denies Abortion is not a grave mortal sin. If they are, not merely profess to be, Catholic they in effect commit Heresy. Fact, I didn’t say it the church does.
1364 - A heretic incurs latae sententiae - excommunication- denial of truth. The Magisterium of the church has always taught in 2270 -2275 abortion is always immoral.
"Gods Word" I have formed you in your mothers womb", need more read the Word of God.
Of course why explain it when it is already explained but It is my hope you will understand it further. It just needs to be comprehended. This has been the position of the Catholic Church for years way before your date given. Yes following the doctrines of men. A sign of the end.
Please log in to respond to this comment.Hey if that means I am not a "good" Catholic, oh well....... The Catholic Church has always found ways to explain and justify what is wants anyway. It even explains away making exceptions to its rules about capital punishment. I don't throw out the value of the Church in my life, even if it chooses with its rules to turn its back on me just because I do not believe in everything it does. My parish priest, as well as other members of the clergy, do not turn their back on me and deny me just becuse either.Please log in to respond to this comment.The church did not turn its back on you, you reversed that conveniently so you can follow after your own beliefs. It is fact out of your own mouth. Being a Christian in not merely professing but doing. The facts are that you cannot run from who you are and what you say you believe and once again and sadly you see fit to attack others who do not agree with you or you do not comprehend. If you are that person you say you are you should be able to discuss it with your priest. One cannot profess on Sunday but deny it on Monday. Yes and Jesus does love you but He asks you to turn from sin. Yes the church loves you but asks you to conform oir you are not a part. Remember the adulterous who was being stoned? Jesus knelled down and wrote in the sand. Then all who were stoning her fled? He then said what? Go and sin no more. Abortion and the support of it is sin. It can be denied, ignored even attacked as ok but it changes nothing. Will Jesus forgive yo, if in your heart you truly repent and do it no more I believe yes but only he can answer that no man. However, if a Catholic then the law of the church is what we follow and to reject that is to reject the church, any church, that holds abortion as sin. It seem to me you just want to argue. You have jumped all over the place at anything mentioned out of emotion and not thought. Just my opinion but it seems you want to know God but are being misguided by someone or source? Uniformed and showing your ignorance and arrogance and pride. Yes as in the last days, read the Word you want to throw at me. Read the Signs of the end times and the doctrines of men. You fit right in there. Yes and while there read paul Romans 14. Read and ask God to open your heart and mind. Take care and I mean that ad i do hope you find your answers in peace not conflict.Please log in to respond to this comment.A sign of the end? I hope God is more forgiving than you are or you may find that your place in Heaven is not quite as secure as you might think... If this is the end, you should start getting your affairs in order right now and leave the rest of us to get on in peace. After all, why should you care if all us non-believer's are going to hell or not. We don't deserve to go anywhere else, no matter how ethical and upstanding we are, right?Please log in to respond to this comment.If thoughts and beliefs that don't square with the Church instantly make you a hereitc and deserving of excommunication, then the Catholic Church would have to excommunicate just about every one of its members and a fair share of its clergy. At that point, how relevant would it be? Not very... and it wouldn't have much authority either. Does God want your relationship to be with HIM, or with a Church?Sorry, but from what I've read about Jesus, he's a lot more forgiving and understanding than the Church, and given the choice between the two, I'd rather follow Jesus than the Church. But hey, if choosing the Church works for you... but doesn't that place Church doctrine, an institution of man, above the teachings of God through the words of Jesus Christ? Wouldn't that be making the Church a false god? Think about that one?The word of the Church has not always been square with the word of God, or of Christ. Crusades, the killing of innocents during the Inquisition for political purpose, the execution of scientists such as Galileo... there's plenty more examples out there.Please log in to respond to this comment.Once more ignorance is bliss. All of the teachings are from God as defined in scripture yet as when they killed our Lord, they do not hear nor see, blind. And yes once more, following the doctrines of men. If you knew the Word, really knew as you are now professing you would understand this. Yes and youa re not what you profess by your own mouth and your profession of faith worthless. yes and God is love but you left out quite a bit, in fact some major parts. I suggest you go back and read the Word before you start responding. In mercy I hope God will open your heart and mind to His true Word.Please log in to respond to this comment.Read and pray over Pauls letetr to the Romans 14.Please log in to respond to this comment.
Howdy Robert, yours truly here, I am not going to respond to all the comments, as I am not a Catholic, therefore, I am not qualified to make comments about them. But I am a member of the Southern Baptist Church, and I do have some qualifications of sorts, three years in seminary which by all means, makes me no expert, and to this end, I only believe in the word of God, not the church....God. Man makes church, man runs chruch according to his or her own beliefs, and I for one, trust in the Bible. I'm not worried if some guy dressed up in a robe, and wears a collar is going to "forgive" me or let me back into the church, if I do a no no. I am trusting in God to do that, as I know you are. Now this is what I am talking about, controversy!!! That is what writing is all about. Now to those of you who commented, that is great, and you are entitled to your opinions, (don't the have a saying about that)? But at any rate, the beauty is, is that you are allowed to express it. One thing about this cowboy, I will never argue religion, but I certainly will about politics.....Robert....Great article, and as I can see, very thought provoking, lots of emotions flowin' here, but once again, you have stimulated our minds, and I love ya for it!!! Your friend and fan in pen......Gary Oh, one last thing , we are all of God's children, whether you choose to be or not, in the end, he will be the one who judges. Thats all I have to say about that as Forest Gump would say. Great articlePlease log in to respond to this comment.
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