the means
this last month or so, i've been testing a new null hypothesis for possible inclusion into my worldview. my thinking is that it's precisely about the means. like as opposed to the ends.
the ends justifies the means is part of this thought-domain.
while not everyone would say they subscribe to this particular ends-based philosophy -- church's least of all -- uh, some countries might -- i think we (or me) far too often use this type of thinking as a crutch -- a the end proves action to justify our (otherwise abhorrent) behaviors to ourselves.
what i am suggesting instead, is that the means reveals our true values, irrespective of our stated intent, or actual endstate. this has many ramifications, i believe. and its also a lot more closely tied in with being, than doing.
the ends justifies the means is part of this thought-domain.
while not everyone would say they subscribe to this particular ends-based philosophy -- church's least of all -- uh, some countries might -- i think we (or me) far too often use this type of thinking as a crutch -- a the end proves action to justify our (otherwise abhorrent) behaviors to ourselves.
what i am suggesting instead, is that the means reveals our true values, irrespective of our stated intent, or actual endstate. this has many ramifications, i believe. and its also a lot more closely tied in with being, than doing.
posted by P3T3RK3Y5 for meltingearth
5 Comments:
I'm going to think about that for a while. But I think you're on to something there.
Hmm, as a fundamentally un-goal-oriented person, I like it too. Maybe too much - perhaps we'd better be careful about swinging any pendulum too far in one direction. But I've often wondered if being too concerned with the "ends" is really a very faithful way to be for Christians - doesn't it pretty much take God out of the equation? Unless, of course, we are certain that we know the ends God has in mind. But people with that kind of certainty scare me. If you ever detect it in me, please whap me upside the head with the rubber chicken of healthy doubt.
Better, I think, to leave the ends up to God and be open to going where the "Holy Gust" blows. And, as you say, mind that the means we employ along the way are "worthy of the calling to which we have been called" (Eph 4:1).
Peace,
Mike
You know I haven't had those words to describe it before, but that's exactly what bugs me about a lot of things we do. It's odd too that usually this often entails us doing to others. As in we often use the cliche phrase when we're going to put someone else through something, 'for their own good.'
I'm digging this, Pete. Very intriguing.
Reminds me of a banner that I saw flying in Philly a couple of years ago (which is a common quote I've seen freqently since):
"There is no path to peace. Peace *is* the path"
I think a good way that Mother Theresa may have said the same as Mike S. said it quoting "There is no path to peace. Peace *is* the path"... Mother Theresa said "God has not called us to success, but to faithfulness."
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