The dark side of responsibility.

[zastrakoza]

Originally Posted by MutedBlue

To illustrate that in doing so will separate us and make us Fall out of the flow of life itself.

Beautifully stated MutedBlue! If we understood reality, we would understand the interlinked aspect we are of a greater whole. To think that one could fall out of connection would be a deviation of the unified concept of being. So the story of the fall cannot be understood literally and make any sense.

Blessings,
Z

[Altair]

I don't think we are 100% responsible for what happens to us. Ironically, some would say there is no 'doer' which means there cannot be an agent making a choice in which case there is no responsibility. None. Now, I do believe there is an agent that can make a choice, however I believe the universe simply bombards us with stuff. Not everything coming our way is our 'responsibility', and there are many random things (such as comets coming down, you being bitten by a disease carrying mosquito instead of the person sitting next to you).

Just because we can't control everything (we control very little actually, much happens in auto mode: the bodily functions, the universe) does not mean there is zero responsibility. It (choice/freedom/responsibility) is a grey area, it is not black or white. And we can be hapless, but what matters is how we respond to things. At least, that's what I believe.

[Redchic12]

Altair. Some very good points there.

I especially agree with……..”what really matters is how we respond to things”

[Molearner]

Originally Posted by Redchic12

Altair. Some very good points there.

I especially agree with……..”what really matters is how we respond to things”

Redchic12,

Those that believe in the existence of free will would agree with this…those that deny free will would view it as irrelevant..

[Altair]

Originally Posted by Redchic12

Altair. Some very good points there.

I especially agree with……..”what really matters is how we respond to things”

Thanks.
And it is 'difficult' isn't it? I am noticing that I can want things or think I'm prepared for things, only to be flabbergasted with scenarios that just happen and that I have no control over. That means I have no responsibility over what may occur in those situations, only my response to them..

Perhaps that requires 'training', think of doing martial arts in a controlled environment, and you know how to defend yourself, but then randomly in the outside world you get in a situation you have no control over. To what extend can you be in control of that situation? Does that take practice and experience ((degree of control)), and even so, there will still be times (many times) where you are simply observing, caught in the act of an ongoing movie ((degree of noncontrol)).

[FallingLeaves]

Originally Posted by Molearner

Redchic12,

Those that believe in the existence of free will would agree with this…those that deny free will would view it as irrelevant..

i would posit that if you don't believe in free will, you essentially believe that pretty much everything anyone or anything does is irrelevant, include your own actions and reactions in the world.

Why a person with no free will would need to come to such a complex conclusion, I still don't know. But I suppose if we don't have free will that is irrelevant, and my comments about it are too. As are any feelings I might have regarding the situation... basicaly if we don't have free will, nothing means anything, everything is just a giant machine with cogs turning mechanically.