BTB #17

Reply: jj8r

Hello Cal.

Excellent! I'm very happy to see you're still focusing attention upon MORAL EMANCIPATION, vis-a-vis ETHICS.

You'd written earlier (Oct?), that you intended to check out my posted New Slant On Life (NSOL) course work, in which case I trust you took note of Q+A # 85, 86, 87, 89, 90, 91, 94, regarding the contrast between morals/ethics.

But to answer your question in your most recent communication of January, regarding "the precise relationship between morals and ethics": Essentially, I think 'morals' relate to Regulations agreed upon or imposed by a comm-unity. Whereas 'ethics' relate to self imposed standards of conduct, whether or not a member of any particular community. As is pointed out in the answer #85: "In the absence of extended reasoning powers, moral codes become vital. If a moral code were thoroughly reasonable, it could, at the same time be considered thoroughly ethical. But only at this highest level could the two be called the same."

Ergo, what I mean by MORAL EMANCIPATION is simply having the chutzpa to Think (Reason) Independently - free from other-determinism.

You'd also asked: "To what extent do ethics and morals deal with the same subject matter, if at all?" Let's see. Being considerate of group-think on matters which impinge upon personal integrity often elicits a suppressive reasonableness - wherein develops the disabling phenomena of doublemindedness. So, unless the moral code is thoroughly reasonable, personal virtue must be maintained in order to ever raise the standard of Truth.

Virtue puzzles you too? That's no surprise in this era of emasculation! Virtue is transliterated from the Greek 'dunamis', meaning: force (lit. or fig.), spec. miraculous power:- ability, (according to scriptures II Peter 1 3/5). The Latin derivation - virtut simply means strength, manliness, fr. vir = man. So... regarding Intellectual "excellence" affecting Moral "excellence" in character, I'd have to say InDeed! We are born into the Homo sapiens species but we must survive trials and tribulations with a certain degree of integrity intact in order to grow into and enherit out birthright of sapience: Wisdom, Sagacity, (wise through reflection and experience).

Imagine how proud I am to see my dottir Destiny give account of Knowledge vs. Wisdom "is understanding" (- in her October post, next to yours). Indeed, to understand all would be to live at the highest level of potential. Alas, when faced with the incomprehensible, we see people feel balked and baffled, i.e.: emasculated. Imagine my pride to see her recognize two amazing, beautiful, unique, powerful individuals, who gave her life. Not that we had (nor provided) moral/intellectual excellence, but the fact she recognizes the "excellence" of VIRTUE is remarkable. Indeed Destiny, Personal Integrity is par excellence! For the Love of Truth, in the Eternal scheme of things, Personal Integrity is par excellence! We grow wiser by gradient degrees of Understanding. Proverb 4:7

Aye, "self-righteousness" in my dictionary is defined as: "convinced of one's own righteousness, esp. in contrast with the actions and beliefs of others: narrow-mindedly moralistic".

Righteous, of course derives from - rightwise. So the question is how to define, RIGHT 1: RIGHTEOUS, UPRIGHT, 2: being in accordance with what is just, good, or proper. 3a: agreeable to a standard. b: conforming to facts or truth: CORRECT (etc).

Your "wonder about the connections between righteousness and virtue" is a wee puzzling to me, Cal. We are as dynamic as our estimation of RIGHT. Alas, the disabling double-mindedness is the only problem between righteousness and virtue, as I see it. Failing to uphold our personal impulse TO BE/DO RIGHT is simply wrong, regardless of religious or secular arbitraries! Thus, Personal Integrity (3: the quality or state of being complete or undivided: syn. see HONESTY) is par-excellence, you see?

We are intrinsically ethical judges of right and wrong. And whenever one violates that intrinsic power, due to some other-determined arbitrary education or indoctrination (in the absence of extended reasoning powers), we consequently relinquish inalienable rights of self-determinism, and thus become slaves to zeitgeist arbitraries. Herein is the "connection between righteousness and virtue". Herein is where manliness is sacrificed in this era of emasculation, sadly.

I hope this helps remedy any confusion regarding (self-)righteousness. We alone are our own Judges of right and wrong, according to our degree of understanding Responsibility.

In a Christian culture, for instance, the compulsion toward merit is established in the virtues of Hope, Faith, Charity, Justice, Prudence. Whereas in the Teutonic culture, for instance, the compulsion toward merit is established in the virtues of Courage, Honesty, Honor, Loyalty, Strength, Hospitality, Industriousness, Self-Reliance, Perseverence. And yet again, Karma in the Buddhist culture, for instance; Compulsion toward merit is established in the virtues of Right Speach, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Meditation, Right Understanding, Right Thought.

And so to answer your question: "Can someone be righteous but nevertheless lack many crucial virtues?" Being rightwise incurs that degree of responsibility, I think. OMG! Imagine my general disposition in light of knowing all these noble virtues - while in exile to societies penal colony cesspool. As I said once before, I'm not exactly a paragon of excellency! But the fact remains that I do aspire to achieve the merit of virtue - ever graduating, by degrees of understanding. Believe you me Cal, I'm earning my birthright - the hard way! Intellectual Excellence only serves to reveal the range of what we think and do is limited by what we fail to notice - and because we fail to notice that we fail to notice, there is little we can do to change until we notice how failing to notice shapes our thoughts and deeds. Ergo, I've learned that noble thoughts inspire noble deeds - through exposing ignobility. Ouch!

I'm afraid that I would be remis here if I neglect this opportunity to ask if you're interested in learning more about noticing what most everyone fails to notice. You see, our thoughts and deeds are mostly influenced by experiences - unexamined.

I'm thinking that you'd discover answers to many of your questions, trying to understand people, if you'd look into www.dianetics.org, or e-mail: info@dianetics.org, to see what they have to offer. Please let me know what you find there - and what you think about it.

Regarding your confusion with Pharisees and Demagogues; Yes, I would posit that all demagogues are pharisaical (:marked by hypocritical censorious self-righteousness). Yet that doesn't necessarily mean that all pharisees are demagogic (: a leader who makes use of popular prejudices and false claims and promises in order to gain power), though in many instances such is in fact the case.

I can't count the number of lives duped by them blind leaders, guiding blind followers into duplicating their nonsense! But I can declare that we were all born TO BE sagacious, through reflection and experience. Not by playing follow the leader! Logic [fr. logos - reason] is necessary to free those slaves! Or die trying - again and again.

For the Love of Truth.

Be blessed.

It's All About the Love

Do what you love, and you will find the way to get it out to the world.
- Judy Collins

Love points the way, and Law makes the way possible.
- The Science of Mind," page 43

You probably have heard the saying, "Do what you love, and the money will follow." There definitely is truth to that, and we want to investigate why that is. This goes back to your purpose - or should I say, Spirit's purpose THROUGH you. That is an important distinction to understand. Though we may think of the purpose as being ours, it really is Spirit's purpose. Where did the idea for that purpose come from anyway? It came from the Love Intelligence within you.

That Love Intelligence re-created Itself as you so that It can experience fulfilling Its purpose through you on this spiritual dimension we call Earth. It is this Love Intelligence that provides everything that is needed for the fulfillment of that purpose, your purpose, Spirit's purpose. Love is an energy that attracts to it all that it needs for its manifestation.

Loving what you do brings the law of the universe into play in a definite way. As Holmes says, "Love leads the way, and the law makes the way possible."

Love everything you do, no matter how small it may seem. When it is a challenge to do so, love anyway. As you walk in the vibration of love, life brings you more to love. Besides that, it just feels good. Yep, it's all about the love.