Make your own ten commandments!

[mrveggieman]

I'm not sure if we are supposed to be offering commentary on each others "commandments" or not but regardless I will only say this. JustAlex's #11 Question EVERTHING. and xpucksx's #12 question, research and determine your own answers to everything. Never take anything at face value; both strike me as being a very stressful way to live life.

Why would you say that? It's just like the old saying use your head for something besides a hat rack.

[habsheaven]

I say it because I do not have the time or energy to research everything in life. If I hire a contractor to add an addition to my house, or take my car to the garage for repairs I have to put some faith in their abilities and trust what they do. If one of my daughter comes home late and doesn't want to discuss the reason for being late sometimes you just have to trust that you raised them right and respect their privacy and judgement. To question everything and trust nothing would be tremendously stressful.

[JustAlex]

I'm not sure if we are supposed to be offering commentary on each others "commandments" or not but regardless I will only say this. JustAlex's #11 Question EVERTHING. and xpucksx's #12 question, research and determine your own answers to everything. Never take anything at face value; both strike me as being a very stressful way to live life.

Of course offering commentary is acceptable...that's the nature of discussion forums.

My 11th commandment to "question everything" is just a way to be an active skeptic.

Don't take anything on face value, demand evidence, research the things you have been told.


Unfortunately, the majority of my life I didn't question the things I was told.

It was a lot easier than researching and demanding proof for claims.

But, once I started down this path (of questioning claims), there was an explosion of new knowledge I couldn't even perceive before.

Suddenly, things were not so black and white, but a complete spectrum of colors.

I wanted to make sure the things I believed were grounded in facts, evidence, good reason, and most important of all....good logic.

So, is it stressful?

In a way yes.

But it's also exciting and it keeps me going, striving to learn more and to not become complacent.

[xpucksx]

^^^ and my #12 is basically saying "Don't Be A Sheep"...just becasue the majority/my elders/my written laws etc says it is right, or acceptable doesn't mean that it is. I think I always use it as more of a reminder to be knowledgable on a subject and understand all fo the parameters before I make a final decision on it.

Being this way has never caused me any stress..in fact as Alex mentioned, it has many times led me to pathways that reduced stress in my life...

[xpucksx]

I say it because I do not have the time or energy to research everything in life. If I hire a contractor to add an addition to my house, or take my car to the garage for repairs I have to put some faith in their abilities and trust what they do. If one of my daughter comes home late and doesn't want to discuss the reason for being late sometimes you just have to trust that you raised them right and respect their privacy and judgement. To question everything and trust nothing would be tremendously stressful.

to expand a bit more, in your contractor example, I also would do the same, but I would make sure to research and find a contractor that I trusted...not just the guys with the flashiest tv adds or biggest add on the internet (NOT saying that that is what you do either..)

As far as the kids thing goes, I don't have, or never will have kids (that is a whole other thread...), but I totally agree with what you sau about the trust thing, and that my # 12 doesn't apply to all situations that I encounter, but it does temper most of them

[notes2us]

* see Matthew 22:36-40

Doesn't get much easier than that.

[JustAlex]

I think there is a sizable difference between reasonable confidence and faith.

I have a reasonable confidence that when I get on an airplane it will in fact land.

This confidence is based on previous knowledge of seeing planes land.

I also have confidence on close personal people like friend and family.

If for example my sister needs $100 but when I ask what it's for she says it's personal..... I'm not going to go any further.

Based on previous interactions with her I don't need to press the issue.

BTW, it should be noted that not everything in life is about absolutes.

Therefore, using a word like "everything" should be taken with a grain of salt.

The important thing for myself is to remain a skeptic.

A reasonable skeptic of course.

[Wickabee]

Why would you say that? It's just like the old saying use your head for something besides a hat rack.

Some things are obvious truths though.

[mrveggieman]

* see Matthew 22:36-40

Doesn't get much easier than that.

I don't have a problem with that.

Matthew 22:36-40

King James Version (KJV)

³⁶ Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
³⁷ Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
³⁸ This is the first and great commandment.
³⁹ And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
⁴⁰ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

[mrveggieman]