So I was running the other day and began pondering good and evil, free agency, and other interesting topics. By the end of my run I had developed a new take on all of the above topics.
I'm just gonna dive right in. What is power? Think about it. My musings led me to one conclusion. Power is the ability to act or to do. In other words power is potential. So what is action? Action would be the yang to power's ying. Action are the choices we can make as a result of the power we have. I compare this relationship to running. I have the power to run about 2 1/2 miles. That power means nothing without being able to exercise it and do the physical running. So the idea is one of action and power, both being equally necessary.
I then applied my new definitions to free agency. We all have the power to make our own choices. This power, like running, can be altered by our choices. Choosing to run daily will increase my power to run. Choosing to eat unhealthy foods instead of running will diminish my power to run, thereby limiting my choices. Even trying to avoid choice will affect my power to run. Inaction on my power to run will diminish it.
So now all the above was finally applied to good and evil. Right and wrong. Before I delve into that, I would suggest that every choice we make is by nature a sub-choice stemming from our power to choose. Since our choices affect our power to choose, all our choices have some kind of an effect on our agency, or power to choose. That line is the line between good and evil, and indeed it is a line. As a part of the definition of right and wrong I submit that evil is addictive while good is liberating. Think about it. A lifetime smoker is addicted to cigarettes. While services like charity do not consume the participant as do cigarettes, alcohol, or other vices that grab hold and tend not to want to let go. In other words, the sin itself entices us and attempts to control us. "Good" does not entice us. Our own desires for freedom and control over ourselves pushes us to do good. I guess you could call this a definition of the conscience.
My grand, overreaching point is this. Choosing the wrong negatively affects our ability to choose, enslaving us, while choosing the good positively affects our ability to choose, allowing us to choose more and more freely. So here is my definition of good and evil. Good increases our power to choose while evil decreases our power to choose. Even inaction has a result on our power to choose. By remaining inactive and not exercising our power to choose, we are passing up chances to choose the right thereby decreasing our power over choice. So the only way to better ourselves is to choose the right. We cannot simply not choose the wrong and think ourselves to be choosing the right and moving forward. It is only by choosing the right that we can obtain more power over choice. This path of right leads to a perfect control over ourselves and a perfect control over every choice we make.
So what do you think? Am I right, or way off base? I have only used my own personal experience and logical thinking to form my conclusions, so feel free to point out weakness or strengths of my argument. Anyway, enjoy.
I really enjoyed the post. It's a good explanation and illustrates what we know, but sometimes forget, about how sin hurts us. Great job! Deep thoughts, though. I read it early in the morning when I was still groggy, so I need to go back and read it when I'm more alert to "soak it all in." :)
Very nice Adam. I have always thought along the same lines. I watched a video of a professional ballet dancer when I was in high school. He said when he was studying and training as a teen his friends were always riding him for having so much to do, and so many practices and so much work and so much responsibility, and he said, but now, I have real freedom. My friends claimed I had none, but when I am on stage dancing, I have more freedom than they will ever have. And it is my joy. That really stayed with me and helped me to truly understand agency and choice. As King Arthur says in that one movie, First Knight..."There are laws that enslave men, and laws that set men free..."
Really good thoughts and good points about where our choices lead us. You are going to be a great missionary!