Philosophy – Who Needs It
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1. Is there anything you would willingly die for?
In order to answer the question “is there anything I would willingly die for” I would want some reassurance that what I was dying for would be successful. But without some type of guarantee it would be hard to know for sure if I would be able to complete my promise. Of course I would like to be able to say that I would die for any of my beliefs but I have to admit that if I was forced to choose dying for my religion or declaring another I would superficially accept the other religion to save my life. I would hope however that I could continue to practice my religion in secret without losing
my life. I would be willing to die for the ones I love mainly my family but in the same aspect I would want to know that my death was not in vain.
When the question was posed to the class most students responded with an answer similar to my own. Many of the students stated that they would be willing to die for their family and the people they loved but when it came down to a death that did not ensure the outcome they desired many people seemed to loose their conviction. Many people did believe that they could donate a vital organ or give their life to save a loved one. As in my own mind it would be more difficult to say that you could give your life on the off chance of success.
I do believe that it is much easier to say that one could die for something or someone but in truth when at the final moment of decision it would be hard to knowingly give your life. Socrates was able to give his life for his beliefs and “went willingly to his death”. The Greeks would often choose death over shame of their fellow countrymen and for centuries death (in certain circumstances) was seen as noble and brave. It all seems to come down to the fact that there is no clear-cut way to define what one would die for but that it is more a matter of questioning what it is you are dying for and how your life will change the lives of others.
4. Do you believe in God?
I believe in my God. I believe in a presence that exists. I believe in a force that guides me and a faith that I possess which tells me that I am not alone. I believe in heaven but I do not believe that all sinners go to hell. I do not believe that prayer is the only way to talk to God and do not believe that you have to go to church pray. I believe in an almighty being that accepts all people and who possesses the power to forgive sins. I do not believe that God is prejudice or discriminatory but I do believe that God looks for people to reach out to him. I do not believe that God can prevent all suffering because I believe that suffering is part of being human. I believe in a greater force, a guiding light, and I believe in hope.
I believe in God because I want to live life for a greater purpose. I want to live knowing that I am not alone. I believe in God because I was taught to but I do not believe in the same version of God that my parents do. I do not believe in God because the bible tells me so but because I want to believe in a greater power. I am not forced to believe in God but choose to have faith in him. God is a man because that is the way I have been taught to pray to him. I believe in him as “God the Father” because that is what I have been taught. I continue to believe in him because I want to accept a higher power.
It is understandable that any given person has any given set of faiths, however I do not expect that every person share my faith. I believe in the God that guides me but that is not necessarily the same god or force that guides my neighbor. I believe that everyone is free to choose a faith or lack there of that serves him or her in his or her life but that no one is free to impose their faith on any other people.
12. Will a good person necessarily be happy, too? Is life ultimately fair?
In a perfect world all people would be good and therefore all people would be happy but then who is to say that happiness is perfection. Without pain and suffering would one be able to truly enjoy happiness? But alas it would be comforting to know that all good people would be rewarded