What is your biggest regret?

Ethics, Morality, and Sin

Moderator: Moderators

Compassionist
Guru
Posts: 1020
Joined: Tue Feb 19, 2008 5:56 pm
Has thanked: 770 times
Been thanked: 135 times

What is your biggest regret?

Post #1

Post by Compassionist »

What is your biggest regret?

I long to make the world free from all suffering, unfairness and deaths, but I lack the power to do so. My biggest regret is that I am not all-powerful. If I were all-powerful, I would have gone back in time and prevented all suffering, unfairness and deaths. If I were all-powerful, I would have made all living things equally all-loving, all-knowing and all-powerful and the owner of an infinite number of universes each. If I were all-powerful, all beings would be forever happy. As things stand now, all sentient biological organisms are doomed to suffer and die. No one is going to save us from suffering, unfairness, and deaths. I want to save and improve all lives, but I don't have the power to do so. I am so sad because of all the suffering, unfairness and deaths. I have postponed some deaths and improved some lives but that's not enough. If God is truly real and good, why didn't God prevent all suffering, unfairness and deaths? I think God is either evil and imaginary or evil and real. I can't decide which, so, I am agnostic regarding the existence and nature of God.

Compassionist
Guru
Posts: 1020
Joined: Tue Feb 19, 2008 5:56 pm
Has thanked: 770 times
Been thanked: 135 times

Re: What is your biggest regret?

Post #21

Post by Compassionist »

RightReason wrote: Fri Jan 22, 2021 11:06 am
Compassionist wrote: Fri Jan 22, 2021 9:22 am Mindfulness is not a New Age theory. Hindus and Buddhists have been practising it for thousands of years.
Yes, exactly. New Age does not mean new.

New Age
/ˈˌn(y)o͞o ˈāj/
noun
1.a broad movement characterized by alternative approaches to traditional Western culture, with an interest in spirituality, mysticism, holism, and environmentalism.

I would consider it repackaged ancient spirituality.


Compassionist: “It is based entirely on evidence. The brains of mindful people are demonstrably different from those who are not. Functional MRI scans prove that."

Other research shows not only may it be ineffective. It may also be harmful . . .

But although mindfulness claims to offer a staggering collection of possible health benefits – and aligns itself with science and academia to be seen as credible – as yet there is remarkably little scientific evidence backing it up.
https://neurosciencenews.com/mindfulness-problem-14196/

Studies on mindfulness are known for their numerous methodological and conceptual problems. This includes small sample sizes, lack of control groups, and insufficient use of valid measures.
https://theconversation.com/the-problem ... be%20added.

Some studies have shown that practicing mindfulness can actually backfire on people as they focus intently on the moment and leave their thoughts behind, including the positive ones. It can also lead people to disconnect rather than focus and engage in critical thinking on problems that require more thinking and not less.
https://www.ncregister.com/features/apo ... indfulness
Thanks for the links. I will view them.

User avatar
The Barbarian
Sage
Posts: 876
Joined: Tue Jan 12, 2021 8:40 pm
Has thanked: 204 times
Been thanked: 586 times

Re: What is your biggest regret?

Post #22

Post by The Barbarian »

But do you love Nazis? Well, if you did, if you treated racists with kindness, you'd get a powerful corrective verbal smack in your face, just the same as I have when I've tried to treat everyone with dignity and respect. I had to learn not to treat everyone with kindness. I'm constantly trying to figure out who I ought to be kind to, and who I ought to hate. My current working theory is be kind to everyone except racists, and be hateful and nasty towards racists.
Jesus showed us a way out of the cycle of evil and revenge:

Luke 6:35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.

User avatar
Dimmesdale
Sage
Posts: 776
Joined: Mon May 29, 2017 7:19 pm
Location: Vaikuntha Dham
Has thanked: 28 times
Been thanked: 89 times

Re: What is your biggest regret?

Post #23

Post by Dimmesdale »

My biggest regret is my years of actively choosing selfishness and self-sabotage during my life, and "burying my talents" instead of using all the gifts I was given to the best effect, both for myself and for those around me.

Although, with regret, things are a bit tricky. I am a believer in God's providence and ultimate control. Whatever happens, even the worst, is in some sense in God's hands, is directed by Him in a wider sense, for a greater good. This is a hard nut to crack - trying to reconcile human freedom and divine sovereignty, but I think there is room for both a Divine Plan that cannot be thwarted, as well as Legitimate Regrets due to misuse of free will, insofar as God allows that misuse on our part so as to build up his Greater Plan.

But that is a bit of a tangent. Anyway, I have regrets that, yes, I could have made something more of my life, had a greater and more positive impact, but I simply did not take proper advantage of the opportunities that lent themselves at my feet. I am actually largely free of those regrets now. Not that I would not have done otherwise in the past, but I have come to accept that the past is the past, and I have laid it to rest.. mostly.

I am more dissatisfied with my lack of progress in the present on a day-by-day basis, and much of that I can trace to those past regrets, but I always catch myself when I do this and set my eyes on the here and now, or at least the future, which is always full of possibilities.

That is the most important thing. To process all such negativity and to keep going forward.

Post Reply