The topic of GOODNESS

[Moksha]

I was going to start this thread on the Gospel Doctrine forum, but realized goodness is a general thing that all can experience and create.

Where does Goodness come from and what's so good about it?

For Christians, goodness stems from the love of God to Man, from the love of Man to God, from the love Man to Mankind and finally to the love of self.

However, every religious or secular tradition has its starting point as to why they hold goodness as desirable. What seems to me to be of importance, is the seeking of goodness.

For Man to Mankind, I would say that goodness is that which results in positively benefiting people while seeking to keep negative things from happening to people.

I hope this topic can be of interest, since goodness in and of itself is seldom discussed on message boards. But as a discussion worthy item, goodness seems to be tied into our spirituality and sense of wellbeing.

:)

[Moksha]

Nor replies, this might not be an easy subject to discuss.

[pam]

I think service is an example of goodness.

Also we look to the goodness of Christ and our Father in Heaven. Something as simple as the opportunity for repentance is a goodness from Christ who died to allow us that opportunity.

We are told to see for treasure better than gold. To seek for goodness, virtue and truth.

I know this doesn't answer..but trying to help the conversation along with a couple of thoughts.

[Misshalfway]

I think children of God are inherently good. Fallen, yes. Fused to the natural man, yes. Able to make decisions that effect ones nature, yes. But I still believe that mankind is inherently good. Or maybe that they start out that way or that they can get back to it if they have lost it.

I think it might also be interesting to talk about the worth of a soul vs. the goodness of a soul. Because a person who doesn't act "good" is still very much of worth.

[Vort]

Interestingly, the English word "good" (which might have the same IE root as "God") is etymologically related to the Middle High German gatern, meaning "to unite", and the Sanskrit gadhya, meaning "what one clings to".

I have wondered if we can really determine a root definition for what is good. It seems so culturally dependent that I sometimes despair of finding a rule by which all things can be confidently judged.

[Maxel]

Goodness is great. One problem I see with holding up 'goodness' as a virtue is that it's too ambiguous. In my experience, to 'be good' can mean either to be proficient or to have a set of qualities that one finds desirable. In the former sense, one can 'be good' at robbing banks. Oftentimes, what is meant by the latter definition of 'good' is actually another word for 'virtuous', which is also ambiguous but includes such ideas as 'chastity', 'thriftiness', 'kindness', 'temperance', and more.

One other problem- and IMHO, the biggest problem- is that the common concept of 'goodness' is, when compared to what is righteous (the eternal nature and aspects of God), inferior. In that sense, goodness < righteousness. If we differentiate between the two, 'goodness' can be good intentions and good attempts with failed and evil results. However, 'righteousness' implies 'wholeness', and means that the outcome and the intentions of a 'righteous' action are 'good' (meaning 'in line with the eternal plan of God').

'Good' intentions and 'good' actions can't keep the world afloat or the planets in their alignments- that requires righteousness. However, the concept of 'goodness' can act as a unifier for those who have little else in common besides theologies that hold goodness as desireable. Also, when understood properly, 'goodness' (as Moksha defined it, that which "stems from the love of God to Man") is incoporated in the concept of 'righteousness' and is a desireable and godly trait.