Stories of old tell us about a lone travler who while making his journey was attacked, robbed and left for dead. As he lie by the wayside, a priest passed by and barely glanced his way. Later, another man came along; stopping briefly to investigate what had occurred. He looked upon the traveler but just didn't feel like it was his duty to help him, so he left as well.
Some time went by, when a Samaritan came upon the traveler and immediately showed mercy. He didn't question the traveler's race, creed, sex or religion - he simply saw an injured human lying there before him.
Not thinking about the criminals who might have still been in the area, nor about his own safety, the Samaritan simply knew that the traveler was in need and suffering. Removing his own garment, the Samaritan covered the injured traveler. Then, taking his own oil and wine (which was to be used for his own journey), the Samaritan healed and relieved the wounded traveler.
After he cleansed the traveler's wounds, the Samaritan then lifted and carried the weary traveler upon his own beast at a careful, slow pace so not to jolt him along the way. Bringing him to an inn, the Samaritan attended the traveler throughout the night; and upon morning break, the traveler was doing a little better.
While the Samaritan still had to complete his journey, he arranged for the Innkeeper to tend to the sick traveler, paid the bill and even left a provisional committment to the Innkeeper so that if further need should arise, he would return to repay the traveler's bill.
The story of the Good Samaritan has been retold (Luke 10:36) for ages and ages past. The story about the good Samaritan was originally told by a man named Jesus.
Living in an Invidualistic Country, the focus of humanitarian efforts are being continuously diverted to personal vendettas of war, contempt, hatred, greed and uncivilized conduct across International lines and especially within our own borders. Aside from the religious aspects of the Good Samaritan, the story raises and conveys real moral behavior. Similar to Aesop's Fables and Hans Christian Anderson's stories; parables like the Good Samaritan present morals so that others may come to understand the real understanding of what it means to be a decent human being.
Unfortunately, in the United States, many people can no longer distinguish necessity from greed. In doing so, our individualistic behaviors prevent us from seeing the reality of the world around us. How is it, that we can so easily alienate ourselves from the fallacies that surround us: war, death, poverty, hunger - just to name a few.
To uncover the enchantment of political agendas, it is vital that we return to a similar path of the Good Samaritan.
The publishers of Sociologist Seymour Martin Lipset's book, 'American Exceptionalism: A Double-Edged Sword' wrote a summary of Mr. Lipset's novel: "In this timely new study, one of our major political analysts, Seymour Martin Lipset, explores the deeply held but often inarticulated beliefs that shape America's society and thought. Is this country in the throes of a revolution from the right? Is it in decline morally? Is Japan about to replace us as the leading economic power? Why does the United States have the highest crime rate, the most persons per capita in prison? Why is our electoral turnout so low? Why are we the most open, socially mobile society and the most unequally developed nation in income distribution? Why is America the most religious country in Christendom? What explains our persistently high rate of opposition to wars and, conversely, our propensity for flag waving and expressions of patriotic enthusiasm? As the 1996 election year begins, Professor Lipset examines the remarkable persistence of an American creed, a double-edged sword that provides both good and bad, offering fresh insights into our culture and its future. "1
Mr. Lipset asks the political and moral questions that (many of us) fail to recognize the answers are both prophetic and truistic in nature. Selected by the first Great Seal committee in 1776, "E Pluribus Unum." was the National Motto of the United States of America - which translated from Latin, means "From many, one." In other words, United, We Stand."
A firm representation of human conscienceness was never better relayed than through the words of Abraham Lincoln's second innaugural address: "...With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations."
Is it that peace and compassion go hand in hand? Or do we, as a country, continue to walk the path of separation and strife? Aesop's Fable, 'The Eagle and the Arrow,' paints a future depiction of present-day society. Its translative moral is as follows: "We often give our enemies the means for our own destruction."
In closing, does Human conscience still exist? Yes, the good news is that many of us still believe in compassion, peace, hope and sincerity. If we can manage to manifest mutual feelings and actions of brotherly love, and good will toward all men, then holistically speaking, we will have altered the course of not only our national destiny, but the positive fate of the world as well.
Ref.
1. Barnes & Noble
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© The Good Samaritan - Does Human Conscience Still Exist?
by C. Bailey-Lloyd
aka. Lady Camelot
Public Relations Director
& Staff Writer
www.HolisticJunction.com
www.MediaPositiveRadio.com
www.911LawOffices.com
"...Fall down 7 times, Stand up 8..." - Japanese Proverb
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About the Author
C. Bailey-Lloyd
aka. Lady Camelot
Public Relations Director
& Staff Writer
www.HolisticJunction.com
www.MediaPositiveRadio.com
www.911LawOffices.com