To Live with Virtues will Heal The Tormenting World

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First of all, I am not here to tell you what to do. This is about the love of sharing. I thought that the violation of moral virtues in this age and in any other age brings regret, sorrow, loss of self-respect and in many cases, tragedy. Morality requires discipline. Each of us has a conscience. We know the difference between right and wrong. We know when we have done the wrong thing. We know when we have done the right thing, which result in a sense of inner peace and happiness.

What is Morality?

Morality is a sense of behavioral conduct that differentiates intentions, decisions and actions between those that are good and bad. It has two principal meanings – as in descriptive sense, morality refers to personal or cultural values, codes of conducts or social mores that distinguish between right and wrong in the human society. While in normative sense, morality refers directly to what is right and wrong, regardless of what specific individuals think.

Pornography and Infidelity

Pornography is now regarded as a legitimate slice of entertainment and we have to accept it. Pornography robs its victims of self-respect and of an appreciation of the beauties of life. It tears down those who indulge and pulls them into a slough of evil thoughts and possibly evil deeds. It seduces, destroys and distorts the truth about love and intimacy. It is as addictive and self-destructive as illicit drugs and it literally destroys the personal relationships of those who become its slaves.

Infidelity, promiscuity and sexual indulgence, in all their forms come trailing a host of ills – life-threatening disease; the insecurity of sexual involvement without commitment or even without love, in many cases – the deterioration of ones feelings of value and self-worth; the breach of personal integrity; the threat of unwanted pregnancy and many more.

Reformation of The World Begins With Reformation of Us. The challenge to recognize evil and oppose it is one that every moral, virtuous person must accept. It all begins with our own personal virtue. Reformation of the world begins with reformation of us. We cannot hope to influence others in the direction of moral virtues unless we live of virtue. Respect for self is the beginning of cultivating virtue in men and women.

Our challenge is to lift our thoughts above the filth’s, to discipline our acts into an example of virtue, to control our words so that we speak only that which is uplifting and leads to growth. When we stood back to compare the dirty surface with the clean, it was amazing to see how much better the clean surface looked and to notice how dirty the walls have become without our realizing it.

Morality Requires Discipline. It says that both experience and Divine wisdom dictate that moral virtue and cleanliness pave the way that leads to strength of character, peace of mind and heart and happiness in life. As a great moral reformation will occur only as reformation takes place in the hearts, minds and lives of each of us; as morality is reinstated as a priority in the homes of the country; and as men and women, boys, and girls – realizing their lives are missing a critical moral component and determine to seek a life in virtue.

Faith is The Tenth of The Ten Virtues That Will Heal Our Hearts, Homes and Nations

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Published on Relijournal, Jan 30, 2011 Category – Christianity

Faith is about belief or trust in the truth or trustworthiness of a person, concept or thing. Faith is the persuasion of the mind that a certain statement is true and assent to the truth of what is declared by another, based on his or her supposed authority and truthfulness or a belief on religious doctrines and teachings as for Christians – Faith is the trust in God and in His promises as made through Christ and the Scriptures by which humans are justified or saved. The word Faith is often used as a mere substitute for Trust or Belief.

My faith is increasing. Every time I am at Triond, my confidence increases because I believe that I could write another fifty awesome articles to publish here. This is my faith and I trust myself I could do it though I would need the intervention from the source of all things the Almighty – to bless me and shower me bundles of ideas to write.

The problems we face in our individual lives, in our families and in our nations are greater than any of us can solve with our own judgment. They are problems for which we need inspiration and spiritual guidance. The things of God are understood by the spirit of God. What we all need is the motivating and powerful spiritual inspiration that can come into the lives of those who seek for it.

Faith is an asset beyond compare. It is so much more than an apostolic saying. It is a fact of life. It can become the very cradle of purposeful living. With faith we can rise above those negative elements in our lives that constantly pull us down. And with our effort we can develop the capacity to control those desires that lead to degrading and evil actions. With faith we can reach out to those who are discouraged and defeated and we can warm them by the strength and power of our own faith.

Faith in something greater than ourselves enables us to do what we have said we will do, to press forward when we are tired or hurt or afraid, to keep going when the challenge seems engulfing and the course is entirely doubtful. Faith and willingness to believe will quest pessimism away and replace it with hope and confidence. It is a source of endless personal comfort and peace of mind. Faith is the source that gives refinement to us. It motivates our finest deeds.

The awesome thing about prayer is that it is personal, individual and it is the most intimate communication between us and the Almighty. We can ask Him directly to bless us, to help us realize our good intentions and ambitions. We can ask the Almighty for the important things that mean so much to us in life and strengthen our families against the frauds, confusions and discouragements of our present society.

To read more articles on virtues – click the following: Love, Honesty, Morality, Civility, Learning, Forgiveness and Mercy, Thrift and Industry, Gratitude, Optimism. Happy reading!

I believe that there is no greater thing we could do than to increase our faith and confident to the Almighty and to appeal to Him regularly through our personal and family prayer!

 

Optimism is The Ninth of The Ten Virtues That Will Heal Our Hearts, Homes and Nations

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Published on Quazen, Jan 29, 2011 Category – Positive Thoughts

Optimism is defined as hopefulness and confidence about the future or successful outcome of something or tendency to look on the more favorable side of events or conditions and to expect the most favorable outcome or a belief that good ultimately predominates over evil in the world and a belief that goodness pervades reality.

Feeling sad, angry or depressing is not wrong. But dwelling on these thoughts for too long is not healthy either. I know that each of us is impossible to keep ourselves from the negative things around us but we can still carry a positive attitude by focusing on the good things in life.

If we want to have a positive attitude, we would have to feature healthy thoughts. I know that this is probably very hard to do nowadays. The media feeds us nothing but negative thoughts. The media is a large factor in all of this. We are constantly fed a steady and sour diet of pessimism, faultfinding, second guessing and evil speaking of one another.

Some writers of our news columns are brilliant. They are men and women of incisive language and sparkling expression. They are masters of the written and spoken word. Likewise if we watched on television some of the commentators are masters. But some seem unable to deal with balanced truth.

Positive thoughts are admittedly invigorating. And the people around the person carrying positive thoughts are usually energized by this type of attitude. This attitude attracts people. Those with this kind of attitude also have more friends. Projecting a positive attitude also helps one to handle stress and problems better than those who have a negative attitude. A positive attitude begins with a healthy self-image. If you love the way you are and are satisfied, confident and self-assured - you also make others around you feel the same way.

The negative thought had become the stuff of headlines that in many cases are distorting the essence of the facts. The spirit of pessimism grows and begins to hang as a cloud over the land – providing a misleading portrait of the facts and in the process, reaching down to the individual man and woman and influencing attitudes, outlook and even values.

To read more articles on virtues – click the following: Love, Honesty, Morality, Civility, Learning, Forgiveness and Mercy, Thrift and Industry, Gratitude  Happy reading!

We have so much to live for – so much to hope for. Humanity is essentially good. We are all of one great family. We can give strength to the voice of hope. We can give thanks to those who work for peace. We can give added attention to those who feed the hungry and bind up the wounds of war. Everyone can cultivate this virtue of optimism, if he only wanted it!

 

Gratitude is The Eight of The Ten Virtues That Will Heal Our Hearts, Homes and Nations

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Published on Socyberty, Jan 27, 2011 Category – Issues

Gratitude is a virtue showing a positive emotion or attitude of a person that occurs after he received the help from the benefactor and he considered it as (a) valuable to him, (b) costly to his benefactor, and it was (c) given by the benefactor with benevolent intentions. Some of its synonyms are thankfulness, gratefulness and appreciation. And it is express with the most common word "THANKS".

Gratitude is the beginning of wisdom but true wisdom cannot be obtained unless it is built on a foundation of true humility and gratitude. Gratitude is the beginning of civility, decency and goodness. The absence of gratitude signals a lack of appreciation and an ignorance that comes of an attitude of self-sufficiency. It expresses itself in ugly egotism and malicious conduct.

There are many things that we must be grateful – firstly to the Almighty, for the wonders of the human body and the miracle of the human mind and for the universe He created for us. To those people who lived before us who have built the community and nations. To our parents and other family members who have contributed so dramatically to our lives, to friends who have given us the benefit of the doubt again and again.

Likewise to our colleagues and associates who have motivated and inspired us to reach higher and do better and to those honest leaders who serve the community and nations selflessly. To our teachers, mentors, inventors, scientists and other imaginable things that we are now enjoying.

To read more articles on virtues – click the following: Love, Honesty, Morality, Civility, Learning, Forgiveness and Mercy, Thrift and Industry. Happy reading!

Gratitude is a sign of maturity. It is an indication of sincere humility, a hallmark of civility and most of all, it is considered as divine principle. When there is appreciation, there is also courtesy and concern for the rights and property of others. Without these, there is arrogance and evil. When there is gratitude, there is humility instead of pride and generosity rather than selfishness.

 

Thrift and Industry Another Virtues That Will Heal Our Hearts, Homes and Nations

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Published on Socyberty, Jan 26, 2011 Category – Philosophy

Thrift is all about economical management also known as frugality which is the practice of acquiring goods and services in a restrained manner. Here Frugal living is practiced by those who aim to cut expenses, have more money and get the most they possibly can from their money. Industry is all about hard work – devoted activity at any work or task or diligence of a person.

The thrift and industry always go hand in hand. They are virtues that will heal our hearts, homes and nations. The thrift and labor of the people make a home, a nation, a community and make a family strong and independent.

When my father was still alive, he often told us about the importance of saving. He always reminded us the old saying “The hard works of a person is nothing when he does not know how to save”. When I got married twenty-four years ago, what I learned from my father, I also taught it to my children that includes also about financial planning and budgeting.

Until now I am teaching my children the importance on how to manage their funds and other resources. They would have to learn them and improve their financial intelligence on how to making more money, protecting their money, budgeting their money, leveraging their money and to improving their financial information because I believe the knowledge that they will learn today will be useful for their future.

Nothing of real substance comes without work. Nothing happens in this world until there is work. Only through labor do nations become stronger, cities become more attractive, families become more tightly knit and lives become more robust. If we are to build another great generation, we must work with vision and with faith.

We learned that various periods of humanity have been denoted as ages – the age of stone, the age of iron, the age of industry. Now the present age is described as the age of fun. The reason is that most people are spending more of their money and more of their time to satisfy the physical desire for pleasure.  Most of us expect advancements and material pleasures to come quickly.

Our present age is an age of persuasive advertisements and skillful salesmanship, all designed to entice us to spend and sometimes often to spend money we don’t have. If we cannot control them our tendency is to cling to borrowing money from friends, banks and relatives. Credit cards and other kinds of plastic money are available to nearly everyone at eighteen or over eighteen year old. Seductive advertising strives to persuade us that we deserve to have it all and to have it now, regardless of the cost. 

To read more articles on virtues – click the following: Love, Honesty, Morality, Civility, Learning, Forgiveness and Mercy. Happy reading!

Work and thrift are indeed virtues to be exploited, virtues to be admired, virtues vital to the stability of any healthy society, family and individual. So, let’s start saving for our future!

 

Forgiveness and Mercy The Twin Virtues That Will Heal Our Hearts, Homes and Nations

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Published on Socyberty, Jan 24, 2011 Category – Philosophy

Forgiveness is defined as to grant free pardon and to give up all claim on account of an offense or debt. While Mercy it is a word used to describe compassion shown by one person to another or a request from one person to another to be shown such leniency or unwarranted compassion for a crime or wrongdoing.

This is another love of sharing. I see that forgiveness, mercy and compassion are the essence of goodness. We need these qualities in homes where tiny hills of misunderstanding grow into mountains of argument between husband and wife, parents and children, friends between friends, neighbors between neighbors that sometimes hang on to grievance for years and even for a lifetime.

We need them among neighbors whose insignificant differences sometimes lead to undying bitterness. We need them among business associates who quarrel and refuse to compromise or forgive when, in most instances, a willingness to sit down together, exercise compassion and speak quietly one to another could resolve the matter to the blessing of all. We have to accept that there are many people spend their days blaming others, nurturing enmity and planning vengeance.

There are those who would look upon these virtues as signs of weakness. But it takes neither strength nor intelligence to brood in anger over wrongs suffered, to go through life with a spirit of vindictiveness, to dissipate one’s abilities in planning revenge or to press a grievance when someone else is down.

There is no genius or peace in the nursing of a grudge. It only promotes a spirit of retaliation rather than conciliation, cooperation and friendship. How lucky are those who have reached the stage of compassion, love and forgiveness.

Most of us have not reached yet that stage as it is not easy to reach. It requires a self discipline almost greater than we are capable of. It requires the ability to let go of our pride. The application of this principle of forgiveness would have a miraculous effect on our troubled homes. Mostly of us know that selfishness is the cause of most of our misery.

The willingness to forgive is a sign of spiritual and emotional maturity. It is one of the great virtues to which we all should yearn. The virtues of forgiveness and mercy must often be exercised together because we live in a world where there is much harshness, hostility and greed. If cultivated among all men and women, the virtue of mercy would put an end to the enormities of conflict.

To read more articles on virtues – click the following: Love, Honesty, Morality, Civility and Learning. Happy reading!

We have much for which we should be grateful such as the comforts of our modern society, sophisticated global communication that allows us easy access to the entire world and the privilege of living with freedom. Forgiving, forgetting and extending mercy to those who may have wronged us will help heal our hearts, homes and nations because hatred always fails and bitterness always destroys!

 

Learning is The Fifth of The Ten Virtues That Will Heal Our Hearts, Homes and Nations

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Published on AuthSpot, Jan 23, 2011 Category – Thoughts

Learning is define as acquiring new or modifying existing knowledge, behaviors, skills, values, or preferences that may involve on synthesizing different types of information.

Mostly of us love to learn. No matter how old we become, we can acquire knowledge and use it. We can gather wisdom and profit from it. We can grow progress and improve and in the process – strengthen the lives of those within our circle of influence.

To its simplest definition, education is the training of the mind and body. Education is the great conversion process under which abstract knowledge becomes useful and productive activity. It is something that need never stop. We can enrich our lives dramatically through the miracle of reading and exposure to the arts.

When I arrived in Saudi Arabia in 1994, I was first employed as a janitor/laborer. That will be my work position for two years and nine months. The management has noticed my hard work because I was promoted to be a Facility Records Clerk. After sometime I was again promoted to be an Analyst/Bookkeeper and this would be my job for nine years and three months.

My education did not stop there because aside from working, I also devote sometime for my other interests. While employed, I took up a creative writing course via email with the Writer’s Bureau in Manchester London in 1999. In 2001, I took up Journalism and short story writing course with the ICS (International Correspondence School) PA, USA via email.

The promotion did not stop there. In 2006, I was assigned as Secretary to the Vice President, then later as an Analyst. At present, the company I am working for assigned me to manage a new showroom that sells home decors. From being a mere janitor, I had gone a long way and one can say that things just get better and better for me.

To read my other articles on virtues – click the following: Love, Honesty, Morality and Civility.

I grew up believing that it was desirable to be informed, to be educated, to increase one’s understanding about the world and its people. Here one does not have to be a genius to get ahead. One does not have to be brilliant to make the difference in this world, to reach out, to help, to serve and lead others.

It is not enough just to live and survive. It is necessary on each of us to equip ourselves to do something worthwhile in society – to acquire more and more light, so that our personal light can help illuminate a darkened world. And this is made possible through learning, through educating ourselves, through progressing and growing in both mind and spirit.

 

Civility is The Fourth of The Ten Virtues That Will Heal Our Hearts, Homes and Nations

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Published on Socyberty, Jan 23, 2011 Category – Philosophy

Civility refers to behavior between persons and groups that conforms to a social mode in accordance with the civil society, being a foundational principle of society and law. It carries the essence of politeness, courtesy, good manners, courteousness, respect, graciousness and consideration.

I was about nine year old and was a grade two pupil at that time. I had a classmate who cannot walk as normal as I was. He was our neighbor. His left leg was smaller and shorter than his right leg. Mostly of the time I made fun of him and laughed at him that made him cry. One day, I made some kind of disparaging remark of him without my notice that my mother was standing behind me and did hear me. She called me to get inside the house and quickly proceeded to sitting me down, hitting me with a broom and followed with a lecture.

I can still remember. Mother gave me to understand in no uncertain terms that among the peoples of the world there is neither inferiority nor superiority – that we are all sons and daughters of God and therefore sisters and brothers with each other and that we have the obligation to respect and help one another. I carried that lesson with me until now.

As we grow older, we have mingled widely with people of different races and cultures. Differences of race and culture are obvious but we have to look for the significant and enduring ways in which we are alike. Yes. We have cultural and theological differences but we are of one mind in our awareness about the problems of the world. We should recognize our great responsibility and opportunity to stand united for those qualities in public and in private life that speak of virtue.

To read my other articles on virtue, click LOVE, HONESTY and MORALITY.

In civility, there is need for respect for all men and women. There is need for civility and courtesy in our relationships and the need to preserve the family as the most important fundamental unit of society. We would have to carry in our hearts a desire to assist the poor and the needy, to lift the distressed, to givecomfort, hope and help to all who are in trouble and pain. We would have to recognize the need to heal the wounds of society and replace with optimism. If we can only avoid, there is no need for criticism against one another.

Civility is the root of the word civilization. It carries with the essence of courtesy, politeness and consideration of others. Caring for others, seeing and reaching beyond our own wants and comforts, cultivating kindness and gentility toward others from all of life’s situations and circumstances are the essence of civility, a virtue to be admired, a virtue to be acquired!

 

Morality is The Third of The Ten Virtues That Will Heal Our Hearts, Homes and Nations

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Published on Socyberty, Jan 22, 2011 Category – Philosophy

Morality is a sense of behavioral conduct that differentiates intentions, decisions and actions between those that are good and bad. It has two principal meanings – as in descriptive sense, morality refers to personal or cultural values, codes of conducts or social mores that distinguish between right and wrong in the human society. While in normative sense, morality refers directly to what is right and wrong, regardless of what specific individuals think.

First of all, I am not here to tell you what to do. This is about the love of sharing. I thought that the violation of moral virtues in this age and in any other age brings regret, sorrow, loss of self-respect and in many cases, tragedy.

Pornography is now regarded as a legitimate slice of entertainment and we have to accept it. Pornography robs its victims of self-respect and of an appreciation of the beauties of life. It tears down those who indulge and pulls them into a slough of evil thoughts and possibly evil deeds. It seduces, destroys and distorts the truth about love and intimacy. It is as addictive and self-destructive as illicit drugs and it literally destroys the personal relationships of those who become its slaves.

Infidelity, promiscuity and sexual indulgence, in all their forms come trailing a host of ills – life-threatening disease; the insecurity of sexual involvement without commitment or even without love, in many cases – the deterioration of ones feelings of value and self-worth; the breach of personal integrity; the threat ofunwanted pregnancy and many more.

The challenge to recognize evil and oppose it is one that every moral, virtuous person must accept. It all begins with our own personal virtue. Reformation of the world begins with reformation of us. We cannot hope to influence others in the direction of moral virtues unless we live of virtue. Respect for self is the beginning of cultivating virtue in men and women.

Our challenge is to lift our thoughts above the filth’s, to discipline our acts into an example of virtue, to control our words so that we speak only that which is uplifting and leads to growth. When we stood back to compare the dirty surface with the clean, it was amazing to see how much better the clean surface looked and to notice how dirty the walls have become without our realizing it.

It says that both experience and Divine wisdom dictate that moral virtue and cleanliness pave the way that leads to strength of character, peace of mind and heart and happiness in life. As a great moral reformation will occur only as reformation takes place in the hearts, minds and lives of each of us; as morality is reinstated as a priority in the homes of the country; and as men and women, boys, and girls – realizing their lives are missing a critical moral component and determine to seek a life in virtue.

You might also want to read my other articles about virtues – Click LOVE and HONESTY and happy reading.

Morality requires discipline. Each of us has a conscience. We know the difference between right and wrong. We know when we have done the wrong thing. We know when we have done the right thing, which result in a sense of inner peace and happiness.

 

Honesty is The Second of The Ten Virtues That Will Heal Our Hearts, Homes and Nations

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Published on Socyberty, Jan 20, 2011 Category – Advice

Honesty is define as an element of moral character and denotes positive, virtuous attributes such as integrity, truthfulness and straightforwardness along with the absence of cheating, lying and theft. But according to Billy Joel on his video, honesty is such a lonely word – as everyone is so untrue.

During my fifty years living in this planet, I observe and see the result of dishonesty. I even concluded it as one of the many reasons why there is poverty and hardships to people and country. This condition hovers over many lands, and there are millions of children around the world who are malnourished, cannot attend school, dying for food and no shelter to house them. Click to read the most enduring most powerful virtue: LOVE!

These people are not discouraged because no one stands up to be called upon to account for their actions. Some of us are tolerating and disregarding these wrongs and we do not care about them, so they are continuing on their cheating career. 

In politics too, corruption is so rampant. Politicians are fighting for power and are using the innocent masses to acquire it. And the one who are paying the price for this are the poor people and the country. If there is honesty on them they should unite and co-operate to give the people good governance. If they do that, they can reduce poverty and might eradicate corruption as well.

In our children dishonesty is also distinct. In school students cheat to get high grades during examinations. This attitude cannot be stopped but we can help to reduce it and it should start at home so that when they grow up they would become responsible, honest and God-fearing citizen.

If a person is honest with his words and actions, many people will love him and care for him. Many people will trust him. 

 

Love is One of The Ten Virtues That Will Heal Our Hearts, Homes and Nations

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Published on AuthSpot, Jan 20, 2011 Category - Thoughts

Love is a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion, and affection. It is the basis for all being. It can be described as actions towards others or to oneself based on compassion. Or actions towards others based on affection. It refers to a variety of different feelings, states, and attitudes, ranging from generic pleasure to intense interpersonal attraction.

Love is the lodestar of Life…

It is the heart of life, the force that erases
the differences between people
it bridges the splits of bitterness
the pot of gold at the beginning
and at the end of the rainbow…

It springs the beauty that bends
across the sky on a stormy days
the security for which children weep
the yearning of youth
the adhesive that binds marriage…

the lubricant that prevents
devastating friction in the home
the safeguard of community life
the beam of hope in a world of distress…
It is a gift of God, the most enduring
most powerful virtue: LOVE!

(Filipino Version)

Isa kang mamahaling hiyas na nakapulupot
Sa baywang ng sagradong balangaw
Ilaw mo’y liwanag ng malawak na kalangitan
Kumikinang kahit sa gitna ng karimlan…

Tulay ka ng mga nasasawi’t nasasaktan
Pinapangarap ng mga taong nagmamahal
Ika’y langis na hahaplos sa lahat ng sigalot
Na namumutawi sa loob at labas ng tahanan…

Matibay kang bantayog ng mabuting pamayanan
Taglay mo’y buhay at dakilang pag-asa
Para sa mundong puno ng hilahil at hinagpis
Ang ma-angkin ka ay samo ng bawat isa…

Hindi matutularang regalong bigay ni Bathala
Ika’y makapangyarihan at walang katulad: O Pag-ibig!