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Is spirituality an abberation ?

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  • 08-11-2009 2:33pm
    #1
    espinolman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,205 ✭✭✭


    When i was 16 years old in school , i was asked to go to the guidance councellor to discuss what i wanted to do when i left school , so i told her i wanted to do something about all the trouble in the world , i had an impulse to do something good with my life , her responce to this was , she said " that is something that is wrong with you that will die out as you get older" .

    So i was told in school that an urge to do something good is something that is wrong with me !

    And is this true , that a spiritual purpose to do good is something wrong with people?

    I don't know , but is this still going on today in schools here in Ireland , are children been taught that any urge to do something good and to be decent is an abberation!

    Is Mankinds' spiritual nature an abberation?


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    #2
    Nevyn
    Closed Accounts Posts: 43,045 ✭✭✭✭Nevyn


    I would not say it is strictly a spiritual thing, it may be altruistic or humanitarian.
    I think your guidance counsellor was an ass tbh :)

    I don't think it is an aberration I think that it is part of being human which makes use reach out to things/people beyond ourselves which is a good thing.


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    #3
    espinolman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,205 ✭✭✭espinolman


    Thaedydal wrote: »
    I would not say it is strictly a spiritual thing, it may be altruistic or humanitarian.

    I went along with this idea that you are not supposed to care about anything or anyone or do anything good for over a decade after i was told this by the guidance councellor in school , and it was like living in hell , my life was miserable .

    Over ten years later i was trying to find out why i was so miserable and eventually i realised it was this thing i was taught in school and i figured out that it is not something wrong with me , so i started going in the other direction of trying to do good things and not suppressing my urge to help people , and going this way it was like living in heaven , all the joy and happiness started to come back into my life .

    What you believe can have affect on your spirit , people who go along with this idea that they are not supposed to try and do good , that they are supposed to be cold blooded and materialistic to get along , i tell ya these people are living in hell .


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    #4
    hiorta
    Closed Accounts Posts: 457 ✭✭hiorta


    I'm not sure where they might be living, but I am sure that they are diminishing their own priceless life experiences.

    The sayings: 'we must reap as we have sown' and 'like attracts like' come into daily force for all of us - at all times.


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    #5
    espinolman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,205 ✭✭✭espinolman


    hiorta wrote: »
    I'm not sure where they might be living,

    I am talking about heaven/hell in the sense of a state of being , rather then a location .


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    #6
    waitinforatrain
    Closed Accounts Posts: 267 ✭✭waitinforatrain


    espinolman wrote: »
    " that is something that is wrong with you that will die out as you get older"

    That is something that is wrong with the rest of the world. At the risk of being cheesy, don't ever ever let that die.


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    #7
    Oryx
    Subscribers Posts: 19,425 ✭✭✭✭Oryx


    Spirituality (or in your case, altruism) isnt an abberation, it could be considered a state of mind. And all states of mind are open to other peoples interpretation and judgement. One man's madness is another man's genius.

    Unfortunately your guidance counsellor was cynical, and could not see that yours was a valid course to take in life. These people are supposed to support us and help us find a vocation that plays to our strengths and abilities. Your counsellor failed miserably in even the fundamentals of that, in fact she did actual harm to you.


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    #8
    Armada
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 130 ✭✭Armada


    I have found through personal experience that helping others can be one of the most rewarding things one can do with their life.

    I have recently begun practising Reiki on a regular basis and the joy gained from truly helping someone is immeasurable.



    For a guidance teacher to have that attitude is unforgivable.


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    #9
    philologos
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,479 ✭✭✭✭philologos


    espinolman wrote: »
    When i was 16 years old in school , i was asked to go to the guidance councellor to discuss what i wanted to do when i left school , so i told her i wanted to do something about all the trouble in the world , i had an impulse to do something good with my life , her responce to this was , she said " that is something that is wrong with you that will die out as you get older" .

    It depends on what you wanted to do, as to what response you would get. You are just asking one person for their opinion, there is no reason to regard such an opinion as authoritative.
    espinolman wrote: »
    So i was told in school that an urge to do something good is something that is wrong with me !

    Again, what was this thing you wanted to do? Context helps to give a fuller idea of the situation.
    espinolman wrote: »
    And is this true , that a spiritual purpose to do good is something wrong with people?

    See above.
    espinolman wrote: »
    I don't know , but is this still going on today in schools here in Ireland , are children been taught that any urge to do something good and to be decent is an abberation!

    I can't comment as to whether or not what your teacher told you was wrong until I can find out what you wanted to do.
    espinolman wrote: »
    Is Mankinds' spiritual nature an abberation?

    I wouldn't see it to be, but that depends what one defines as being "spiritual".
    espinolman wrote:
    I went along with this idea that you are not supposed to care about anything or anyone or do anything good for over a decade after i was told this by the guidance councellor in school , and it was like living in hell , my life was miserable .

    I don't think you can blame your guidance counsellor for your difficulties either. This was your thought process, and it seems that there was much more behind it than a mere opinion.


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    #10
    joseph dawton
    Registered Users Posts: 195 ✭✭joseph dawton


    I don't find the last post particularly constructive.

    Perhaps you felt disillusioned after that advice, at 16 I am sure I would be. Perhaps it was guileless to adopt the suggested attitude and you certainly paid the price - oh well better to change late than never. Altruism from a spiritual or humanistic standpoint is highly rewarding and I would say that those with a positive and unselfish way of living are generally a lot more happy than the mean, jaded and cynical people of this world.

    If you feel drawn to good works then do it, don't let cynics and the mean spirited put you off your stride!


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