The Good Samaritan - Does Human Conscience Still Exist?
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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