How much good is good enough?

As much as you are capable of, do not exceed - modesty is best; the most important thing is that they are sincere (from the heart); not just to a show of piety (ie. charity to show people you are generous or kind).

Allah's Apostle (Peace and salutations be upon him) said, "The deeds of anyone of you will not save you (from the (Hell) Fire)." They said, "Even you (will not be saved by your deeds), O Allah's Apostle?" He said, "No, even I (will not be saved) unless and until Allah bestows His Mercy on me. Therefore, do good deeds properly, sincerely and moderately, and worship Allah in the forenoon and in the afternoon and during a part of the night, and always adopt a middle, moderate, regular course whereby you will reach your target (Paradise)."

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Did I make this question to easy or something?...

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How good must you be to enter heaven and to go before Father God?

You must be without sin, without blemish, white as snow. Perfect!

Your good works are like filthy rags. For a human it is impossible to enter into heaven since all have sinned.

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I love sarcasim as much as the next guy......yet Confused

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Hey bub - if you're going to go on the Spirituality and Religion forum, and start threads with vague, wide-open-to-personal-interpretation titles like "How much good is good enough?", you shouldn't then sit back and take snide potshots at everyone who attempts a reply.

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That's a good enough answer, snood, but did the others answer the question?

Be good enough to your fellow humans that when you yourself are in need they will be good to you.

I think I am paraphrasing somebody.

The good thing about not having an imaginary friend involved in this effort called life is you get immediate and concrete feedback.

Joe(At least when my friends go crazy, I can get new friends.)Nation

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Ah yes - the question...

I try to be as "good" as I can, for reasons basically having to do with a belief in the concept of "what goes around..." As to whether it is "enough", I believe there will be judgement.

Did you answer the question, Joe?

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That's the difference, and yes, I answered the question, the difference is--- I don't care if there will be judgement.

What I do now is what is the essence of living and I don't act wondering if there will be some kind of cosmic payback or some hoogie-woogie is going to let me share eternity blah blah.

I share this existence with you without any need for anything beyond it.
My actions aren't based on anything other than what's here. If I were to act out of some need to please some supernatural being those acts would be less worthy of humanity's gratitude and love, not more.

Joe(why let a god get in the way of being good?)Nation

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Yeah, I know you don't believe in God, Joe.

But just by the way, I think your insistence on referring to someone's God as their "imaginary friend" is derisive.

If something is obviously important to someone (whether you think it exists or not) like, say for instance someone believes they are good-looking, and that belief buoys them, and helps them do their days better. If you, in conversation with them referred to it as "their imaginary good looks", that would be insulting and obviously so.

Does your doing good to others include extending the small respect of not suggesting they're delusional about something very important to them?

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Quote:

Does your doing good to others include extending the small respect of not suggesting they're delusional about something very important to them?

Nope.
Imagination is funny, it makes a cloudy day sunny, but, guess what?

It's still cloudy.

And just which delusions deserve respect? All of them?
Only the Western Civilization determined ones?
Just the ones in select theatres?
Can we respect the belief that leprechauns inhabit the hills of Kerry?
Is it true that we are directed by our stars? The Moon? Angels?
What is the cutoff age for allowing the belief in the Tooth Fairy? Never?

Who is less delusional? George W. Bush who believes that Jesus Christ is the Lord of the Universe or Osama bin Laden who holds fast to the pillars of Islam and the One True God. Are both worthy of equal, though small, respect from me?

If someone believed that they always had to tap their forehead three times before answering any question, we would recommend some kind of therapy to them even if they held that belief more strongly than any other. Why?

Maybe we wouldn't. The belief isn't harmful to them or us. Suppose their belief changed and they began to believe if we didn't tap our foreheads three times before answering a question we would be worthy of death?

Now answer the question about George and Osama.

Joe(infidel and sinner)Nation

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It seems whenever I call an agnostic or atheist on being rude to a believer about their beliefs, they without fail immediately try to make it into a discussion about bigger things, like the global harm that madmen have done, or the good of the many, or some other happy crappy - not simply that they are being willfully insulting.

So as to your question, since you will never engage either Osama or Bush in a discussion forum or face to face, the respect you would or wouldn't give is moot.

Just have the gumption to own that you are being intentionally insulting when you call someone's God their "imaginary friend".