Thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts on this!

As for guiding principles - principles aren't subjective. They are irrefutable & timeless. They don't change with society's changing sense of values, morals & ethics. It's what is found in scripture. It doesn't change, no matter what decade it is.

Infidelity, for example, is not just "traditionally" wrong, it is a commandment ('principle') that is unchanging. Yet, our popular media has made it look OK & acceptable in many varied situations, excusing the behavior. Most people, when asked, seem to think that there are times or situations when unfaithful behavior is "OK" or excusable.

My point is - just because so many (OK - maybe not the true majority) think it's alright, doesn't make it so! Just because we see people on TV or in the movies lie, cheat, steal & any number of other destructive behaviors - it doesn't make it right.

I've heard from a lot of folks recently who think that cheating, lying & so on, is "OK" when you're in a frustrating or unhappy situation. After all, "we don't live in the 1800's anymore", as one person put it. I disagree with that mentality COMPLETELY. It is short sighted, lazy & irresponsible to take such an easy, self-gratifying path in the face of life challenges. Choosing to act like that doesn't lead to personal growth or strengthening faith - but away from it. I know - I have done it.

In our modern day & age, there are a lot of folks on a pedestal, dictating what's right & wrong. I truly hope I'm not coming off that way, myself. My true belief is, that while we may not have an all-knowing, perfect guru living among us now, we have record of One who was perfect, who walked this world & taught us what is absolutely right & wrong.

We are alive to make mistakes & learn from those. Life is full of that! Most who know me, know that my mistakes have been many and the hurt I've caused to others (as well as my own self destructive stuff) is something I can only pray to be forgiven for. Many who have made mistakes, can share with us what they've learned through that process. Some have still never learned, and continue on in the unproductive pattern.

The biggest thing I was hoping to convey that may not be so clear in this article, is that "we cannot justify a thing as right simply because we see it in the media being portrayed as fun & acceptable...we cannot justify a behavior simply because "everyone else" is doing it - or we can find "x-number" of people who think it's OK.

We must have that never wavering guide of what is truly right in our sights. A measure of sorts for true, guiding principles, that isn't gauged by what other people think. Many would refer to the Bible for that standard. Can we truly rely on another living persons's opinion of what is right & wrong for our own salvation?

Again, I am no guru. I don't have all the answers & struggle with my limited understanding. My hope is that I can only share a few of the things I've realized over the years - only after making some tremendous mistakes. My experiences haven't made me any expert - but I've found a few things that sure don't work well - and as I learn what does work, I'll write it out here.

I so appreciate your insight & the fact that you would share your thoughts here. Thank you!

You have a very valid point here - that most swear words are blasphemous & disrespectful of our God.

Thanks for sharing your insight Brett! Hope to see you here again soon.

Thanks for sharing the quote - that's one of my favorites. Best wishes!

Faith, as a verb, is the "firm belief in something for which there is no proof", according to Mirriam-Webster's definition. The biggest reason I struggle with faith is because I am an evidence kind of person. I can't have faith in something when there is supporting evidence against it... but when it comes to matters of spirituality where science has a hard time proving theories, I have faith.

I couldn't agree with you more that semantics alone don't provide any kind of strong argument! Semantics are just that...and they usually carry no weight on their own.

Thanks for your comment! Do come back soon.

Thanks for visiting my website - and for your compliment. Hoping that you come back soon! There's more goodness on it's way. :-)

I'm constantly working to increase the search rankings for this site. If you don't mind, please tell me what words you were searching when you found my site. Best wishes!

Gry, thanks for your comment. It's hard to say if your husband chose someone like his mother - do you feel that you're like her? While there is a lot of talk about people marrying types like their mom/dad, it isn't always completely accurate. Hopefully, you can both make the very most of what you have for each other as individuals in your relationship together.

All we can really change is ourselves - to be the best people we can be...and support those we love in their own efforts, too.

Wishing you the very best! Come back soon.

Thanks for sharing your insight. As you say, sometimes it may be the only way to derive information, if there is no other way to get it. While it wasn't addressed in the post, it's true and a good thing to consider.

Thanks for visiting & taking a moment to comment. See you again soon!

Today, I've learned that I often assume (whether correct or incorrect) what another person is thinking or what their motivations are. This is a hard one for me, as I base most of my assumptions on experience from the past.

The worst part is when I've done or said something based on one of these assumptions and it often hurts or offends another person. I've never liked it when someone assumes things about me. It makes me look arrogant when I'm called-out on an assumption & that never feels good.

The solution? Stop assuming. Stop reacting until I know & understand all of the facts. This might take a lot of work & effort for me - because as much as I work on understanding, I still tend to be pretty reactive.

Who else has experienced this?

Marina, thanks for the compliment - and taking the time to visit. Hope to see you back soon! Best wishes.

Hey Emmett, thanks for visiting. There's more good stuff on the way. See you soon!