Phoebe searches for a selfless good deed
Joey says there's no such thing
Altruism: selflessness; unselfish concern for the welfare of others (www.dictionary.com)
You know, I don't really worry about my motivation for things. I think I try to judge whether something is actually good to do, and then I try to let that inform my actions and I ignore all the other motivations that I might have. Plus, I think it's ideal if something that benefits others also benefits me. I guess I'm selfish, and I don't mind that. Giving selflessness too much weight feels really unhealthy to me. Plus, it probably indicates a healthy morality to feel rewarded by doing good, to feel pleasure for blessing someone. So I guess I'm not altruistic. That's okay.
When I was in college I had a vague, pervasive notion that if I did something good because it would make me happy, I would ruin its goodness. I figured that the goodness of my moral action was lessened to the degree I was motivated by a desire for my own pleasure. ... [However, he quotes C. S. Lewis,] 'If there lurks in most modern minds the notion that to desire our own good and earnestly to hope for the enjoyment of it is a bad thing, I submit that this notion has crept in from Kant and the Stoics and is no part of the Christian faith.'
- John Piper, Desiring God
hey! i just listened to a don miller sermon in which he cited the same passage in c.s. lewis! craaaazy!
ReplyDeletei think God takes pleasure in reuniting with us and that doesn't diminish the reality of His sacrifice in incarnation and death. selflessness simply means putting others first. it doesn't mean aimless or reckless self-depravation or self-harm. plus, if your heart isn't warmed by doing good to others, are you really a good person?
all that to say, i think i agree with you.