1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:08,400 Speaker 1: Life audio in today's episode of Timeless Wisdom. 2 00:00:08,560 --> 00:00:11,639 Speaker 2: You're my radio stage. I actually I've been thinking of 3 00:00:11,640 --> 00:00:14,120 Speaker 2: presenting you with a bill. I spend hours in my 4 00:00:14,240 --> 00:00:15,400 Speaker 2: car when I should be working for you. 5 00:00:15,480 --> 00:00:17,439 Speaker 3: Wait a minute, I should then present you with a bill. 6 00:00:18,239 --> 00:00:19,280 Speaker 3: You got that reversed? 7 00:00:20,640 --> 00:00:21,560 Speaker 4: Go ahead either way. 8 00:00:22,920 --> 00:00:27,800 Speaker 2: I think that people do good because we're wired with 9 00:00:27,880 --> 00:00:32,280 Speaker 2: a sense of ought and that what I mean is 10 00:00:32,280 --> 00:00:33,640 Speaker 2: is I ought to. 11 00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:34,360 Speaker 4: Do with it. I know. 12 00:00:34,600 --> 00:00:36,720 Speaker 3: I don't think we're wired with a sense of aught. 13 00:00:36,920 --> 00:00:42,040 Speaker 3: I think that's that's taught to us. You you ought 14 00:00:42,120 --> 00:00:46,760 Speaker 3: to share your candy? No, very few children have a 15 00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:49,479 Speaker 3: built in sense of I ought to share my candy. 16 00:00:50,080 --> 00:00:54,640 Speaker 2: Well, here's the thing is that I think is something 17 00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:58,440 Speaker 2: that's within all of our hearts, and it's it's only 18 00:00:58,520 --> 00:01:01,520 Speaker 2: runs in one direction. It's something that you can't do 19 00:01:01,760 --> 00:01:06,199 Speaker 2: evil or sin because you ought to. You can share 20 00:01:06,240 --> 00:01:08,440 Speaker 2: your toys or your candy because you ought to, But 21 00:01:08,520 --> 00:01:12,360 Speaker 2: you can't cheat or steal your your brother's candy because 22 00:01:12,400 --> 00:01:12,840 Speaker 2: you ought to. 23 00:01:13,319 --> 00:01:17,920 Speaker 1: That's coming off on Timeless Wisdom with Dennis Prager. Welcome 24 00:01:18,080 --> 00:01:22,199 Speaker 1: to Timeless Wisdom with Dennis Prager. Here thousands of hours 25 00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:25,600 Speaker 1: of Dennis's lectures courses in classic radio programs, and to 26 00:01:25,600 --> 00:01:32,920 Speaker 1: purchase Dennis Prager's Rational Bibles, go to Dennisprager dot com. 27 00:01:33,080 --> 00:01:36,240 Speaker 3: You're listening to the Dennis Prager Show, The Ultimate Issues Hour. 28 00:01:36,360 --> 00:01:42,200 Speaker 4: Hi everybody, this is it. Every week at this time, I. 29 00:01:42,240 --> 00:01:44,840 Speaker 3: Talk to you about the great issue, some great issue 30 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:48,400 Speaker 3: of life to try to make us understand life better 31 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:50,760 Speaker 3: and talk about the great issues, because a lot of 32 00:01:50,760 --> 00:01:53,680 Speaker 3: people never do that since they left college. You know, 33 00:01:53,760 --> 00:01:55,640 Speaker 3: in college you have these what they used to call 34 00:01:55,720 --> 00:01:58,680 Speaker 3: bull sessions. You sit around with other other kids and 35 00:01:58,720 --> 00:02:02,200 Speaker 3: you you know, well, is there a God? What is 36 00:02:02,200 --> 00:02:04,280 Speaker 3: this all about? Is there a good and an evil? 37 00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:07,560 Speaker 3: Or is it all subjective? What am I here for? 38 00:02:07,720 --> 00:02:11,040 Speaker 3: And then you get busy, and then after caw you 39 00:02:11,040 --> 00:02:14,800 Speaker 3: get busy, and there's no more time to talk about 40 00:02:14,840 --> 00:02:18,800 Speaker 3: the great questions of life. And and that's why so 41 00:02:18,840 --> 00:02:21,639 Speaker 3: many people establish certain patterns of thought in college and 42 00:02:21,680 --> 00:02:27,120 Speaker 3: they never challenge them. Right left center, religious, atheists, secular, 43 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:32,360 Speaker 3: whatever it is. But I think we have to constantly, 44 00:02:32,560 --> 00:02:35,760 Speaker 3: constantly rethink the great issues of life as we get older, 45 00:02:36,360 --> 00:02:38,679 Speaker 3: in light of the greater wisdom that we've gotten from 46 00:02:38,960 --> 00:02:44,280 Speaker 3: life's experiences. Now here's the question today, and it will 47 00:02:44,320 --> 00:02:48,080 Speaker 3: seem to you to be very odd. And that's part 48 00:02:48,120 --> 00:02:50,639 Speaker 3: of the beauty of the question that I'm posing today, 49 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:57,480 Speaker 3: and it's to talk about with you. And that is 50 00:02:57,720 --> 00:03:01,400 Speaker 3: here is the question, and you never hear this question. 51 00:03:02,040 --> 00:03:05,280 Speaker 3: We have discussed the question why do people do bad? 52 00:03:06,040 --> 00:03:10,040 Speaker 3: That was and that is a great ultimate issue, right, 53 00:03:10,120 --> 00:03:13,119 Speaker 3: so we have discussed that. Now I want to discuss though, 54 00:03:13,160 --> 00:03:17,600 Speaker 3: something that people never ask, why do people do good? 55 00:03:19,320 --> 00:03:19,519 Speaker 4: Now? 56 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:23,000 Speaker 3: Why is it that we ask all the time why 57 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:25,000 Speaker 3: do people do bad? But we never ask why do 58 00:03:25,080 --> 00:03:31,520 Speaker 3: people do good? Because we have inherited a secular mindset 59 00:03:31,960 --> 00:03:35,320 Speaker 3: from the what's the so called Age of Enlightenment two 60 00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:38,640 Speaker 3: hundred years ago. We have received in the West a 61 00:03:38,920 --> 00:03:43,040 Speaker 3: basic mindset that people are basically good. If people are 62 00:03:43,080 --> 00:03:47,640 Speaker 3: basically good, you never have to ask the question why 63 00:03:48,280 --> 00:03:51,120 Speaker 3: do people do good? Just as you never asked the 64 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:55,440 Speaker 3: question why do cars go? You ask why do cars 65 00:03:55,480 --> 00:03:59,680 Speaker 3: break down? Because the nature of a car is to move. 66 00:04:01,280 --> 00:04:04,640 Speaker 3: The nature of the human is to do good. That's 67 00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:08,800 Speaker 3: what we were told basically good. Rousseau's Noble Savage and 68 00:04:08,840 --> 00:04:12,280 Speaker 3: the whole Enlightenment, the Age of Reason. We are in 69 00:04:12,320 --> 00:04:15,920 Speaker 3: rejecting Christianity and being born into sin. We have the 70 00:04:15,960 --> 00:04:21,440 Speaker 3: whole vision of not that we are born innocent, that's 71 00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:25,200 Speaker 3: the opposite. Rather we are born good, which is irrelevant 72 00:04:25,200 --> 00:04:32,240 Speaker 3: to the question opposed by Christianity. So people believe, hey, 73 00:04:32,240 --> 00:04:36,479 Speaker 3: we're born basically good, and that is what is the 74 00:04:36,520 --> 00:04:39,640 Speaker 3: most widespread belief. So the question why do people do 75 00:04:39,800 --> 00:04:43,600 Speaker 3: good is as silly as why do cars move? Cars 76 00:04:43,640 --> 00:04:46,760 Speaker 3: move because they're built to move. People do good because 77 00:04:46,760 --> 00:04:50,520 Speaker 3: they're built to do good. But I don't believe we're 78 00:04:50,560 --> 00:04:53,240 Speaker 3: basically good. And that was one of the ultimate issues Hours. 79 00:04:53,240 --> 00:04:56,200 Speaker 3: That was the first ultimate issues. Hour Are people basically good? 80 00:04:58,400 --> 00:05:00,240 Speaker 3: By the way, it's no sin to repeat it an 81 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:07,240 Speaker 3: idea on one of these obviously, And so people believe 82 00:05:07,320 --> 00:05:10,160 Speaker 3: that we are basically good, so there is no question 83 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:13,679 Speaker 3: as to why people will do good. Of course, people 84 00:05:13,760 --> 00:05:17,839 Speaker 3: will do good, that's the way we are made. But 85 00:05:17,920 --> 00:05:20,279 Speaker 3: I don't believe that. I don't believe we're born basically 86 00:05:20,320 --> 00:05:24,039 Speaker 3: bad either. I believe we are born with tendencies in 87 00:05:24,080 --> 00:05:32,159 Speaker 3: both directions. So therefore I have a legitimate question why 88 00:05:32,200 --> 00:05:34,760 Speaker 3: do people do good? But I want you to think 89 00:05:34,760 --> 00:05:39,960 Speaker 3: about it for a moment. Think about it. Why is 90 00:05:40,720 --> 00:05:44,160 Speaker 3: what mother Teresa did and I'm using an extreme example 91 00:05:44,200 --> 00:05:48,680 Speaker 3: of good leaves her home, goes to India to take 92 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:51,560 Speaker 3: care of the dying on the streets of Calcutta. I've 93 00:05:51,560 --> 00:05:53,719 Speaker 3: been to Calcutta, and they do die on the streets 94 00:05:53,760 --> 00:06:02,360 Speaker 3: of Calcutta. And that or even more amazing the take 95 00:06:02,440 --> 00:06:05,520 Speaker 3: the non Jews who risk their lives in the Holocaust 96 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:10,000 Speaker 3: to save the lives of Jews. I mean, that's that's 97 00:06:10,080 --> 00:06:13,040 Speaker 3: even more remarkable than what mother Teresa. That Mother Teresa 98 00:06:13,080 --> 00:06:14,680 Speaker 3: did not risk her life in the life of her 99 00:06:15,120 --> 00:06:15,839 Speaker 3: of her family. 100 00:06:18,080 --> 00:06:21,680 Speaker 4: How do you explain good? 101 00:06:22,480 --> 00:06:25,040 Speaker 3: We had we had one of the ultimate issues hours 102 00:06:25,080 --> 00:06:27,680 Speaker 3: on the subject of how do you explain bad? I'm asking, 103 00:06:27,680 --> 00:06:30,320 Speaker 3: how do you explain good? I am mystified by it. 104 00:06:31,440 --> 00:06:34,679 Speaker 3: I am as mystified as I am by extreme Good 105 00:06:34,760 --> 00:06:38,040 Speaker 3: mystifies me as much as extreme bad does. They both 106 00:06:38,080 --> 00:06:43,080 Speaker 3: they both mystify me. So I have I have some answers, 107 00:06:43,160 --> 00:06:47,040 Speaker 3: and I'm curious to know even if you've ever asked 108 00:06:47,040 --> 00:06:51,400 Speaker 3: a question, I am curious why do I am sure 109 00:06:51,600 --> 00:06:54,320 Speaker 3: every one of you has asked, why do people do bad? 110 00:06:55,160 --> 00:06:59,760 Speaker 3: How do you explain the existence of bad? Has anybody 111 00:07:00,040 --> 00:07:02,279 Speaker 3: have you ever asked? How do you explain the existence 112 00:07:02,320 --> 00:07:05,520 Speaker 3: of good. If you said that to a friend, the 113 00:07:05,520 --> 00:07:07,880 Speaker 3: odds are your friend would say, what are you talking about? 114 00:07:07,920 --> 00:07:12,520 Speaker 3: I don't understand what you mean? What do you mean about? 115 00:07:12,520 --> 00:07:15,560 Speaker 3: How do you explain? How do you account for good? 116 00:07:16,280 --> 00:07:18,400 Speaker 3: How do you account for bad? How do you account 117 00:07:18,400 --> 00:07:19,600 Speaker 3: for evil? I mean, it's one of. 118 00:07:19,600 --> 00:07:20,920 Speaker 4: The basic subjects of life. 119 00:07:20,920 --> 00:07:24,800 Speaker 3: One eight Praguer seven seven six eight seven seven two 120 00:07:24,880 --> 00:07:30,600 Speaker 3: four three triple seven six. I have a list here. 121 00:07:30,600 --> 00:07:32,800 Speaker 3: What do I have? I have five? I have five 122 00:07:32,880 --> 00:07:34,720 Speaker 3: answers I'm going to give you over the course of 123 00:07:34,760 --> 00:07:38,560 Speaker 3: this hour. Very interested to hear if you have thought this, 124 00:07:38,560 --> 00:07:42,600 Speaker 3: this this through, and I will react to you as well. Hannibal, 125 00:07:42,640 --> 00:07:44,680 Speaker 3: Missouri and Bo, Hello, Bo, Dennis. 126 00:07:44,360 --> 00:07:47,800 Speaker 4: Prager, Hey, how are you? Oh? Well, thank you man. 127 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:50,520 Speaker 5: I tell you, I'm just kind of a lowly landscaper, 128 00:07:50,560 --> 00:07:53,320 Speaker 5: I guess. And I get to listen to the radio 129 00:07:53,360 --> 00:07:56,360 Speaker 5: all day long whenever I'm your protection. They've got radium, 130 00:07:56,360 --> 00:07:57,920 Speaker 5: so I get to listen to you and by you, 131 00:07:57,920 --> 00:07:59,640 Speaker 5: and it's a huge per list to. 132 00:07:59,640 --> 00:08:02,200 Speaker 3: Even think, well, that's very kind. You are not lowly 133 00:08:02,280 --> 00:08:04,400 Speaker 3: being a landscaper that. 134 00:08:04,360 --> 00:08:07,680 Speaker 6: Is not Mexican either, so well, no, well, even. 135 00:08:07,480 --> 00:08:09,720 Speaker 3: In Mexican or non Mexican. Well, that that's true, that 136 00:08:09,760 --> 00:08:12,680 Speaker 3: you're in a minority of landscapers in major cities, but 137 00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:15,640 Speaker 3: maybe Hannibal's not a major city, so no, it's not. 138 00:08:15,800 --> 00:08:16,640 Speaker 4: Okay, go ahead. 139 00:08:17,200 --> 00:08:20,480 Speaker 5: My being twenty five, obviously, I think we always have 140 00:08:20,640 --> 00:08:24,840 Speaker 5: all the answers. But I believe that society used to 141 00:08:24,960 --> 00:08:28,120 Speaker 5: expect you to be good, and so everybody just did 142 00:08:28,160 --> 00:08:31,200 Speaker 5: good because it's what was expected of them, and people 143 00:08:31,520 --> 00:08:36,960 Speaker 5: naturally probably felt more good. As a society today, we've 144 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:40,360 Speaker 5: gone extremely to the selfish in all sorts of areas, 145 00:08:40,360 --> 00:08:43,520 Speaker 5: but I think even good now is selfish. People do 146 00:08:43,640 --> 00:08:46,040 Speaker 5: good because how it makes them feel. 147 00:08:46,480 --> 00:08:49,000 Speaker 3: And all right, let me ask you a question about 148 00:08:49,040 --> 00:08:51,680 Speaker 3: that people do good because of how it makes them feel. 149 00:08:52,160 --> 00:08:53,319 Speaker 4: Is what's wrong with that? 150 00:08:54,040 --> 00:08:54,240 Speaker 2: No? 151 00:08:54,480 --> 00:08:57,160 Speaker 5: Nothing, I'm just saying, whereas it used to be expected, 152 00:08:57,600 --> 00:08:59,960 Speaker 5: You ask why do people do good? And I believe 153 00:09:00,080 --> 00:09:03,040 Speaker 5: on a major scale that the majority of them do 154 00:09:03,160 --> 00:09:05,120 Speaker 5: good because of how I feel. To me, you just 155 00:09:05,160 --> 00:09:06,480 Speaker 5: asked the question of why do they do and I 156 00:09:06,520 --> 00:09:10,040 Speaker 5: just think it's because of it, because of why we 157 00:09:10,080 --> 00:09:11,600 Speaker 5: feel when we do good, And I think that that's 158 00:09:11,600 --> 00:09:13,520 Speaker 5: a blessing from God to keep it within us that 159 00:09:14,080 --> 00:09:16,920 Speaker 5: we would actually enjoy doing well. And I think had 160 00:09:16,960 --> 00:09:18,640 Speaker 5: he not put that in us, we wouldn't be as 161 00:09:18,679 --> 00:09:19,840 Speaker 5: inclined to want to do good. 162 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:23,840 Speaker 3: Yeah, well, that's very well thought through. I happen to agree. 163 00:09:24,040 --> 00:09:26,640 Speaker 3: That's one of the five things I wrote down, that 164 00:09:26,679 --> 00:09:29,040 Speaker 3: we do feel good. We do feel better when we 165 00:09:29,080 --> 00:09:31,760 Speaker 3: do good. Of course, there is also you know what 166 00:09:31,800 --> 00:09:35,000 Speaker 3: the rejoinder of that is, no good deed goes unpunished. 167 00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:38,320 Speaker 3: I bet every one of you have experienced a time 168 00:09:38,320 --> 00:09:39,960 Speaker 3: where you went out of your way to do good 169 00:09:39,960 --> 00:09:41,080 Speaker 3: and got clobbered for it. 170 00:09:42,400 --> 00:09:43,839 Speaker 4: What do I know about that? 171 00:09:45,880 --> 00:09:53,600 Speaker 3: Nevertheless, nevertheless, I like respecting myself. I always did. If 172 00:09:53,640 --> 00:09:56,280 Speaker 3: you would have asked me when I was in high school, 173 00:09:56,880 --> 00:10:01,480 Speaker 3: and I'm just being open here, when I was in 174 00:10:01,559 --> 00:10:05,120 Speaker 3: high school, I did not cheat on tests. 175 00:10:06,360 --> 00:10:08,760 Speaker 4: And if you really would have. 176 00:10:08,800 --> 00:10:12,840 Speaker 3: Opened up my psyche and my mind, do you know 177 00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:16,800 Speaker 3: the single biggest reason, well, I think they were tied 178 00:10:16,920 --> 00:10:19,760 Speaker 3: one is I really did believe it's unethical. I did 179 00:10:19,800 --> 00:10:23,400 Speaker 3: believe that I have a very strongly developed sense of ethics. 180 00:10:24,480 --> 00:10:28,280 Speaker 4: But absolutely, at least. 181 00:10:27,679 --> 00:10:34,319 Speaker 3: As much as that reason was dignity, I felt that 182 00:10:34,480 --> 00:10:38,760 Speaker 3: I was undignified. I lost self respect if I cheated 183 00:10:38,840 --> 00:10:44,360 Speaker 3: on a test. And I think that this is a 184 00:10:44,520 --> 00:10:50,640 Speaker 3: huge factor with regard to trying to inculcate people the 185 00:10:50,760 --> 00:10:54,480 Speaker 3: desire to do good is that they have to associate 186 00:10:54,640 --> 00:10:59,360 Speaker 3: self worth with goodness. See that is where the self 187 00:10:59,480 --> 00:11:04,720 Speaker 3: esteem movement, in my opinion, failed dismally. It asked people 188 00:11:04,800 --> 00:11:07,920 Speaker 3: to feel good about themselves, assuming that if they felt 189 00:11:07,960 --> 00:11:11,440 Speaker 3: good about themselves, they would do more good. I know 190 00:11:11,559 --> 00:11:16,680 Speaker 3: that movement very well. John Vasconcelo's the California legislator who 191 00:11:16,720 --> 00:11:17,319 Speaker 3: started this. 192 00:11:18,360 --> 00:11:19,040 Speaker 4: I knew him. 193 00:11:19,160 --> 00:11:23,320 Speaker 3: I interviewed him a number of times, and he wanted 194 00:11:23,760 --> 00:11:28,400 Speaker 3: a better society, and he thought that if you felt 195 00:11:28,960 --> 00:11:33,520 Speaker 3: better about yourself, he would do good. But he missed 196 00:11:33,720 --> 00:11:38,840 Speaker 3: a huge, huge part of a chunk of this idea. 197 00:11:39,080 --> 00:11:44,080 Speaker 3: Only if you feel good about yourself because you associated 198 00:11:44,160 --> 00:11:48,800 Speaker 3: with doing good will, then there be good results. Will 199 00:11:48,840 --> 00:11:50,960 Speaker 3: continue in a moment on the Ultimate Issues Hour. 200 00:11:51,960 --> 00:11:55,320 Speaker 1: This episode of Timeless Wisdom will continue right after this 201 00:12:00,840 --> 00:12:06,040 Speaker 1: no back to more of Dennis Prager's Timeless Wisdom. 202 00:12:06,200 --> 00:12:07,120 Speaker 4: I'm Dennis Prager. 203 00:12:07,160 --> 00:12:09,400 Speaker 3: This is the Ultimate Issues Hour, an hour each week 204 00:12:09,440 --> 00:12:13,520 Speaker 3: devoted to the great questions of life, the really important 205 00:12:13,559 --> 00:12:17,680 Speaker 3: stuff we ask all the time, gee, why do people 206 00:12:17,720 --> 00:12:20,160 Speaker 3: do bad? How do you account for evil? But we 207 00:12:20,240 --> 00:12:22,400 Speaker 3: never ask why do people do good? How do you 208 00:12:22,440 --> 00:12:25,439 Speaker 3: account for good? And to me, that's just as much 209 00:12:25,520 --> 00:12:29,880 Speaker 3: a puzzle why do people do good? Since I don't 210 00:12:29,920 --> 00:12:33,640 Speaker 3: believe that it's all that natural? Why do people do good? 211 00:12:36,080 --> 00:12:38,679 Speaker 3: We better ask it because it's as important a question 212 00:12:38,760 --> 00:12:40,800 Speaker 3: is why do people do bad? I mean, if we 213 00:12:40,840 --> 00:12:43,120 Speaker 3: can answer why do people do good, then we can 214 00:12:43,240 --> 00:12:44,439 Speaker 3: know how to do it. 215 00:12:44,440 --> 00:12:45,439 Speaker 4: It's not so easy. 216 00:12:45,960 --> 00:12:49,000 Speaker 3: It's been grappled with since since people began thinking one 217 00:12:49,080 --> 00:12:52,640 Speaker 3: eighth Prager seven seven six, keep trying. If you didn't 218 00:12:52,640 --> 00:12:57,560 Speaker 3: get in, it's been offered. One notion has been offered. 219 00:12:57,559 --> 00:13:00,000 Speaker 3: And it's correct that people do good because it feels good. 220 00:13:00,160 --> 00:13:02,800 Speaker 3: That's true. But bad feels good too. That's the problem. 221 00:13:03,160 --> 00:13:07,400 Speaker 3: Bad feels good. Believe me, if bad didn't feel good, 222 00:13:07,480 --> 00:13:12,920 Speaker 3: people wouldn't do it. So the fact it does feel good, 223 00:13:15,080 --> 00:13:19,800 Speaker 3: but it's not enough because both feel good. Now I 224 00:13:19,840 --> 00:13:25,079 Speaker 3: would argue that good feels better than bad, having done both. 225 00:13:29,040 --> 00:13:31,280 Speaker 3: Actually I haven't done much bad. I've done sinning. That's 226 00:13:31,280 --> 00:13:35,000 Speaker 3: another one. Put that down, the difference between sin and evil. 227 00:13:36,600 --> 00:13:38,439 Speaker 3: You know you're nodding, but you're not writing it down, 228 00:13:38,480 --> 00:13:39,200 Speaker 3: that's already done. 229 00:13:39,200 --> 00:13:41,240 Speaker 4: Okay, fine, just. 230 00:13:41,240 --> 00:13:44,280 Speaker 3: Checking on him. Okay, let's see what else you have 231 00:13:44,360 --> 00:13:48,000 Speaker 3: to I have to say about this. Oh, here's the 232 00:13:48,080 --> 00:13:53,080 Speaker 3: one you know who is Alan Dershowitz, whom I debated 233 00:13:54,160 --> 00:13:56,520 Speaker 3: a number of years ago, and I have had him 234 00:13:56,520 --> 00:13:58,840 Speaker 3: on the show a number of times. He is written 235 00:13:58,840 --> 00:14:01,920 Speaker 3: because he's he's an atheist, or at least an agnostic, 236 00:14:02,440 --> 00:14:05,120 Speaker 3: And he said, it is a much higher form of 237 00:14:05,200 --> 00:14:08,480 Speaker 3: good to be an atheist and do good than to 238 00:14:08,559 --> 00:14:10,880 Speaker 3: be a believer in God and do good. The believer 239 00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:14,000 Speaker 3: in God believes will get rewarded. The atheist doesn't believe 240 00:14:14,040 --> 00:14:17,160 Speaker 3: will get rewarded. Therefore, the good atheist is a better 241 00:14:17,280 --> 00:14:20,880 Speaker 3: human than the good religious person. I'm just offering. I 242 00:14:20,880 --> 00:14:25,320 Speaker 3: don't believe that. I don't believe that, but that is 243 00:14:26,040 --> 00:14:30,600 Speaker 3: his argument, because you can. You see, folks, let's be honest. 244 00:14:30,800 --> 00:14:34,360 Speaker 3: Everybody thinks in some sense there is something in it 245 00:14:34,400 --> 00:14:38,920 Speaker 3: for them to be good. Not everybody, nearly everybody, if 246 00:14:38,960 --> 00:14:41,880 Speaker 3: nothing else than feeling good about yourself. He would argue 247 00:14:41,880 --> 00:14:44,200 Speaker 3: that an atheist who does good feels good about himself, 248 00:14:44,240 --> 00:14:47,359 Speaker 3: so he gets a reward there too. There is always 249 00:14:47,400 --> 00:14:53,160 Speaker 3: some degree of self or self oriented or even selfish 250 00:14:53,200 --> 00:14:58,160 Speaker 3: component to goodness. It's not fully removable. I guess there 251 00:14:58,240 --> 00:15:02,400 Speaker 3: can be acts of such utter altruism, but I can't 252 00:15:02,440 --> 00:15:06,760 Speaker 3: even think of one because you still have the issue 253 00:15:06,760 --> 00:15:10,640 Speaker 3: of self respect. So it's okay, by the way, it's 254 00:15:10,680 --> 00:15:12,960 Speaker 3: okay if there is an issue of feeling good. I 255 00:15:13,000 --> 00:15:15,640 Speaker 3: want people to feel good about doing good. I have 256 00:15:15,760 --> 00:15:20,080 Speaker 3: no problem with that whatsoever. Alrighty, let's go to some 257 00:15:20,080 --> 00:15:24,080 Speaker 3: more of your calls here and in Orange, California's Jim, Hello, 258 00:15:24,160 --> 00:15:25,040 Speaker 3: Jim Dennis Prager. 259 00:15:26,040 --> 00:15:28,960 Speaker 2: Oh great, Hey, what a what a pleasure to speak 260 00:15:28,960 --> 00:15:34,080 Speaker 2: with the great thanks you're my radio stage. I actually 261 00:15:34,080 --> 00:15:35,920 Speaker 2: I've been thinking of presenting you with a bill. I 262 00:15:36,200 --> 00:15:38,400 Speaker 2: spend hours in my car when I should be working. 263 00:15:38,560 --> 00:15:40,560 Speaker 3: Wait a minute, I should then present you with a bill. 264 00:15:41,360 --> 00:15:42,400 Speaker 3: You got that reversed? 265 00:15:43,760 --> 00:15:44,680 Speaker 4: Go ahead either way. 266 00:15:46,040 --> 00:15:50,920 Speaker 2: I think that people do good because we're wired with 267 00:15:51,000 --> 00:15:55,160 Speaker 2: a sense of ought, and that what I mean is 268 00:15:56,000 --> 00:15:57,120 Speaker 2: I ought to do with it. 269 00:15:57,240 --> 00:15:59,440 Speaker 3: I know, I don't think we're wired with a sense 270 00:15:59,440 --> 00:16:02,920 Speaker 3: of aught. I I think that that's that's taught to us. 271 00:16:04,000 --> 00:16:08,760 Speaker 3: You you ought to share your candy. No, very few 272 00:16:08,840 --> 00:16:11,600 Speaker 3: children have a built in sense of I ought to 273 00:16:11,680 --> 00:16:12,560 Speaker 3: share my candy. 274 00:16:13,200 --> 00:16:16,720 Speaker 2: Well, here's the thing is that at I think is 275 00:16:17,360 --> 00:16:21,200 Speaker 2: something that's within all of our hearts, and it's it's 276 00:16:21,360 --> 00:16:24,440 Speaker 2: only runs in one direction. It's something that you can't 277 00:16:24,560 --> 00:16:29,000 Speaker 2: do evil or sin because you ought to. You can 278 00:16:29,080 --> 00:16:31,360 Speaker 2: share your toys or your candy because you ought to, 279 00:16:31,480 --> 00:16:35,120 Speaker 2: but you can't cheat or steal your your brother's candy 280 00:16:35,200 --> 00:16:38,800 Speaker 2: because you ought to. There's I think a sense of 281 00:16:39,040 --> 00:16:42,800 Speaker 2: rightness that we describe as aught that only runs in 282 00:16:42,840 --> 00:16:45,120 Speaker 2: one direction. And I think that's part of our wiring 283 00:16:45,160 --> 00:16:48,120 Speaker 2: from God. And it's not always a pleasurable sense. 284 00:16:48,160 --> 00:16:50,480 Speaker 3: So wait, are you think we're wired good? 285 00:16:51,600 --> 00:16:55,200 Speaker 2: No, I don't. I think we're We're wired with a 286 00:16:55,320 --> 00:16:59,720 Speaker 2: sense of right and wrong, and the pull of good 287 00:17:00,440 --> 00:17:02,400 Speaker 2: is the sense of art I don't know how else 288 00:17:02,440 --> 00:17:02,800 Speaker 2: to put it. 289 00:17:02,880 --> 00:17:07,879 Speaker 3: By the conscience. So there is a built in sense 290 00:17:08,240 --> 00:17:12,640 Speaker 3: of conscience. Now, okay, that's good. That's good. That's really good, Jim. 291 00:17:12,920 --> 00:17:16,480 Speaker 3: I believe that if I didn't believe that there were 292 00:17:16,560 --> 00:17:19,479 Speaker 3: a built in conscience, then I could not blame people 293 00:17:19,520 --> 00:17:21,600 Speaker 3: for the evil they do if they weren't taught it. 294 00:17:23,119 --> 00:17:28,320 Speaker 3: I believe, I believe that the conscience says that murder 295 00:17:28,359 --> 00:17:33,200 Speaker 3: is wrong. Even if nobody taught you thou shalt not murder. 296 00:17:34,960 --> 00:17:37,680 Speaker 3: We have to teach it because the conscience is not 297 00:17:38,560 --> 00:17:42,080 Speaker 3: going to be decisive in most people's cases because it 298 00:17:42,160 --> 00:17:45,520 Speaker 3: runs against the brain. The brain is the animal, the 299 00:17:45,560 --> 00:17:47,960 Speaker 3: animal part. The mind is the human part. That's the 300 00:17:48,000 --> 00:17:51,200 Speaker 3: division that I make. And the brain just wants things. 301 00:17:51,240 --> 00:17:54,920 Speaker 3: The brain wants. I want that man's field, I'll kill him. 302 00:17:55,640 --> 00:18:00,320 Speaker 3: I want that man's woman, I'll kill him. I want 303 00:18:00,320 --> 00:18:03,800 Speaker 3: that woman. I'll take her. Married, unmarried, doesn't matter. I 304 00:18:03,840 --> 00:18:08,320 Speaker 3: will take her. The animal brain wants that female in 305 00:18:08,359 --> 00:18:09,119 Speaker 3: the male brain. 306 00:18:10,080 --> 00:18:11,920 Speaker 4: And so. 307 00:18:13,520 --> 00:18:21,000 Speaker 3: It's a brainsus versus conscience issue. All right, we continue 308 00:18:22,960 --> 00:18:28,360 Speaker 3: and let's go to a baron or Darren in Minneapolis. 309 00:18:28,680 --> 00:18:30,600 Speaker 4: It's Darren Hi, Baron Dennis Prager. 310 00:18:31,119 --> 00:18:33,080 Speaker 6: Nice to talk to you. I just want to say, 311 00:18:33,080 --> 00:18:35,440 Speaker 6: I mean, I can relate it to my own experience 312 00:18:35,520 --> 00:18:37,679 Speaker 6: and why I do things when I do them that 313 00:18:37,720 --> 00:18:40,760 Speaker 6: are good or things that I do that wouldn't necessarily 314 00:18:40,840 --> 00:18:42,280 Speaker 6: have to be done, but I do them. And the 315 00:18:42,359 --> 00:18:45,240 Speaker 6: reason is is because I honestly believe if I've give 316 00:18:45,280 --> 00:18:48,360 Speaker 6: been given twenty dollars extra, I'm somebody making a mistake. 317 00:18:48,680 --> 00:18:51,000 Speaker 6: And giving me twenty dollars at a cash register for 318 00:18:51,040 --> 00:18:54,359 Speaker 6: whatever reason or whether it's donating charity for something, is 319 00:18:54,400 --> 00:18:57,480 Speaker 6: because I really do believe one action of one person 320 00:18:57,480 --> 00:19:00,679 Speaker 6: hopefully will influence somebody else and long it makes the 321 00:19:00,680 --> 00:19:01,480 Speaker 6: world a better place. 322 00:19:01,600 --> 00:19:04,199 Speaker 3: You know what, as corny as it sounds, that is 323 00:19:04,320 --> 00:19:06,760 Speaker 3: a very big factor in my own life. 324 00:19:07,119 --> 00:19:09,280 Speaker 6: And I don't I don't love I want to. I 325 00:19:09,320 --> 00:19:11,080 Speaker 6: wanted to use an example of your show. You've got 326 00:19:11,080 --> 00:19:13,639 Speaker 6: three hours on the radio every day. There's many people 327 00:19:13,680 --> 00:19:15,840 Speaker 6: that use that time that are hot. They get great 328 00:19:15,920 --> 00:19:18,399 Speaker 6: ratings as you, I'm sure do, but look what you 329 00:19:18,520 --> 00:19:22,080 Speaker 6: do with your show. In my that's the epitome of 330 00:19:22,160 --> 00:19:22,680 Speaker 6: doing good. 331 00:19:22,880 --> 00:19:26,480 Speaker 3: Wow, that's very touching because I will say that is 332 00:19:26,520 --> 00:19:29,320 Speaker 3: exactly what I want to do with the program and 333 00:19:29,359 --> 00:19:32,280 Speaker 3: that I have. I have on a number of occasions 334 00:19:32,320 --> 00:19:36,280 Speaker 3: faced very very real possibilities of leaving radio if I 335 00:19:36,280 --> 00:19:40,520 Speaker 3: would not bend my standards because that's all I want 336 00:19:40,560 --> 00:19:43,879 Speaker 3: to do with it. So I wasn't thinking of me 337 00:19:43,960 --> 00:19:47,000 Speaker 3: in radio. But thank you, Yes, I will tell you 338 00:19:47,040 --> 00:19:50,040 Speaker 3: that's the truth. Do you know when I give that's 339 00:19:50,080 --> 00:19:56,199 Speaker 3: a good example. If when I when I tip the 340 00:19:56,280 --> 00:19:58,280 Speaker 3: guy at the I go to hotels a lot as 341 00:19:58,320 --> 00:20:01,320 Speaker 3: it travels to speeches. When I hip the guy a 342 00:20:01,320 --> 00:20:05,560 Speaker 3: little extra, who brings me to my room, who brings 343 00:20:05,640 --> 00:20:08,680 Speaker 3: up my car, it is a big part. 344 00:20:09,080 --> 00:20:12,200 Speaker 4: I want to reward him for working. Forget it. 345 00:20:12,560 --> 00:20:14,840 Speaker 3: I feel for him and his family. I want to 346 00:20:15,240 --> 00:20:19,760 Speaker 3: it says a social sense. I want to reward good 347 00:20:19,960 --> 00:20:22,960 Speaker 3: hard work back in a moment. The Ultimate Issues Hour 348 00:20:23,000 --> 00:20:24,120 Speaker 3: on the Dennis Prager Show. 349 00:20:25,080 --> 00:20:28,480 Speaker 1: This episode of Timeless Wisdom will continue right after this. 350 00:20:33,960 --> 00:20:40,239 Speaker 1: Now back to more of Dennis Prager's Timeless Wisdom. 351 00:20:40,400 --> 00:20:46,080 Speaker 3: You're listening to the Dennis Prager Show. People always ask 352 00:20:46,160 --> 00:20:49,680 Speaker 3: why do people do bad? How do you explain evil? Well, 353 00:20:49,840 --> 00:20:52,040 Speaker 3: this hour on the Ultimate Issues Hour, the hour of 354 00:20:52,040 --> 00:20:54,680 Speaker 3: the week where I talk about some great question of life, 355 00:20:55,280 --> 00:20:58,520 Speaker 3: the question is why do people do good? How do 356 00:20:58,560 --> 00:21:02,199 Speaker 3: we explain good? At least as important a question if 357 00:21:02,240 --> 00:21:04,560 Speaker 3: you care about making a better world as the question 358 00:21:04,600 --> 00:21:08,400 Speaker 3: of why do people do bad? Eight seven seven two 359 00:21:08,440 --> 00:21:13,040 Speaker 3: four three triple seven six. That's the number. You're welcome 360 00:21:13,119 --> 00:21:18,520 Speaker 3: to call and let us go to James and Phoenix. James, 361 00:21:19,000 --> 00:21:20,719 Speaker 3: why do people do good? Dennis Prager? 362 00:21:20,760 --> 00:21:22,800 Speaker 7: Hei, Hey, Dennis, A real pleasure to speak with you. 363 00:21:22,960 --> 00:21:23,640 Speaker 7: NKS to your show. 364 00:21:23,760 --> 00:21:24,640 Speaker 4: Thank you. 365 00:21:24,640 --> 00:21:27,879 Speaker 7: You know, as soon as I heard your subject, I 366 00:21:28,480 --> 00:21:31,159 Speaker 7: ask myself, why do I do good and why do I, 367 00:21:32,240 --> 00:21:34,520 Speaker 7: you know, deliberately even go out of my way to 368 00:21:34,560 --> 00:21:37,280 Speaker 7: try to help people. And the first thing that came 369 00:21:37,280 --> 00:21:40,240 Speaker 7: to my mind is if I don't, I feel guilty. 370 00:21:41,320 --> 00:21:43,080 Speaker 7: And then the second question is, then why do I 371 00:21:43,119 --> 00:21:45,320 Speaker 7: feel that way? And I can only say it's because 372 00:21:45,840 --> 00:21:49,520 Speaker 7: I have been so blessed, and I can only go 373 00:21:49,640 --> 00:21:53,159 Speaker 7: back to my religious upbringing. I guess my belief in 374 00:21:53,200 --> 00:21:56,119 Speaker 7: God that if I was given this, I was supposed 375 00:21:56,160 --> 00:21:56,520 Speaker 7: to share. 376 00:21:58,320 --> 00:22:00,880 Speaker 3: Now it's interesting because this is a little different from 377 00:22:00,920 --> 00:22:03,399 Speaker 3: what you told Eva, and that was that you fear 378 00:22:03,480 --> 00:22:04,280 Speaker 3: God's judgment. 379 00:22:04,680 --> 00:22:07,280 Speaker 7: Well, I think it all ties in, Dennis, and I 380 00:22:07,680 --> 00:22:09,440 Speaker 7: maybe I should not have used the word fear. 381 00:22:09,560 --> 00:22:11,560 Speaker 3: Oh no, I don't have a problem, you know. I 382 00:22:11,600 --> 00:22:13,680 Speaker 3: think it's a good thing to fear God's judgment. I 383 00:22:13,720 --> 00:22:14,640 Speaker 3: wish everybody did. 384 00:22:14,760 --> 00:22:14,960 Speaker 4: Yeah. 385 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:17,359 Speaker 7: Sure, And it really truly does tie in because I 386 00:22:17,359 --> 00:22:20,560 Speaker 7: think there will be an accounting, an accounting for bad 387 00:22:21,080 --> 00:22:24,520 Speaker 7: and an accounting for good. And is it may sound 388 00:22:24,560 --> 00:22:27,600 Speaker 7: a little odd, but you know, if you drive by 389 00:22:27,680 --> 00:22:30,200 Speaker 7: somebody who's broken down in a car, on some highway 390 00:22:30,280 --> 00:22:32,680 Speaker 7: and they clearly need help, and you just keep on going. 391 00:22:33,960 --> 00:22:37,040 Speaker 7: I somehow feel like that that's going to be written 392 00:22:37,080 --> 00:22:37,920 Speaker 7: somewhere in eternity. 393 00:22:38,520 --> 00:22:43,080 Speaker 3: You know, James, you're a good man. I don't know 394 00:22:43,160 --> 00:22:45,840 Speaker 3: how people will react to this. So far, everything that 395 00:22:45,920 --> 00:22:49,080 Speaker 3: everybody has said I. 396 00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:52,480 Speaker 4: Agree with, and that one too. Alan. 397 00:22:52,520 --> 00:22:57,119 Speaker 3: I'm telling you, if I'm driving by and that somebody stranded, 398 00:22:57,520 --> 00:23:01,919 Speaker 3: I think God is looking and things Dennis, what the 399 00:23:01,920 --> 00:23:06,000 Speaker 3: hell is the matter with you? And takes note of 400 00:23:06,040 --> 00:23:09,280 Speaker 3: the fact that I missed an opportunity to do good? 401 00:23:11,200 --> 00:23:11,600 Speaker 4: Now? 402 00:23:11,640 --> 00:23:14,800 Speaker 3: Do I fear punishment? I don't think of that much. 403 00:23:16,720 --> 00:23:20,000 Speaker 3: But because I don't go to the next step, it's 404 00:23:20,040 --> 00:23:24,240 Speaker 3: simply enough for me to know God expects better from Dennis. 405 00:23:25,520 --> 00:23:28,840 Speaker 4: It does. Does that play a role for you? Now? 406 00:23:28,960 --> 00:23:31,600 Speaker 3: The atheist listening will think, well, what's the matter with 407 00:23:31,680 --> 00:23:34,159 Speaker 3: you guys? You mean, if it weren't for God, you 408 00:23:34,520 --> 00:23:41,040 Speaker 3: would lead, You would pass that guy by now And 409 00:23:41,119 --> 00:23:44,080 Speaker 3: I don't know the answer. I'm being, you know, even 410 00:23:44,520 --> 00:23:52,159 Speaker 3: self condemnatorily honest. I don't think I will get rewarded 411 00:23:52,200 --> 00:23:54,760 Speaker 3: from God. I have nothing like that. Oh, there are 412 00:23:54,800 --> 00:23:57,960 Speaker 3: people who believe, they do they believe correctly, or they 413 00:23:58,000 --> 00:24:01,119 Speaker 3: act religiously correctly, God will protect them from cancer. I 414 00:24:01,119 --> 00:24:04,360 Speaker 3: don't believe that for a nanosecond. It never even occurs 415 00:24:04,400 --> 00:24:09,480 Speaker 3: to me, nor do I really think about, well, I'll 416 00:24:09,480 --> 00:24:11,760 Speaker 3: get a reward in an afterlife. I won't get one 417 00:24:11,760 --> 00:24:13,800 Speaker 3: in this life, but maybe I'll get one. Maybe I will. 418 00:24:13,840 --> 00:24:15,680 Speaker 3: I mean, I do believe in reward and punishment and 419 00:24:15,680 --> 00:24:20,600 Speaker 3: an afterlife, It's true. But back to that, would I 420 00:24:20,600 --> 00:24:23,120 Speaker 3: if I see, here's the point, If I were convinced 421 00:24:23,160 --> 00:24:25,800 Speaker 3: that there is no God, I would be so aware 422 00:24:25,840 --> 00:24:29,160 Speaker 3: of how meaningless life is, that good and evil would 423 00:24:29,160 --> 00:24:34,440 Speaker 3: start to become meaningless, at least on a philosophical level, 424 00:24:34,560 --> 00:24:39,000 Speaker 3: because nothing matters. It's if there is no God. I 425 00:24:39,040 --> 00:24:42,840 Speaker 3: am merely a self conscious pebble. That's all I am, 426 00:24:43,960 --> 00:24:46,080 Speaker 3: And it doesn't matter how a pebble treats a pebble. 427 00:24:47,359 --> 00:24:50,399 Speaker 3: So nothing matters, and I'm sure I would be different. 428 00:24:50,440 --> 00:24:54,000 Speaker 3: I don't think the average atheist thinks through the consequences 429 00:24:54,000 --> 00:25:00,320 Speaker 3: of atheism how utterly and totally meaningless it all is 430 00:25:02,080 --> 00:25:07,679 Speaker 3: if we are just self conscious pebbles. So in that sense, 431 00:25:07,760 --> 00:25:10,399 Speaker 3: of course, God plays a role in the good that 432 00:25:10,440 --> 00:25:14,359 Speaker 3: I try to do. Of course, not in the base 433 00:25:14,880 --> 00:25:18,000 Speaker 3: or basic sense of oh, I'll get good for doing 434 00:25:18,040 --> 00:25:22,960 Speaker 3: that from God, or even worse, I'll be rewarded here 435 00:25:23,000 --> 00:25:25,320 Speaker 3: for it. I mean, there are many religious people who 436 00:25:25,400 --> 00:25:28,840 Speaker 3: believe that that if they have if only they have 437 00:25:28,880 --> 00:25:32,920 Speaker 3: sufficient faith or sufficient ritual acts, depending on the religion 438 00:25:33,440 --> 00:25:36,520 Speaker 3: religious acts, then they will then good will come to 439 00:25:36,560 --> 00:25:38,720 Speaker 3: them and they won't get diseased, or they'll cure their 440 00:25:38,760 --> 00:25:45,360 Speaker 3: disease or something analogous to that. But yeah, there would 441 00:25:45,400 --> 00:25:50,000 Speaker 3: be consequences to me, and I care about goodness more 442 00:25:50,040 --> 00:25:53,800 Speaker 3: than anything else. But I know they would be consequences 443 00:25:53,840 --> 00:25:57,760 Speaker 3: to me if I believe there was no God, only 444 00:25:57,840 --> 00:26:05,280 Speaker 3: because I would despair of anything meaning anything one eight 445 00:26:05,359 --> 00:26:08,320 Speaker 3: Prager seven seven six The Ultimate Issues hour on the 446 00:26:08,320 --> 00:26:09,240 Speaker 3: Dennis Prager Show. 447 00:26:09,280 --> 00:26:18,280 Speaker 8: We continue, Dennis, I have been enjoying the timeless wisdom again. 448 00:26:18,640 --> 00:26:23,800 Speaker 8: I listened for years. You have impacted my life positively 449 00:26:24,080 --> 00:26:28,919 Speaker 8: with your humility, intellect ability to communicate, your sense of 450 00:26:29,000 --> 00:26:34,000 Speaker 8: humor fascinating subjects. But I am a physician who would 451 00:26:34,880 --> 00:26:39,400 Speaker 8: with sleepless nights do jigsaw puzzles listening to your recordings. 452 00:26:40,160 --> 00:26:43,720 Speaker 8: I have done no jigsaw puzzles since your injury. But 453 00:26:43,840 --> 00:26:47,480 Speaker 8: now maybe I can resume that I have found timeless 454 00:26:47,480 --> 00:26:54,680 Speaker 8: wisdom again. I've my podgeited those jigsaw puzzles and plastered 455 00:26:54,720 --> 00:26:58,520 Speaker 8: them on the wall of our grandchildren's playroom. But I 456 00:26:58,640 --> 00:27:02,800 Speaker 8: want you to know that we pray for you here 457 00:27:02,840 --> 00:27:05,840 Speaker 8: in Utah, and I am grateful to know that you 458 00:27:06,720 --> 00:27:12,040 Speaker 8: still have your intellect despite the other tragedy. We have 459 00:27:12,160 --> 00:27:15,600 Speaker 8: all experienced tragedies. That we love you and want you 460 00:27:15,640 --> 00:27:18,960 Speaker 8: to know of your importance to us. Thank you. 461 00:27:19,640 --> 00:27:22,919 Speaker 1: Are you enjoying timeless wisdom? We'd love to hear from you. 462 00:27:22,960 --> 00:27:26,159 Speaker 1: Call eight seven seven two four three seventy seven seventy 463 00:27:26,280 --> 00:27:29,159 Speaker 1: six and leave a review, share your thoughts, or just 464 00:27:29,240 --> 00:27:32,720 Speaker 1: even an encouraging word for Dennis. Your voicemail might just 465 00:27:32,760 --> 00:27:35,440 Speaker 1: make it on the show. That's eight seven seven two 466 00:27:35,560 --> 00:27:39,480 Speaker 1: four three seventy seven seventy six. That's eight seven seven 467 00:27:39,640 --> 00:27:44,119 Speaker 1: two four three triple seven six. Thanks for listening and 468 00:27:44,440 --> 00:27:45,320 Speaker 1: for your support. 469 00:27:47,200 --> 00:27:49,960 Speaker 3: You're listening to the Dennis Brager Show. When all of 470 00:27:50,000 --> 00:27:52,320 Speaker 3: a sudden done. I think goodness is the most important 471 00:27:52,359 --> 00:27:57,280 Speaker 3: human issue. That people treat each other good. I think, 472 00:27:57,520 --> 00:28:00,399 Speaker 3: do you say people treat each other well? Would that 473 00:28:00,440 --> 00:28:03,560 Speaker 3: be the right way of putting it. I'm not being sarcastic. 474 00:28:03,840 --> 00:28:11,400 Speaker 3: I know adverbs, but because by well it doesn't connote 475 00:28:11,440 --> 00:28:13,639 Speaker 3: goodness as much. That's the reason that I wanted to 476 00:28:13,680 --> 00:28:15,760 Speaker 3: do it. But all right, it doesn't matter. That's what 477 00:28:15,840 --> 00:28:18,320 Speaker 3: I still think, and I also believe that's what God 478 00:28:18,359 --> 00:28:23,400 Speaker 3: thinks is most important that we treat each other well, 479 00:28:23,480 --> 00:28:26,760 Speaker 3: just as parents care most how their children treat each other. 480 00:28:27,200 --> 00:28:31,280 Speaker 3: In God as our father. But putting aside religion, I 481 00:28:31,320 --> 00:28:35,480 Speaker 3: do believe goodness is the most important question. That's why 482 00:28:35,520 --> 00:28:38,000 Speaker 3: I spend so much time on this program talking about 483 00:28:38,000 --> 00:28:41,400 Speaker 3: fighting evil. That's part of being good. You can't be 484 00:28:41,440 --> 00:28:42,600 Speaker 3: good if you don't fight evil. 485 00:28:42,680 --> 00:28:43,360 Speaker 4: I mean it. 486 00:28:43,400 --> 00:28:45,920 Speaker 3: As kind as you are, that's wonderful, and that can 487 00:28:45,960 --> 00:28:49,360 Speaker 3: that be taken away from you. But part of goodness 488 00:28:49,400 --> 00:28:53,400 Speaker 3: is fighting evil. The notion that the good don't fight 489 00:28:53,760 --> 00:29:00,760 Speaker 3: is actually self contradictory. I said, I wrote down prior 490 00:29:00,800 --> 00:29:03,840 Speaker 3: to the hour some reasons, and you've been giving them, 491 00:29:03,840 --> 00:29:06,600 Speaker 3: which is wonderful, and I've been telling you how I 492 00:29:06,680 --> 00:29:10,080 Speaker 3: relate to them, whether I do or not. Here are 493 00:29:10,120 --> 00:29:13,320 Speaker 3: some of the reasons. First of all, there is some 494 00:29:13,440 --> 00:29:17,200 Speaker 3: degree of natural goodness in people, some more than others. 495 00:29:19,000 --> 00:29:20,880 Speaker 3: We all know that there are kids who were born 496 00:29:21,280 --> 00:29:24,040 Speaker 3: kinder than others. That doesn't mean the ones who are 497 00:29:24,040 --> 00:29:27,040 Speaker 3: not born kind can't be taught to be kind. They can, 498 00:29:27,160 --> 00:29:30,960 Speaker 3: of course they can, but there is an element of that. 499 00:29:31,160 --> 00:29:34,880 Speaker 3: Second is values. Do you think it's important to be good? 500 00:29:35,360 --> 00:29:39,200 Speaker 3: Do you think that good actions are important? Is that 501 00:29:39,280 --> 00:29:46,400 Speaker 3: a value in your life? Third, people feel good, and 502 00:29:46,440 --> 00:29:48,440 Speaker 3: there's nothing wrong with that. I want people to feel 503 00:29:48,440 --> 00:29:51,200 Speaker 3: good by doing good, because, after all, the bad feel 504 00:29:51,240 --> 00:29:57,760 Speaker 3: good doing bad. Fourth is God and religion, the element 505 00:29:57,920 --> 00:30:01,600 Speaker 3: of God and religion in people's lives to the extent 506 00:30:01,680 --> 00:30:06,680 Speaker 3: that they are associated with goodness. Religion is not necessarily 507 00:30:06,720 --> 00:30:10,400 Speaker 3: associated with goodness, to be associated with the whole host 508 00:30:10,400 --> 00:30:13,000 Speaker 3: of other things, and in fact can be associated with evil. 509 00:30:14,360 --> 00:30:21,640 Speaker 3: Ancient religions all all essentially demanded child sacrifice. There's a 510 00:30:21,920 --> 00:30:24,360 Speaker 3: there is a segment of Islam today that demands child 511 00:30:24,400 --> 00:30:27,360 Speaker 3: sacrifice so long as the child is sacrificing himself while 512 00:30:27,360 --> 00:30:33,640 Speaker 3: blowing up other innocent people. So religion can be used 513 00:30:33,640 --> 00:30:36,280 Speaker 3: in both directions. But religion can also be the greatest 514 00:30:36,280 --> 00:30:41,479 Speaker 3: force for good and society's expectations. That was raised by 515 00:30:41,560 --> 00:30:49,600 Speaker 3: Cooler as well, the society make good. Important. All right, 516 00:30:50,000 --> 00:30:55,600 Speaker 3: let's go to more. Call Steve Temecula, California, Dennis Prager High. 517 00:30:56,800 --> 00:31:00,000 Speaker 4: Okay, thanks, go ahead, Steve. 518 00:31:00,240 --> 00:31:02,800 Speaker 9: Well, my comment was just that I believe that there's 519 00:31:02,840 --> 00:31:05,720 Speaker 9: really two reasons that people do good. One is selfishness, 520 00:31:05,760 --> 00:31:08,160 Speaker 9: which is to please others, which is basically to make 521 00:31:08,200 --> 00:31:09,960 Speaker 9: themselves look good or feel good. 522 00:31:10,080 --> 00:31:12,080 Speaker 3: Okay, give me an example. 523 00:31:13,640 --> 00:31:18,600 Speaker 9: Well, somebody might donate a lot of money to a 524 00:31:18,720 --> 00:31:21,480 Speaker 9: church in order to have their name put on a plaque. 525 00:31:21,920 --> 00:31:25,200 Speaker 3: And now do you think that that is less good 526 00:31:25,400 --> 00:31:26,120 Speaker 3: or not good? 527 00:31:27,360 --> 00:31:30,720 Speaker 9: I believe that it's born out of selfishness, and therefore 528 00:31:31,440 --> 00:31:38,200 Speaker 9: and therefore it is just that is the purpose. 529 00:31:38,720 --> 00:31:40,800 Speaker 3: All right, let me ask you a question. I have 530 00:31:40,880 --> 00:31:43,040 Speaker 3: dealt with this with a lot of people, so hear 531 00:31:43,080 --> 00:31:46,160 Speaker 3: me out, and it's one of those rare times I 532 00:31:46,200 --> 00:31:47,280 Speaker 3: want to change your mind. 533 00:31:47,360 --> 00:31:50,480 Speaker 4: Okay, sure, let us say we have a. 534 00:31:50,560 --> 00:31:55,000 Speaker 3: Millionaire, a multi millionaire, who gives a million dollars to 535 00:31:55,880 --> 00:32:02,400 Speaker 3: let us say, a cancer center, ancer research center, and 536 00:32:02,640 --> 00:32:05,120 Speaker 3: you know or you're certain that he has done so 537 00:32:05,520 --> 00:32:08,600 Speaker 3: because of the selfish reasons you just mentioned. He will 538 00:32:08,640 --> 00:32:12,800 Speaker 3: get honor from society, right, Okay, Now, let's take another 539 00:32:12,840 --> 00:32:15,880 Speaker 3: millionaire who does not give to a cancer research center, 540 00:32:16,680 --> 00:32:21,479 Speaker 3: but out of his selfishness, buys himself a yacht. I 541 00:32:21,520 --> 00:32:24,960 Speaker 3: want you to morally compare the two actions. 542 00:32:25,680 --> 00:32:29,440 Speaker 9: Well, I would say that there's definitely a gradation here. 543 00:32:29,800 --> 00:32:35,040 Speaker 3: The first guy is good, Okay, So I don't want 544 00:32:35,040 --> 00:32:39,440 Speaker 3: you to knock the guy who gives to a hospital 545 00:32:39,520 --> 00:32:42,560 Speaker 3: center because he wants his name on a plaque there. 546 00:32:44,600 --> 00:32:46,680 Speaker 3: Don't knock it at all, because the man has done 547 00:32:46,720 --> 00:32:47,760 Speaker 3: so much good. 548 00:32:47,840 --> 00:32:49,680 Speaker 9: Now the result, the result is good. 549 00:32:49,720 --> 00:32:54,600 Speaker 3: But I only measure goodness by results because there are 550 00:32:54,680 --> 00:32:58,240 Speaker 3: so many bad things done by people with good motives. 551 00:32:59,400 --> 00:33:03,760 Speaker 3: People who be believe, who believed in communism were often real, 552 00:33:03,960 --> 00:33:06,400 Speaker 3: true believers that it was good what they were doing. 553 00:33:07,120 --> 00:33:10,239 Speaker 3: From each according to his ability, to each according to 554 00:33:10,320 --> 00:33:15,040 Speaker 3: his needs. If we're going to assess motives, then a 555 00:33:15,040 --> 00:33:18,360 Speaker 3: lot of people who do bad will be assessed as wonderful. 556 00:33:19,440 --> 00:33:21,400 Speaker 9: That's why goodness can be relative. 557 00:33:22,320 --> 00:33:25,480 Speaker 3: Well, of course it's relative, because there's greater goodness and 558 00:33:25,600 --> 00:33:28,040 Speaker 3: less goodness. But all I'm saying to you, Steve, and 559 00:33:28,240 --> 00:33:30,720 Speaker 3: you're right that there is an element of selfishness. But 560 00:33:30,760 --> 00:33:33,440 Speaker 3: I think there's an element of selfishness in all goodness. 561 00:33:36,920 --> 00:33:41,000 Speaker 3: There's an element of selfishness in religion. There's an element 562 00:33:41,040 --> 00:33:44,400 Speaker 3: of selfishness in action. Let us say that somebody does 563 00:33:44,520 --> 00:33:46,920 Speaker 3: good because they think it will please God and they 564 00:33:46,960 --> 00:33:50,800 Speaker 3: will get rewarded in the afterlife. That's selfish. Now others 565 00:33:50,800 --> 00:33:54,280 Speaker 3: will say, ah, but that doesn't please God. Faith pleases God, 566 00:33:54,280 --> 00:33:57,640 Speaker 3: all right. So let's say somebody adopts faith in order 567 00:33:57,720 --> 00:34:01,120 Speaker 3: to be saved. Isn't that selfish? Want to be saved? 568 00:34:02,640 --> 00:34:08,640 Speaker 3: If we can't assess goodness based on whether or not 569 00:34:08,760 --> 00:34:13,160 Speaker 3: there's a selfish element, there will always be a selfish element. 570 00:34:16,000 --> 00:34:22,600 Speaker 3: I have to judge goodness based on results. Steve, you 571 00:34:22,719 --> 00:34:25,560 Speaker 3: have raised such an important item, and I know you 572 00:34:25,600 --> 00:34:27,880 Speaker 3: wish you could talk more with me, and I feel 573 00:34:27,880 --> 00:34:31,280 Speaker 3: the same. But of course the constraints of radio you'll understand. 574 00:34:33,320 --> 00:34:38,480 Speaker 3: So this notion, folks, that we have to somehow dig 575 00:34:38,600 --> 00:34:44,799 Speaker 3: out extirpate use a fancy term selfishness from goodness is 576 00:34:44,840 --> 00:34:50,279 Speaker 3: not correct. There is an element of what will be 577 00:34:50,400 --> 00:34:53,600 Speaker 3: in it for me in virtually any act of goodness 578 00:34:53,640 --> 00:34:57,160 Speaker 3: anybody does. How will I feel about myself? How will 579 00:34:57,200 --> 00:35:01,719 Speaker 3: I respect myself? All will God think about me? And 580 00:35:02,200 --> 00:35:11,840 Speaker 3: so that's inevitable we'll be back in a moment final 581 00:35:11,880 --> 00:35:14,440 Speaker 3: segment of this edition of the Ultimate Issues Hour on 582 00:35:14,520 --> 00:35:17,800 Speaker 3: The Dennis Prager Show. 583 00:35:17,040 --> 00:35:20,440 Speaker 1: This episode of Timeless Wisdom, we'll continue right after this. 584 00:35:25,920 --> 00:35:30,960 Speaker 1: Now back to more of Dennis Prager's Timeless Wisdom. 585 00:35:31,160 --> 00:35:33,920 Speaker 3: I realize speaking about this subject, and this is the 586 00:35:34,000 --> 00:35:37,680 Speaker 3: Ultimate Issues Hour on the Dennis Prager Show. The third 587 00:35:37,760 --> 00:35:42,000 Speaker 3: hour of my show each Tuesday is devoted to the 588 00:35:42,120 --> 00:35:45,400 Speaker 3: issue of ultimate issues or some great question of life. 589 00:35:45,480 --> 00:35:48,880 Speaker 3: This one is so huge that of course I will 590 00:35:48,880 --> 00:35:52,080 Speaker 3: be revisiting it a number of times, and that is 591 00:35:52,120 --> 00:35:56,719 Speaker 3: why do people do good? But what I really am 592 00:35:56,840 --> 00:36:00,320 Speaker 3: focusing on now in light of that last and important 593 00:36:00,400 --> 00:36:06,040 Speaker 3: call from Steve, is that we have to measure goodness 594 00:36:07,040 --> 00:36:12,360 Speaker 3: by its results much more than by its motives. So 595 00:36:12,520 --> 00:36:17,560 Speaker 3: much bad is done with good motives. Do you think 596 00:36:17,600 --> 00:36:23,719 Speaker 3: that the Taliban had bad motives? Do you think that 597 00:36:23,920 --> 00:36:31,320 Speaker 3: the that Communists all had bad motives, or even Nazis 598 00:36:31,400 --> 00:36:35,719 Speaker 3: all had bad motives? They believed they believed that they 599 00:36:35,719 --> 00:36:42,799 Speaker 3: were doing good in many ways. So the issue of 600 00:36:42,880 --> 00:36:50,120 Speaker 3: motives is not is secondary, It's just secondary. In order 601 00:36:50,160 --> 00:36:52,799 Speaker 3: to do good, you have to ask the question of 602 00:36:53,160 --> 00:36:57,480 Speaker 3: will it do good? Will this act do good? Alan 603 00:36:57,560 --> 00:37:01,560 Speaker 3: put it down as another That's another subject for the 604 00:37:01,760 --> 00:37:06,360 Speaker 3: for this Ultimate Issues Hour, understanding what good is because 605 00:37:06,400 --> 00:37:11,040 Speaker 3: because of the motives, issue confuses people. If somebody gives 606 00:37:11,120 --> 00:37:14,640 Speaker 3: money for the sake of building a hospital, that is 607 00:37:14,719 --> 00:37:18,000 Speaker 3: so good, folks so good, and I want their name 608 00:37:18,280 --> 00:37:20,840 Speaker 3: on the building. I want it. 609 00:37:20,840 --> 00:37:24,160 Speaker 4: It's you know what, it's selfish. 610 00:37:24,280 --> 00:37:27,480 Speaker 3: It's wrong to give all that money to make a 611 00:37:27,560 --> 00:37:31,400 Speaker 3: hospital and not have the world know you did it. 612 00:37:31,880 --> 00:37:34,759 Speaker 3: I want models of goodness out there. I want to 613 00:37:34,800 --> 00:37:40,239 Speaker 3: know whom to think if I enter the you know, 614 00:37:40,320 --> 00:37:45,520 Speaker 3: the the Bill Cohen bathroom at at at at a hospital. 615 00:37:45,600 --> 00:37:48,360 Speaker 3: He gave the money for that bathroom, I as I 616 00:37:48,440 --> 00:37:55,759 Speaker 3: am at that year in a line thanking him. This 617 00:37:55,920 --> 00:37:59,640 Speaker 3: is not a good or healthy thing to analyze. Well 618 00:38:00,239 --> 00:38:05,359 Speaker 3: wanted to be known, of course, that's okay. Did Mother 619 00:38:05,440 --> 00:38:09,920 Speaker 3: Teresa not want her works known? Did she go by 620 00:38:09,960 --> 00:38:17,480 Speaker 3: mother anonymous? Did she hide from the world. It's a 621 00:38:17,520 --> 00:38:19,760 Speaker 3: good thing. We know who she is. We need human 622 00:38:19,840 --> 00:38:29,440 Speaker 3: models of goodness well, Mark and Paul and Orley and 623 00:38:29,560 --> 00:38:33,720 Speaker 3: Suzanne and Dan. I wish I could have gotten your calls. 624 00:38:35,400 --> 00:38:37,279 Speaker 3: Why do people do good? I want you to think 625 00:38:37,280 --> 00:38:39,440 Speaker 3: about it. Love to get your emails even if I 626 00:38:39,440 --> 00:38:43,000 Speaker 3: can't respond to everyone. It's been another edition of the 627 00:38:43,160 --> 00:38:49,279 Speaker 3: Ultimate Issues Hour. Good is when good is done. Thank 628 00:38:49,280 --> 00:38:50,000 Speaker 3: you for listening. 629 00:38:50,280 --> 00:38:55,680 Speaker 1: I'm Dennis Prager tomorrow on Timeless Wisdom with Dennis Prigger. 630 00:38:56,480 --> 00:38:59,480 Speaker 3: Now I have to give a slight warning. Sometimes it's 631 00:38:59,520 --> 00:39:02,760 Speaker 3: a complete warning. Sometimes I tell you just the following 632 00:39:02,840 --> 00:39:06,440 Speaker 3: is not for little kids. Here, I would have you 633 00:39:06,920 --> 00:39:11,359 Speaker 3: make the judgment, but I think I think kids could 634 00:39:11,360 --> 00:39:14,200 Speaker 3: hear it. And what I mean kid, I mean under ten. 635 00:39:15,239 --> 00:39:19,279 Speaker 3: Beyond that, I think fact that teenagers should hear these 636 00:39:19,320 --> 00:39:23,040 Speaker 3: things to have an idea of what men and women 637 00:39:23,120 --> 00:39:27,480 Speaker 3: are like, and especially especially men, because I know men 638 00:39:28,080 --> 00:39:32,840 Speaker 3: very well, partially because I am one, but that's not 639 00:39:32,920 --> 00:39:36,360 Speaker 3: the only reason. The other reason is I'm honest, and 640 00:39:36,400 --> 00:39:39,799 Speaker 3: therefore I don't have an agenda other than trying to 641 00:39:39,920 --> 00:39:40,480 Speaker 3: tell you what. 642 00:39:41,760 --> 00:39:43,520 Speaker 4: At least this one sex is like. 643 00:39:43,840 --> 00:39:47,480 Speaker 3: And I think I have a fair take on parts 644 00:39:47,480 --> 00:39:51,560 Speaker 3: of women's nature, which is more complex fully acknowledged. 645 00:39:52,840 --> 00:39:58,560 Speaker 4: Today. Today's topic is the power of the visual for 646 00:39:58,719 --> 00:40:00,839 Speaker 4: men us to hear. 647 00:40:00,960 --> 00:40:06,200 Speaker 1: More on Timeless Wisdom with Dennis Prager, visit Dennispragger dot 648 00:40:06,200 --> 00:40:09,600 Speaker 1: com for thousands of hours of Dennis's lectures courses in 649 00:40:09,640 --> 00:40:14,160 Speaker 1: classic radio programs, and to purchase Dennis Prager's Rational Bibles. 650 00:40:18,160 --> 00:40:20,000 Speaker 1: We want to take just a second to thank the 651 00:40:20,040 --> 00:40:22,520 Speaker 1: team at Life Audio for their partnership with us on 652 00:40:22,560 --> 00:40:25,720 Speaker 1: the podcast. Go to lifeaudio dot com to find dozens 653 00:40:25,800 --> 00:40:28,920 Speaker 1: of other faith centered podcasts and their network, including shows 654 00:40:28,960 --> 00:40:31,720 Speaker 1: about prayer, Bible study, parenting, and more.