dehammer wrote:

[QUOTE]the problem with this arguement is that it predisposes that the persons stops and thinks about the dangers and consequences of that act. as has been proven many times, such as proven by your comment that "From experience, we know that people who ?believe? they can do something often find out the hard way that they cannot", it is rare for someone to stop to think in these cases. people react from gut reactions. either their fear stops them from acting, or their desire to aid is strong enough to overcome the all too human fear. this is why people go out into danger to save a total stranger. this is why a mother will throw away her life to protect a child. this is why men battle beast that have, at least in the past, had a great chance of killing them or their families. people dont rush into a burning building to save another persons life because they want rewards. they do it because the other person will die if they do not act and act quickly. people dont rush out to save a person drowning because they want to get their name in the papers. they do it because the other person is in peril.[QUOTE]

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As I?ve said already ? our attachments are deeply rooted in us ? so much so, that we do not have to ?think? before we act. That is why some people do the most horrible things to each other in the name of love, peace and kindness.

For example: a woman tells her husband that she will love him forever, but then meets someone who she finds more attractive, and runs off with him. The husband reminds her that she had said that she would love him forever. She replies that that was then, and this is now.

Armies fighting on different sides of the battle field both feel that they are fighting for what is right.

A man runs into a burning house to save his neighbour, only to perish himself, whilst his neighbour survives. His heroic deed leaves behind a wife and two small children, who end up losing their home and lifestyle because they have lost their sole breadwinner. The neighbour helps out for as long as he can, but he too has a mortgage to pay, and small children to feed and educate.

As we can see, the combination of attachments and circumstances is what comprises our existence. If we did take our lives more seriously and consider our attachments, we would then be able to understand our actions better and thereby deal more wisely with circumstances as they arose.

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Sue