I think I'll try to keep this short.
"Amazing how, by your definitions, I've never had a "true" friend, they way you've put it. I wonder why? Maybe because I've not met anyone who is true friend material? That is, someone who CAN be trusted? I'm VERY close to disproving this one. I know of one person who I've known since 2nd grade (The only good thing to happen that year) who it seems would never try to metaphorically stab me. There's always that off-chance, though..."
True friends are a dime a dozen, my friend. However, the fact that you may not have a true friend may be that you're not letting yourself. That is to say, by not trusting anyone, save your family, how can you expect them to get close enough to be your friend? The way I see it, friendship IS trust.
"So you'd give him the dollar? I mean, the Golden Rule says that if you were in his situation, you'd like the dollar. After all those years of insult? In my mind, people don't change much. The Platinum Rule, from my standpoint, is more practical. of course, if I don't know someone, I definately treat them the way I'd like to be treated."
To be completely honest, I probably wouldn't have given him the dollar. However, that's because I'm a jerk, and am not as I should be. However, had you given him the dollar, isn't there the off chance that he'd see you in a different light? Treat you different, maybe? Even slightly. By doing what you wish others do to you, you're giving them a reason to not do what they do. Still with me?
"I expect the worst to occur for every situation. Let's say the worst does occur. I'm not surprised at all, nor am I disappointed. I'm practically neutral. Now, let's say something ELSE happens. (Yea, right.) Then, I am plesantly surprised. I'm actually in a good mood for some 4 seconds.
Now, take the case of the eternal optimist (I.E., The class of '05 in my school). Let's say something good happens. This person is not surprised. (S)he is pleased... but not as much as you think because there is no element of surprise involved.
But what if the worst happens? The optimist, expecting the best, is devastated, almost ruined. (S)he expected good and didn't get it.
Of course, with me, bad things happen enough to expect the worst case scenario every time. It's hard for me to think positively. It just is. I also don't see the positive."
Ah yes, believe it or not, I've toiled with such thoughts as well. However, I've come to believe that the destination is not always as important as the journey, if you follow my meaning. While taking the pessimistic view, while waiting for whatever it is to happen, you're still unhappy, waiting for the worst to happen.
However, the optimist waits contently, and even if the best doesn't happen, they didn't stay with the depressing wait. I'm a bit vague, but I'm sure you can follow my meaning.
"5: Hate the sin? No, that person will do more bad. Of course, this goes along with my other mostly-negative views on everything."
You're right on this one. You don't need to like everyone. However, you must realize you're not that different from them either, in a manner of speaking. Hating that person, say, for insulting you and then going out and insulting another is hypocrisy. I'm not saying you do that, but what I am saying is if you hate one for something, you'd better not go out and be doing the same.
"7: Everyone, eh? Heh... How about that premature crack baby who dies 10 minutes after he is born? You CAN'T tell me that child had any chance. Or the person who is wrongly convicted of a crime, and thrown in jail for life? Does THIS person have a chance?"
All I can tell you is that there is a reason for everything. I don't know what they are, but they're there. I was taught babies who die go to a place just for them, limbo, I believe it was called; yet I don't believe that. I believe they go directly to be with God, despite original sin.
As for the fellow thrown in jail, I don't know what to tell you. Maybe they're being tested. I'd only hope their faith could pull through.
"8: Bleh, interesting. I may believe in God, or at least something like God that isn't actually God, and might not even realise it. Still... I may believe in the principles of God, but not the individual. Still, chance, which is, I think, the same thing as God according to you all, plays a role in everything."
You've got to start somewhere.
"9: Yes. And the sad thing is, we can't even fix it."
Indeed, we can't. Yet, we can make it better, if even by a little bit, eh?
"10: Yes. I am an extreme person, though. I believe in extremist values."
Nothing wrong with that. That is, as long as you keep things in check. Looking at the big picture, and who it effects is something you may need to look into, with having extremist beliefs.
"And as for the afterlife? Pffffft. Nonsense. I think when you die, it's kind of like sitting there in a world of emptiness for eternity. Again, this is due to my strict logical view of everything."
Ah, this is something I've brought up much earlier in this topic, had any of you read it. Logic, now this is why I have a hard time basing my beliefs around it. Logic is derived from man, correct? It's man's way of explaining things. Such as finding a third leg to a triangle by using the Pythagorean Theorem. However, as we know, man is flawed. How can logic not be flawed knowing it derived from man? Why does an unknown side of a triangle have to equal a to the second power + b to the second power or the variations to it depending on which side? Why is a flat line 180 degrees? How do we know? How can you prove that without using logic? Besides, proving that logic is correct, using logic would be like defining the word Happy as "Happy." You simply can't prove it, logically, without using logic. And so, logic couldn't begin to explain something we, as humans, can't comprehend.
