

not necessarily...

I’ve recently noticed that a lot of non-profits, movements, causes, etc… claim legitimacy based on reasons like…

  1. This has been around for x amount of time.

  2. Many people have given their lives/money/passion to this cause.

  3. It has changed the lives of hundreds of people.

  4. Though many have fought to end/resist/destroy it, it has withstood the onslaught.

  5. It has personally changed the life of the person speaking/writing/promoting it.

And none of these are bad. But they are not inherently good either.

All of them could be said by someone who supports the idea of slavery and/or genocide and/or retributive violence and/or a list of other things. Some you might agree with and some you might not.

So, this may seem obvious, but I had to recently remind myself.

  1. Some of the oldest ideas are the worst.

  2. People give their lives/money/passion to every cause. What’s my cause? Why?

  3. Everything changes hundreds of people. What’s the change I’m promoting and supporting? Why?

  4. Most things have withstood onslaughts from those who disagree. What do I resist? Why?

  5. What has changed me? Him? Her? Has it been beneficial? Why? Why not? To me? To society? Has the end been written? Why? Why not? Who’s side am I on?

The first 5 are pretty easy. And tempting. The last 5 are much harder. And probably worth more of our time.

being good.