"Do all the good you can.
By all the means you can.
In all the ways you can.
In all the places you can.
At all the times you can.
To all the people you can.
As long as ever you can."
by:
John Wesley
(1703-1791) Church of England cleric, Christian theologian, a founder of the Methodist movement
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Don't know the methodist, but these methods look fine so long as one does not become a so called DO-GOODER.
 -- cal, lewisville, tx     
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    I nearly fell out of my chair when I read this quote. I work at a place called the Trinity Center here in Austin as a volunteer. It's on Trinity street, thus the name. We provide some services for the homeless in our area. Yesterday I gave a short "devotion" to the group of about 70 homeless people, it was mostly a short reading, and this exact quote was included in my talk. It's a good quote for living for all of us, my opinion anyway.
     -- jim k, Austin, Tx     
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    This is the best of seen on this page in a long time. Why do people dislike the idea of do-gooders? Isn't doing good more noble than focusing on satisfying one's selfish lusts and desires?
     -- Greg, Chichester     
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    Greg, Do-Gooders such as the government like to take from Peter to pay Paul and get into peoples personal business. They also like to take credit and glory for what they do-using someone elses money.
     -- cal, lewisville, tx     
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    Ok Cal. Whose responsibility is it to take care of widows, orphans, and people born with disabilities that leave them unable to take care of themselves?
     -- Greg, Chichester     
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    Greg, let's let that be a state issue. The Fed's should not be involved in something that should be decided at the state and local level. The Feds only know graft, waste, and political correct which is seldom morally correct.
     -- cal, lewisville, tx     
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    Greg, you're obviously in England. Pretty much the ultimate nanny state, so I understand your perspective. But in America, the philosophy is that local problems should be taken care of locally, not by an all powerful leviathan government that rules our every move, watches our finances, disarms us and puts us under surveillance, all the while leaving us to a life of desperate misery and relying on "them" for everything....like in England. Unfortunately we're heading that way too...Sad.
     -- J Carlton, Calgary     
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    Actually I'm a Granite Stater J. I'm all for personal accountability and guarding against loss of liberty to government run amok. I do however believe that as humans we have charge from God to care for "the least of these" and God can work through governments as well as individuals. Please forgive me if I've disrupted your usual rhythm here.
     -- Greg, Chichester     
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    The US is indeed a large place, but those in most need in this large society are from vast areas which are unable to help in a societal manner to meet those needs. We are one people, and we need to support each other as one people. Personally I am terribly tired of hearing from folks that its a "local problem", which is nothing more than saying "not my problem", which is the antithesis of the sentiment of this very quote. WE must care for ALL of US, for if we don't, then we care not for any of us.
     -- Anonymous, Reston, VA, US     
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    Hey Greg, my mistake. You're right we need to look out for each other and our weaker citizens. I find that very difficult to do after I've been tax raped. I'm still an advocate of private philanthropy and I believe that people are basicalyl good at heart and will do right by others if given a chance. The government reduces us to a desperate mob though and needs to be reduced in size by a factor of at least 10.
     -- J Carlton, Calgary     
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    Greg, It is no one's responsibility to take care of widows, orphans, the mentally ill, and other ill effected individuals. For children born with disabilities that leave them unable to take care of themselves (through adulthood) it is the responsibility of the parent. Religious man has a moral imperative to take care of all needy. It is not governments job to take care of the needy. When the government forcefully steps into the role of religion it is called a theocracy. Both J Carlton and the 'A' from Reston are correct, it is the creature man's, moral imperative to take care of his fellow man; locally where possible, then larger and larger areas / numbers when needed. A representative republic addresses secular law of rights, not personal desires or needs. Cal and several others on this blog, demonstrating the quote's sentiment, have offered and freely given their service for the needy. The greater the socialist theocracy's presence in any society, the greater the loss of family values, individual integrity and responsibility, and the needy increase proportionally in numbers and needs. The society (individual sovereigns, laisse-faire individually and in concert) that abides its moral imperatives prospers, all socialist theocracies decline.
     -- Mike, Norwalk     
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    Thanks Greg we need a break in the usual rhythm here. Read all these comments, don't you get it. Cal thinks States but not Feds should do this. California is the 10th largest economy in the world bigger than most so called "nation states". Once states start doing all of the "do gooding" guess what? Cal will say let the counties do it. The quote is great and some men are also great. When LBJ became Prez he did what he though was right and good and did what no state would do and many resisted following his leadership. He told a trusted friend "that it is wrong that an American citizen cannot drive from Texas to Washington, and get a meal or a room simply because of his skin color" and he said "I am going to change that". And he did. Now that is the spirit of this quote and that is what Manhood is all about. Ask Mike where were all of these "individual" do gooders then. Many of them were against doing good and just sat on the sidelines watching dogs attack human beings. Again Greg thanks for a new rhythm.
     -- Waffler, Smith     
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    Waffler, I did not address do gooders. Representatives of 'We The People' that do not venture into a theocratic domain have a better than even chance to do good. Not so of the do gooding patrons of the statist theocracy that infests this land. It never ceases to amaze me that the statist theocracy patrons, such as you, are mentally incapable of separating the law of nature and of nature's God's justice, associated to an individual sovereign's inalienable rights and, the destructive theocratic dogmas of the malefactors infesting this land. I'm not sure of the 'dogs attacking human beings' incident that you are referring to. Is it one or many or the instances when the do gooder police set their dogs at cuffed prisoners walking down the street and then laugh at the blood and pain? (I've personally witnessed such instances) Waffler, FYI, 'All men being created equal' is a lawful and literal perspective for government administration, not a religious or otherwise moral interpretation.
     -- Mike, Norwalk     
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    If we could all actually live like this the world could and would be a beautiful place. But we are so infected with so many different types of "germs" that there is no escaping them. Just do the best we can and stand up for ourselves.
     -- Elaine, USA     
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     -- jim k, Austin      
    Greg, think globally, act locally.  ;-) We are called as individuals to voluntarily do the good about which you speak.  To entrust a government of power-seekers to do good on our behalf is a misappropriation of responsibility.  It ultimately leads to dependency.  The poor are graced by charity; they are enslaved by subsidy.  Empowerment is more than a check.
     -- E Archer, NYC     
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