The four virtues that Plato taught man to follow are Wisdom, Justice, Valor, and Moderation. We as mortals realize what a society needs from the people who live and govern it, is a society that stands for certain values.
Therefore, as it was in the days of Plato 638BC – 558BC and Solon 425BC-348BC, one taught and the other established what became, the first democracy.
Today, in this society, we are still working on living the Ten Commandments, which we seem to have ignored these past hundred years. The law of this nation is founded on the Ten Commandments and our courts should be using them for the continued establishment of God’s law and justice. Also remember, God is also the God of mercy. Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice” elaborates of mercy.
It droppeth as gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath; it is twice blessed;
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes;
Tis mightiest in the mightiest (the king); it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown;
His scepter shows the force of temporal power;
The attribute of awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings,
But mercy is above this sceptered sway,
It is enthroned in hearts of kings,
It is an attribute to God himself
And earthly power doth then show likest God’s
When mercy seasons justice, Therefore, Jew,
Though justice be thy plea, consider this,
That in the course of justice, none of us
Should see salvation: we do pray for mercy,
And that same prayer doth teach us all to render
The deeds of mercy.
So in this day and time, how should we live, as a society clothed in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal? But all men are not equal but are created to be equal. Inalienable rights are what make men equal under the law and under the Constitution of this government. Men have these inalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, this includes free speech, religious freedom, property rights, and all the rights so stated in the Constitution of the United States of America.
Are there homeless people among us today? Are there poor among us today? Are there sick and helpless among us today? Are there unfortunate people among us today? Yes, all of this is absolute and definite. How do we look at these people? Do we see the poor as lazy not wanting jobs? How often do we judge people different from us, who appear to be normal? We read “the idle shall not eat the bread of the laborer.” We have, in our society, turned this around. Through the ages, this meant the “idle rich shall not eat the bread of the laborer.”
Now how does this affect our opinion of those who are poor and homeless? What has happened to mercy among these people in the United States? We think too much with or pocket book and greed and not how those who are in need really need our help. We work and slave and worry so, but you can’t take your dough when you go, go, go. The rights of this nation are God given, and we are free to do something or to do nothing, and ignore the poor and needy.
If we choose to ignore, then expect the government to continue to dole out and make slaves of the people, as it has for most of my lifetime. If we decide to do something, then do it and donate to charities, churches, and organizations that have good track records of getting what you donate to the people who need it, instead of paying executives huge salaries to administer such monies.
A person who has no love and mercy is not worthy of the King they worship when they attend church. If they attend no church then have compassion on the sick and poor among us who suffer in cities and villages, across this great nation. Quit worrying about how much money they will receive and help them to get jobs and ways to earn their own salaries. The solution of the government is to apply extra taxes on the rich in this country, to redistribute the wealth, and this they think, will solve our greediness. To solve this problem, we can change it by changing our attitudes, and opening our hearts.
In essence, do something, but at least have mercy on thy fellow man.