How ‘right’ is right?

The animal kingdom has no prescribed laws, the contravention of which makes them 'bad'. That is because the concept of 'right' and 'wrong' is manmade. In fact, the whole concept of civilization is based on fear. Group dwelling was conceived and motivated by 'safety in numbers'. This proved a good strategy to protect against danger from beyond, and outside the community. What then needed to be addressed were threats from inside the community as often the threat from within was more perilous than the threat from the outside. Laws were prescribed to create a framework of behavior and establish a code of conduct. Failure to adhere to these laws or codes deemed the transgressor to be judged or labeled 'bad', hence the birth of the notions 'right' and 'wrong'.

The slavish adherence of the masses to these laws gave power to a few who declared themselves custodians of these laws. Not content with controlling the governance of the community, laws were formulated to even dictate how and when the masses (labeled as citizens) should communicate with the Divine, thus religion was born.

So afraid are we of being judged and condemned by our fellowmen, that we have conditioned ourselves to adopt a behavior that is hemmed in by these laws and therefore acceptable to society. The filter that comes into play regardless of how we feel or think is, "is it right or is it wrong?"

We blind ourselves to our inherent qualities of goodness, compassion and kindness. Most often we equate  'right' with goodness and kindness providing a salve to our conscience regardless of whether our 'right' act was truly a kind act. As we pick our way through the minefield of life consisting only of 'rights' and 'wrongs', dare we glance back at the heartbreak and suffering that our righteous acts have caused. 

There is nothing further from the laws of the Divine than the laws of man. The laws of man demand justice and punishment whilst the laws of the Divine demand forgiveness and mercy.