You Are Not Your Feelings

Where do you get your moral standard of reference? Is it from your teachers, family or your friends? Maybe from your culture or society. If the moral standard from these sources change, are these changes really right than? Is good and evil, right and wrong really arbitrary and can change as often as the latest fads and trends? In the past, certain ancient civilizations had no issues with sacrificing babies, is whether this practice back than good or evil relative? 

In the tale about the ancient cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, these two cities had rampant mob aggression, violence, wickedness, pride, homosexual and indiscriminate group sexual activities taking place. Outside a man named Lot and his family who God considered righteous, and who were escorted out of the city by a angel, God rained down "brimstone and fire" and absolutely destroyed these two cities and everyone living there. The people who lived in Sodom and Gomorrah can state their case and make excuses all day on how they were wired or born homosexuals or they can't help but do pedophilia activities because they're attracted to minors. However in the eyes of the God, it was a abomination because he know it wasn't true. It is not the inner feelings or fetish attractions of the people of Sodom and Gomorrah that defined who they were, but their outward behavior and actions.

After God saved the Israelites from the Egyptians by sending Moses to free them he handed down laws for the Israelites to follow. It is from these laws that humans for the first time can clearly distinguish good from evil. These laws never changes as God never changes. The modern western world is founded on the universal moral standard of reference established by these laws that God handed down to Moses. The constant struggle throughout history that continues today is one between self centered human desires and feelings versus divine morality. The struggle between the self told narrative that I'm attracted to the same-sex so I must be homosexual or born as the wrong gender versus the narrative that you are fearfully and wonderfully made, turn from sin, my grace is sufficient for you, I love you so much that I send my son to die for you, abide in me, follow me. 

​No matter the explanation, rationale, feelings or excuses each of us like to make, every one of our behaviors is a choice. Just because you have a above average tendency to take things that are not yours doesn't mean that you are destined to be a thief, unless you give in to that tendency and actually steal. Just because you have a above average blood lust doesn't mean you are born a murderer, unless you actually commit murder. Just because you have romantic attraction to another person while you are in a committed relationship doesn't mean that you are meant to be a cheater or adulterer, unless you actually cheat. Just because you have a above normal romantic attraction to the same sex does not mean you are homosexual or in the wrong body, unless you actually perform homosexual actions. 

Everyone faces temptations throughout life and most of us have some sort of dark tendencies or above average attractions to commit something evil whether it developed innately or through certain exposures in our environment growing up. These temptations, tendencies and feelings aren't meant to define us, but are there for us to rise above in order for us to become the greatest versions of ourselves. As you and I are defined by the day to day choices and actions we take despite the demons inside us that tries to tear us down.