sandmansister | Swiped from lucifershalo... it's DBAD Day in LJ Land!

Here's a link to the original post. DBAD* is a philosophy I can totally get behind, and it only goes to illustrate my point that in spiritual/religious matters, we're all doing the same thing; we just use different words to achieve our ends. So really, why quibble over vocabulary?

A friend and I were discussing religion yesterday. He's a devout evangelical Christian, and I'm a militant secular humanist. Despite this slight difference of opinion, we're very close and genuinely like one another. On my end, I think part of it is the fact that I consider him a true follower of Christ's teachings. He uses St. Francis of Assisi as a role model: “Preach the Gospel at all times, and when necessary use words.” He lives his beliefs -- he doesn't use them as either a yardstick to judge everyone else, or a club with which to beat people over the head.

I offered my opinion that most everything that Jesus taught can be distilled down to one simple, if not a bit vulgar, statement: "Life is hard, we're all in this together, don't be a dick*."

I think the world might be a better place if people stopped wearing clothing and jewelry with "WWJD" plastered on it, and replaced it with "*DBAD".

Let a car into traffic. She's been sitting there for a while and she probably has to be somewhere soon, just like you do.
Smile at someone. They're probably having a shitty day and could use some positive energy. If they're not having a shitty day, it won't hurt to keep their good mood going.
Thank the barista, the cashier, the bag boy, the lunch lady, the crossing guard, the guy that empties your office trash, and the telephone operator. I don't care if it's their job to serve you. We all serve someone.
Find someone (or more than one) on your LJ Friends List that you haven't commented to in a while. Post a comment letting them know that you're glad they're on your List.
Make it a point to compliment someone today. On anything. Everyone has something worthy of praise and admiration.
Tell *everyone* you love exactly that. Life is short, shit happens, and the people who are important to us need to know they've had a positive effect on someone else's life. It's entirely possible that our own lives are measured solely on how we affected others.

Here's today's project: if you're in agreement, and are so inclined, post "DBAD" in your LJ today, with a link back to this entry.

I try to bear these things in mind anyway, but it's a great reminder (and nice to get a new idea or two on how to be a little nicer to our fellow sentient carbon-based life forms). So, my friends, go forth and DBAD!

AVAUNT!