What if we are born to be bad?

 I enjoy reading the plethora of articles in Smithsonian Institute's monthly magazine. One of those issues had on its front cover a sitting toddler in a diaper holding a red pitch fork, with two devil's horns on its' head. The youngster appears to be laughing. Etched beside this cherub are the words: Born to Be Bad? The article, written by Abigail Tucker, chronicles the depth of extensive studies trying to understand  human conditions.

What if we are born bad? I've never thought about myself that way. Given the 30 civil wars in 200 countries around our globe, oppressive dictators and the extraordinary number of offenders in jails and prisons across our country; maybe this is a worthy ethical question to consider. What's it mean to be bad?

Years back our 14 year old golden retriever, Rimsky (named for the famous Russian classical composer) passed away. It was a wrenching experience for my wife and I. All three of our children grew into budding adulthood with this pooch by their side. If you have been a pet owner you will understand our grief. We adopted him into our family when we lived in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Our eldest son was starting his last year at Queen Elizabeth High School. We figured that if we were ever going to have a dog, it was  now or never for our two teenage sons and 5th grade daughter. Golden retriever puppies are so much fun - just like any other squirming breed. But goldens grow up. They get bigger. Little legs that could not hop out of a cardboard box eventually can, if so motivated, retrieve elements from the kitchen counter. After one particular incident, where a complete block of butter went missing, the culprit was obvious. In response to Rimsky's behavior, I remember we said, "bad, bad dog" multiple times. When this happens most retrievers and labradors put on the most guilty demeanor - making you feel like a heel for harshly correcting them.

When we use that word, its connotation suggests that whether it be a pet or a person, that behavior is outside acceptable boundaries and can be most offensive. What are acceptable boundaries in our culture? How have they been identified and established? We call them laws. If you watch on your television the local news you will hear and see a variety of unacceptable behaviors attesting to murders and arrests, with their subsequent penalties in the breaking of local laws.

I was flipping through my bible the other day and I ran across this interesting statement. "The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself. If we keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other (Galations 5:14-15)." Depending on how we satisfy our own desires and needs, can lead us down a slippery slope. Are we born bad? No, but we've been endowed with a free will and depending on the temptations before us, that free will can really mess us up, if we are not careful. 'Better to love your neighbor within safe boundaries.

Be Well.