Pre-made Choices

Here are just a few more thoughts on the choices we make in our lives.  If we think about it many of the things we do are not conscious choices, but they are truly choices.  It's just that we have programmed ourselves to make these choices automatically.  We don't think about whether or not we should get out of bed in the morning.  Maybe that's a bad example because I have this argument with myself every day.  Of course since I am retired it may not be necessary to get up every day.  Ok, we certainly don't think about eating. We may have to decide what we will eat but it is pretty automatic that we eat at certain times of the day. We get dressed in the morning.  We decide what to wear but there is no option to go without clothing.  When we get in the car we don't necessarily go through a checklist to adjust our seat and mirrors and turn the key in the ignition.  Today we don't even think about our seatbelts. These things are automatic.

Our Society has many rules that we live by.  Many are written, many are not.  Norms or mores of society are simply automatic choices we make if we have lived in a society for any length of time.  Since I moved to Brazil I have learned of some things that are not done here.  The O.K. sign some people use in The States is considered a naughty gesture here.  Just one example that comes to mind.  The point is, many norms are accepted because they are automatic or programmed beliefs or behaviors; or simply pre-made choices.

Every culture also has a moral code, either written or unwritten, or a combination of the two.  Most of us live by this code because we have been programmed from childhood to do so.  We don't have to stop and think about most of these choices.  We don't kill each other.  We keep our word for the most part; although this is not as important lately as it once was in our society.

The really great thing to consider is that we can pre-make most of the choices we may be faced with.  There is a movement, to get youth to pledge to wait until they are married to have sex.  This isn't the most popular movement among our youth, but some are making this pledge.  This is a choice youth will be faced with.  There seems to be a great deal of pressure surrounding this choice.  If this choice were already made, when the situation arose there would be no discussion.  No thinking about it.  There are many other situations we will face in our lives.  If we anticipate them and decide beforehand what we will do, we won't have to think and decide at the crucial moment.

I have two Brothers-in-law here in Brazil.  One is a retired Colonel in the Brazilian Air force, The other is an engineer.  Both were taught from their childhood to be honest.  Both worked in fields that are filled with corruption.  Both have been faced with situations where they were asked to sign off on some dishonest deals.  Both refused to do so.  Both of these men have had problems in their careers because they wouldn't "play along".  The up side of this is that both men can live with clear consciences about the decisions they had pre-made from their childhood.

There are many examples of the same kind of choices that were easily made because the decisions were made well in advance of the situation.  I have heard General Authorities of my beloved church speak on this subject, but was unable to find specific talks in my research.  I am just saying that this can be added to the tools I previously talked about that we have in making choices.  As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, or any other church, we have guidelines to help us anticipate situations and we can choose how we will react.  This is a true blessing.