This is a rant post, triggered by an msn nick totally unrelated to the incident which triggered this... So, ignore this, if you will. You are most likely not the target.

<rant>

Some people have the mistaken notion that their actions are accountable to God (or whatever deity they worship). That is utterly utterly wrong. Everyone is accountable for their own actions. Why do people want to pull God into their arguments?

God passed down His set of Teachings to benefit mankind. Ultimately, the way to interpret the Teachings, and the method to put them into practice lies with ourselves. Does how people mangle the Teachings affect God? NO! I believe it just made Him feel sad. After all, He is above all that.

Now, I am not saying we should just be selfish. Some people think that "being accountable for their own actions" mean they can simply do whatever they want to do. This attitude is ridiculous too. So, one does not need to account for how one's actions harm others? Geez.

Simply put, every one is accountable for his own actions. The whole sum of it, good AND bad. You do good, you get the credit. You do bad, you get the credit too. Ultimately, when we pass away, God judges us by what we do. He may feel sad if he has to punish someone for doing bad deeds, but it's all that person's own fault. The writings are on the wall; God has already made His Teachings clear. No one can blame others, let alone God, if he gets punished.

One is accountable for one's own actions. No one else.

</rant>

Now, I am not talking about the Christian God. "God" is used here as a generic term for all deities. I am a Buddhist after all. This is my path, and the path I choose to take.