Reply #9: I have to wonder at the motives underlying his choice: a "life of service"

[TahitiNut]

At one time, I had nothing but respect and awe for those who chose a career/calling that was a "life of service" - whether it be the clergy, teaching, the military, or whatever. Perhaps naive, I saw people who recognized in others their innate worth and were, in choosing a life of service, not imposing their own values upon others, but were placing their own preferences secondary to serving the needs - spiritual, economic, educational - of others as an empowering choice.

That was 30-40 years ago. Today, I see altogether too many people calling their 'mission' one of making choices for others, substituting their own preferences for those of others and failing to recognize the role of conscience in every person. It's almost like "Doctor Laura" has become some model - a massively codependent monstrosity who feeds upon a perversion of parentalism and wallows in mutually destructive judgmentalism.