Two Laws Of Moderation

Roughly, there are two laws of moderate ethics that I propose.

First, Aristotelian moderation. One should not be so brave as to be reckless. One should not be so lacking in moxie that one is irresolute to take a stand and do what is right, when one clearly recognizes one's duty, and must do what is right, right now, regardless of consequences or personal blow back felt for right choice made. One had decided and one must act now, this second.

Second, any cause pursued for the sake of humanity, for the common good, for the universal good, pursued by its true-believing, altruistic advocates out to convert all humanity to adherence to this creed, converted body and soul, converted by any means necessary (terrorism, murder, ostracism, totalitarian dictums, dissenters sent to the gulag, wars of conquest) to achieve what is noble and best for each and all, be they receiving it voluntarily or involuntarily.

When true believers spread their ism by the sword, that is using a bad means to accomplish a good end (whether the end is actually good for all or just considered as such by the true believing advocates).

Using violent, intolerant coercive means to compel resisters to join the holy cause is always demonic.

What is morally and spiritually good comes from God and the Good Spirits. Compliance and alliance must be gained by gentle persuasion, by gentle proselytizing, by rational persuasion, and always the targeted person's personhood and free will acceptance or rejection must be heard, honored and never punished or overwhelmed cause advocates using intimidation and threats to force conformity upon rejecters and deniers of said proffered faith or cause. If rejecters break the law, or break natural law, then the just legal system of this world and the next will punish them, but the that is not within the jurisdiction of the proselytizers.

What is morally and spiritually wicked comes from Satan and the Evil Spirits. They insist upon universal acceptance and adoption by all, body and soul, by all people everywhere, with pure conformity in thought, word and deed with their unholy cause.

What is evil is extreme and altruistic. What is evil is violently enforced upon all. Violent means are a hateful means to extract universal conformity to a bad end, disguised as a good end.

The totalitarian application of this violent extreme means to forcing  people to join any cause, even a good cause, transforms all causes into demonic causes. Not only must the ends be justified by a good, gentle and moderate means, but resorting to a evil, violent, authoritarian, extreme means corrupts all good ends, destroying them.

To sum up the second rule of moral moderation: the gentle, voluntary, moderate means of inviting others to join and serve one's favorite cause is the only good means that will bring about a noble end sought, and is the only means of ensuring that the noble dream does not transmogrify into a totalitarian monster once implemented.