It has been said that none of us are perfect. What nonsense! A lot of us are perfect! “Are”, not “were.” We are talking morality here, volitional choice, not physical mistakes like turning down the wrong street.

I’m feeling good about myself; not better than other people, just glad and comfortable with who i am. Drew sees me, says, “What are you looking so proud about? You’re not perfect.”

I answer, “You have to be perfect to feel proud? Why? Anyway, I am perfect.”

Drew says, “Liar, what about that lie you told four years ago?”

I say, “Just because I told a lie does not mean that I _am_ a liar. I have improved my character, choosing to do so, not bound to some fatalistic philosophy which says I can’t change.. We all have the power to change and our past mistakes do not define the kind of people we make ourselves. The only time I will lie now is if a gunman points his gun at my head and says, “Tell me where your wife is, or you will die.” In that situation, lying becomes a virtue and one remains morally perfect.

“When I say I am perfect, I am not saying that I am superior to anyone. In fact, I never even think I am perfect until someone envious of my happiness accuses me of looking too proud or acting very confident. Besides, I know a lot of people whom are perfect, as far as I know and I am glad for them, glad that they do their best every day to be truthful and honest and rational as they can in their situation. When I hear someone say ‘We’re not perfect’ I get the idea that they feel guilty about some past behavior and are trying to make themselves feel better about it. But the past is the past, over and done. All that one can expect of other people is that they work hard and honestly and love their lives. If they do that, they are perfect. They have no need to hold up as ideals so-called perfections as Jesus or Buddha (which are not perfect at all because they don’t face the same life issues as human beings and standards of morality do not apply to them.) Might as well look at a rock and say “Wow, that rock is morally perfect! Try living up to that!”