I have read these debates with interest. I would like to think that the ancestors we all so eargerly seek would be more compassionate than perhaps we are. I think simply to survive our ancestors thought it the norm to reach out to help neighbors, friends, and strangers in need. Perhaps it was also because it was a more gentle life style. Sometimes we fancy that our lives are so much busier than in times past, we simply don't have time to reach out to others. Then we need to reflect on their daily lives. How busy can we be if we don't have to cut our own wood for heat, care for the horses even if it's a night like tonight (3 degrees here). Hungry? Shall we order in, microwave, or cook? Perhaps we should go to the forest, shoot some game (if we can find it), clean it, build the fire, cook it, etc. Then shall we use the dishwasher and trash compactor or do we need to haul water, boil, and clean? And this is only the beginning of the daily life of those pioneers we love. But at the end of the day..most took a little time for prayer, family, and friends in need. Maybe we are all looking for the wrong thing from our ancestors.