There are times when I find myself at odds with popular opinion. It is unsettling and causes me to think. I do believe that is a good thing. I am willing to listen. There are times however when I just ain't hearing the same thing as everyone else. I mean, I don't understand some of the logic being employed. It makes no sense to me. Yesterday I wrote about dissent and common sense and it is still on my mind. What I find most troubling is when cold hard facts are known but apparently ignored. The facts are just glossed over and justified in some convoluted fashion. And I'm not talking about the current political situation, although you could use that as a prime example, no matter which candidate you are supporting. I'm thinking in broader terms than that.
I make a consorted effort to not use my religious belief as " proof " of anything. I realize that not everyone believes. So I do try to stick to the factual. the verifiable, and common sense. Yes, the waters do get muddied on occasion when morals are involved. Morality is a religion based concept. Ethics however are subjective to the society in which you live. Far too many do not understand that distinction.
The struggle for me is to balance morals and ethics. I have no right to impose my morality upon you. I am also under no obligation to practice the same ethics as you. Which of the two is the law of the land ? Ethics come the closest. Increasingly we are writing laws to enforce those ethics, more laws to allow behaviors than to prevent them. The reason is a simple one, the prevention of behaviors is associated with morality. Yes, the things one shouldn't do. So we write laws to justify moral decisions, presenting them as ethical choices. If everyone agrees it is alright, then it isn't wrong. Isn't that the thinking, the logic there ? Should I choose to make the " moral " choice, there will be no penalty legally. Very convenient don't you think ?
Of course I can only write from my perspective in this society we call America. Some will say I enjoy " white male privilege "and I can understand that view. Yes, white males have enjoyed the majority for a long time. I don't believe that is necessarily the case anymore, in fact, in some ways that is being reversed. I can't find many social programs for " white males " but the assumption is that we don't need them. I'm not complaining just pointing out a fact. The pendulum swings slowly and methodically. Time is relentless and so is change. Setting aside the " white male privilege aspect I am left with my Christian nature. Yes, I was raised in the Christian tradition. Statistically 77% of my fellow Americans claim the same. That leaves 23% something else. Fact is Christianity holds the clear majority in this Republic of ours. If we were a simple democracy only 51% would be required for a majority. We are however a Republic, which, in most cases requires 75% to claim the majority decision. That has been satisfied and yet it is often denied that the United States is a Christian nation. Is that a popular opinion ? To me it is a simple fact. When pointing that out I am often corrected and called a religious zealot !
Ethics can also be defined as a branch of knowledge dealing with moral behaviors. Those behaviors are usually based upon religious beliefs. That has always been so. When we begin to separate what is legal ( ethical ) and what is moral ( religious ) the society does become fractured. I'm no sociologist or whatever field of science this stuff involves, but isn't that what is happening right now ? The focus is shifting from the society to the individual. And that is a major problem. Birds of a feather flock together is an old adage and self explanatory. When men decide they are smarter than the universe itself, we are in trouble. There are certain things, inalienable rights, that everyone instinctively knows to be correct. Yes men will justify acting contrary to those truths if it profits them. That is also a undeniable fact. It begins with justifying actions for the benefit of the group and disintegrates into what is best for the individual. Dismiss that moral obligation and replace it with what ? Whatever " laws " we now deem morally acceptable to the society ? Problem there is, to what standards are we being held ? It is an age old struggle with every society.
I make a consorted effort to not use my religious belief as " proof " of anything. I realize that not everyone believes. So I do try to stick to the factual. the verifiable, and common sense. Yes, the waters do get muddied on occasion when morals are involved. Morality is a religion based concept. Ethics however are subjective to the society in which you live. Far too many do not understand that distinction.
The struggle for me is to balance morals and ethics. I have no right to impose my morality upon you. I am also under no obligation to practice the same ethics as you. Which of the two is the law of the land ? Ethics come the closest. Increasingly we are writing laws to enforce those ethics, more laws to allow behaviors than to prevent them. The reason is a simple one, the prevention of behaviors is associated with morality. Yes, the things one shouldn't do. So we write laws to justify moral decisions, presenting them as ethical choices. If everyone agrees it is alright, then it isn't wrong. Isn't that the thinking, the logic there ? Should I choose to make the " moral " choice, there will be no penalty legally. Very convenient don't you think ?
Of course I can only write from my perspective in this society we call America. Some will say I enjoy " white male privilege "and I can understand that view. Yes, white males have enjoyed the majority for a long time. I don't believe that is necessarily the case anymore, in fact, in some ways that is being reversed. I can't find many social programs for " white males " but the assumption is that we don't need them. I'm not complaining just pointing out a fact. The pendulum swings slowly and methodically. Time is relentless and so is change. Setting aside the " white male privilege aspect I am left with my Christian nature. Yes, I was raised in the Christian tradition. Statistically 77% of my fellow Americans claim the same. That leaves 23% something else. Fact is Christianity holds the clear majority in this Republic of ours. If we were a simple democracy only 51% would be required for a majority. We are however a Republic, which, in most cases requires 75% to claim the majority decision. That has been satisfied and yet it is often denied that the United States is a Christian nation. Is that a popular opinion ? To me it is a simple fact. When pointing that out I am often corrected and called a religious zealot !
Ethics can also be defined as a branch of knowledge dealing with moral behaviors. Those behaviors are usually based upon religious beliefs. That has always been so. When we begin to separate what is legal ( ethical ) and what is moral ( religious ) the society does become fractured. I'm no sociologist or whatever field of science this stuff involves, but isn't that what is happening right now ? The focus is shifting from the society to the individual. And that is a major problem. Birds of a feather flock together is an old adage and self explanatory. When men decide they are smarter than the universe itself, we are in trouble. There are certain things, inalienable rights, that everyone instinctively knows to be correct. Yes men will justify acting contrary to those truths if it profits them. That is also a undeniable fact. It begins with justifying actions for the benefit of the group and disintegrates into what is best for the individual. Dismiss that moral obligation and replace it with what ? Whatever " laws " we now deem morally acceptable to the society ? Problem there is, to what standards are we being held ? It is an age old struggle with every society.
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