By Dennis Tkach. Unless you are a philosopher, a religionist or a deep thinker you probably give little attention to the esoteric concept of Morality. Yet, in truth, Morality presents us with a wide and clear window on the health of human society down through the ages. It is of particular relevance in the world of today. This is our world, where we live, work and play and it would behoove us to give sober thought to the current state of today’s social fabric as seen through Morality AND her evil sister Immorality. If we do so we will find that we as a people are split into two different camps. Where have you have chosen to pitch YOUR tent?
Thankfully, whatever your position, both sides share some common ground. Unless you are a Satanist or a blind worshipper at the throne of hedonism, we all understand the TRUTH of our commonality and the why behind its existence. Here are three pearls of great price and wisdom.
1: Morality is a good thing. It improves behavior and interaction with others. Immorality is a bad thing.
2: Morality is belief in what is right and what is wrong. Immorality doesn’t care about what is right or wrong. Immy’s demarcation line separating the two is wide and blurry.
3: Morality has a crucial role in defining ethics. Her ugly sister spits on ethics and makes her own rules.
Whether we live under the banner of Morality, sit on the drone fence with our mugs on one side and our bums on the other, or prefer the worldly pleasures afforded by the generosity of the ugly sister, we can also recognize and agree that our ethical or moral mindset is determined by factors such as society, culture, media exposure and personal circumstance.
Now, dear reader, we come to one of the main reasons WHY there is a widening schism in society that splits the human family into two distinct camps, each under very different rallying banners.
Religion
Religion and morality cannot be separated. For Canada and the United States of America our cultures are based on Judeo-Christian morality. When I say ‘religion’ I am not referring to any particular school of worship, I am simply speaking in terms of a belief in God as our Heavenly Father, our creator and our overseer. Perhaps the answer to this the greatest ‘yes or no’ question of all time (to which I would direct all of my atheist and agnostic friends) was offered by the brilliant columnist and essayist Christopher Hitchens when he said:“One of the greatest questions of philosophy is, do we believe we INATELY have morality, OR do we get it from celestial dictation? A study of the Ten Commandments is a very good way of getting into and resolving that issue.”To which I would add, there is no ambiguity about the Ten Commandments.
Mahatma Gandhi stated:
“Morality is the basis of ALL things and TRUTH is the substance of morality.” Atheists will always argue, ‘ah, but what is truth?’ To which I say, “truth is NOT theory.”
Accepted theory on our origin is the drivel hoisted upon the world by evolutionists who embrace the zealously guarded supposition that we are the offspring of chimpanzees. Mozart’s masterpieces, Leonardo’s sculptures, Longfellow’s poetry, Einstein’s and Newton’s observations, all but refined monkey business? That the miraculous order found in the universe is merely accidental? There is no intelligence behind the wonder of it all? The complex yet beautifully designed mathematical patterns and precisions that define Nature are a fluke? “God does not play dice with the universe.” (Albert Einstein).
Even Darwin himself had doubts about our place in the scheme of all things biological. Are you aware of the closed minded ‘law’ embraced by the pillars of learning, who govern and oversee that which is taught in our secular universities and colleges? It is this august body of academia, always in search of further knowledge, that declares “Thou shalt not teach ANY alternative theories other than monkey business!”
Sheesh! It makes me crazy. But then, I sit back and ponder the fact that Donald Trump has become the most powerful political leader on Earth and then I begin to understand why 60% of the academic world embraces Darwin’s THEORY. (Note: 40% of academia do not!)
I remind all that by definition, ‘theory’ is neither fact nor truth, it is simply the working and adopted understanding of the time. Until something better comes along to supplant it, or the mental trees are parted to reveal the forest that was always there.
I am a member of The Church Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, but I am also a great admirer of religious leaders like Norman Vincent Peale (Catholic), The Dalai Lama (Buddhist) and many wonderful spiritually minded thinkers not of my ilk that are exemplars of Morality. Perhaps my thoughts can best be reflected in a quote by (Evangelist) the Reverend Billy Graham.
“The thing that alarms me is that there are so many clergymen who say that the so called ‘New Morality’ is all right. They say we’re living in a new generation, let’s be relevant, let’s change God’s laws. Today’s generation is guided by pop culture values. Many of today’s youth no longer learn how to think about Morality and virtue if they ever think of them at all. They grow up and adopt, with no moral framework, believing the highest social values are diversity, tolerance, and being non-judgmental.”
In my previous essay on multiculturalism I talked about our social evolution in terms of ‘two steps forward, one step back.’ With respect to Morality and virtue I would say we go two steps forward and two and three quarter steps back. Fortunately the forces of good ie: Morality will always hold the higher ground. And how do I know this? The bible tells me so.
Civilizations rise and fall. One of the incontrovertible causes of social decay comes not from the enemy beyond the city walls, but from within. Look at what is now part of the acceptable language of the day. Profanity, abhorred in our parent’s day is now commonplace. And what of the stark pornographic images graphically displayed in our television show and movies? Common place. The minimizing of virtue? Common place. What of the veritable tidal wave of violence, brutality, gore and the glorifying of war which has secured the multi-billion dollar financially driven video game empire? Look how it is feeding and mesmerizing our young. And what of the hate music of the frustrated, down trodden, angry socially marginalized rappers? Ditto.
How long does the list have to get, the symptoms more clearly defined, before you recognize that we are a healthy society in serious decline when it comes to the human virtues that should define us? The lack of all that is noble in mankind only brings shame, but, alas, most of the world is inured and numb to the attack on Morality.
At least that is the way I see things.
Next Week: Marriage – A Modern Day Conundrum