Morality

What is Moral?

As a child, I use to ask myself how do I know what is right and wrong when no one has told me?  My answer was some things just seem wrong so there must be some inherent right and wrong.  Now I  think that come from my culture?  Do I pick up on what I see and hear, especially as a child?

Some ideas I had as a child, I clearly would disavow now as ignorant.  I grew up in the south were racism was flagrant.  I say was because it is better now than what it use to be.  Trust me, it’s still there.  I couldn’t believe what one of my old high school friends said to me not long ago.  Was disgusting.  I couldn’t believe someone still believed that kind of crap!  That’s what she heard growing up though and probably many of her friends still talk that way, so that’s what she knows.  That’s no excuse, she’s a big girl now and should be able to think for herself.

My ideas on morality are probably more relaxed in some areas and very tight in respect to others.  Dependability honesty and loyalty are high up on my list.  Those seem easy to me.  You’d think they would be for others but think about it.  Have you ever watched The Apprentice?  The above traits will likely cause one to get fired!  What about Big Brother or other shows of the same type.  What is acceptable there seems to be far different than the way I’d LIKE to behave.

The other day I was watching Discovery Channel about an ancient tribe in Africa or Borneo or some such place.  The show closed with the native in what looked like war paint or shaman paint tell the interviewer something along the lines of “I just know what God is, I don’t understand your voodoo!”   That really puts things into perspective and points out just how much of what we thinks that makes sense is what we learned as children.

Much of what we learn is through a kind of osmosis.  That is we learn when others are not trying to teach.  The world is just as black and white as many people think.  The lines are blurred all over the place.  That old question, is it better to tell someone they look ugly in this garment or tell them the truth and tell them a lie.  I think I know.  I think it would be more moral to give someone a compliment unless they are trying it on before purchasing it.  Then you might be doing them a favour to tell them you think it is ugly!

There are the 10 commandments that Christians often use as a guide. Christ gave only one commandment.  Some say its the 11th other think it is the only commandment.  However, I think if you followed the one, you’d likely not break the original  10 by default.

I don’t know enough about other religions.  In some it is okay to have more than one wife.  Or at the extreme ends of some religions its okay to kill other people.  Not only okay but some believe you’ll be rewarded for it greatly.  Yes, I know people would say that is a misuse of that religion.  Perhaps, but its my perception that millions believe it not just the stray nut case or two.

In some Christian communities, it is okay to practise what I would call black magic or voodoo.  In other Christian communities that completely out of bounds and considered immoral.

In some cultures it was perfectly okay to kill and even eat people from other tribes or regions!  I’d be surprised if this is still not going on to some extent but I don’t know of any area like that.  See it all the time on Discovery or National Geographic Channel, but its always in the past tense in those cases.  Often the skulls or other trophies are still kept in the village.

In other cultures, boys and girls go through body mutilation before they can reach adult hood.  Sometimes young children.  So young that I certainly would consider it immoral and call child protective services if much less abuse was dished out to children.

For me, these things are clear indications that morals are learned.  I can’t think of a single instance of a rule of my society that was not an act to be admired in another society.

I’m not really getting into the religious or after life implications for this obvious issue.  I don’t think Christ would throw these people into a burning pit of fire.  If so, God is pretty harsh and unfair by our standards.  God more unfair than us?   I don’t know how one could reconcile with the ideas put forth in the Christian Bible.

Tagged with: God • Morality

Filed under: Morality

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