Morality in an immoral world

As you get older you pay attention to things that were not of interest as a young person. I pay attention to the weather, watch the news, and follow politics. 2017 has been a crazy year and there has been an endless supply of news stories, most of them depressing. Through hurricanes, mass shootings, racial unrest, sexual harassment, and constant political fighting, I’m on information overload.

I’m not going to touch on politics as that is a volatile subject right now but I am going to talk about morality. Even morals and ethics can be debated but I think we can agree if we all lived a moral life putting emphasis on strong values then some of the issues that are so volatile would not be a problem at all.

Gone are the days of Leave it to Beaver where family life and values were simple. Today we have constant information at our fingertips, social media, overloaded schedules, and temptation around every corner. Even the most noble in our society often fall to temptation. Revered celebrities, Catholic priests, politicians, and ordinary citizens have all been guilty of things society considers immoral and unethical.

I am no different than anyone else. Of course I have made decisions or done things in my life that were not completely moral or ethical. But if anything I ever did caused harm, pain, or emotional distress to someone else, I would be the first to apologize and recognize the fault in my behavior. That doesn’t make me a saint it just means being a good person and doing the right thing are qualities I strive for. I completely respect your right to take a stance on issues that we may differ upon but I would take a stance if you questioned my moral character.

I certainly do not agree with choosing immoral behavior over politics or religion. Again that is my choice. Recently I wrote about judgment. I choose not to judge you by your political or religious beliefs but by your actions. Sometimes it’s hard even with the best of intentions not to, but I do try. We all come from different backgrounds. Some of us come from different cultures, different countries, different religions or no religion. It is not my place to judge you if you are Jewish, Muslim, German, Mexican, or from California. I can choose to live in an area where more people share my beliefs. I can choose to move if the culture of my community makes me uncomfortable.

I’ve said before I like to write when I am inspired. All of the rhetoric in today’s society has inspired me. The truth is our family has been judged. It’s not necessarily intentional but if I can open up the minds of people who may not realize this then maybe I’ve achieved something.

I’m going to be brave and talk about religion. MOST of my friends and people I love and respect have grown up with religion. Most but not all are Christians. I and most of my local family do not have deep seeded religious beliefs and were not raised in strong religious homes. We have all developed our own views over time but religion is not the focal point of our environment. And yes we all have high moral ethics. I admire those that have great faith. I have developed my own faith over time in my own way. My daughter has developed her own faith and a strong relationship with God. My children attended Christian pre-schools and camps because we believed they were the best choice for them. When the topic of religion, politics, or any other newsworthy subject comes up in our household we discuss it openly, state our opinions, but always try to emphasize morality as the common ground.

Most sermons I have ever listened to have an uplifting message promoting moral behavior which I find refreshing and inspiring. However from a church outsider’s perspective what goes on behind the sermon in some cases seems outside of the values that are being preached. Whether you agree with me or not I have heard many stories that equate to hypocrisy in organized religion. Church leaders who judge others and members being asked to leave a congregation while others are allowed to remain for illogical reasons. I have experienced the uncomfortable pressure of joining a church just for making a visit. And don’t get me started on political figures who use religion to try and sway my vote or “justify” their immoral behavior. I believe in forgiveness but I can’t begin to forgive behavior or gain respect for someone who does not own up to their mistakes.

There have been numerous times over the years when someone has expressed their surprise at the fact that we do not attend church. It always leads to a good discussion and never has it affected our friendship. All of these individuals have strong faith and religious backgrounds which are pivotal in their lives. I believe Christianity and most religions are based on valued principals. Therefore it makes sense that people with strong religious beliefs would have strong moral values. Of course there are people with strong beliefs who ignore those values and people without strong beliefs who have high moral values. Everyone has a responsibility to act on those values despite their beliefs (in my opinion). I guess that is my point. With all of the crazy in today’s world, we need to get back to basics. Treat people the right way and do the right thing. Wouldn’t that be nice?