Is Morality Relevant?

I realized the importance of morality when a Christian friend of mine was engaging in road rage. He was going to give them a taste of their own medicine, so to speak. Morality is our duty to God, to others and to our self. We all have a conscience and a system or code of conduct--even prisoners have a prison code (don't steal my smokes)! Some believe that we should do to others before they do to you (the Iron Rule), or do to others as they do to you, or before they do unto you!  (Babylonian morals is tit for tat or the Brazen Rule ( or the desire to take vengeance or to get even--which belongs to God;, or not to do to others what you don't want to be done to you (the Silver Rule).

Most people will rub your back if you rub theirs--but what reward does that deserve?   However, Christ made the highest standard: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" the Golden Rule).  What goes around comes around, we reap what we sow. The Hindus call it good and bad karma. We have rights but also responsibilities to our fellow man. The basis of this is that we are created in the image of God (imago Dei).

Some philosophies like cosmic-humanism believe there is no absolute morality and everyone is moral. "All are moral because we do what feels right for us." Postmodernists believe morality doesn't exist and is only a byproduct of coercion and consensus, like everyone agreeing that broccoli tastes good. Secular humanism teaches that morality is relative. Marxism teaches utilitarianism, that the end justifies the means. Pragmatism, which is in vogue today teaches that if it works it must be Good. Islam teaches that Mohammad is the exemplar. Christ not only taught the highest standards but also gave the highest motive to achieve them. Confucius summed up morality with one word--reciprocity. J. Stephen Lang cites Rabbi Hillel being asked to sum up the law: "Whatever displeases you, do not do to others, this is the whole law." (The Silver Rule).  Nevertheless, morality is nebulous and we need divine revelation, otherwise, it is a fool's errand of speculation.   Soli Deo Gloria!

Worldview And Ethics...

There is a close correlation between your worldview and your ethics. For instance, if you don't believe in God you won't see anything wrong with free love. If you believe in jihad and Islam you will see nothing wrong with suicide bombings and terrorism. Goethe said, "Share with me your certainties, but not your doubts--I have enough of them myself." Worldview came from the German Weltanschauung.  It is important to realize we are in the image of God:  "Would you trust the convictions of a monkey's mind?" Darwin mused.

According to polls, it is reported that only some six percent Christian teens believe in moral absolutes and most non-Christian teens don't either! We all have a way of seeing the big picture or the grand scheme of things and must answer the basic questions such as: Why are we here; What is the purpose of life; and is there a hereafter (what is on the other side)? No one wants to compromise their beliefs, but there is a give and take to living in society. Science cannot make value judgments--they are out of their realm. The people that have the strongest convictions of right and wrong are those that have an anchor in their soul--such as the Word of God.

We all have to start from somewhere and thank God we all don't have to start from scratch. There is no such thing as total objectivity except with God. And we all take certain presuppositions into our equation. Leaving God out of the picture or out of the equation of life is a disaster, not liberty. We were meant for God and the highest purpose of man is to know and glorify God. (Cf. Isaiah 43:7). Soli Deo Gloria!

Origins Of Morality

If there was no morality or justice, we would not know it. Likewise, if there was no meaning to the universe, we would not know it. Does a fish know it is wet? Do animals know they are incapable of moral decisions because they don't have the equipment in that they don't have a will able to obey God? They are oblivious to Him.  Because we have a mind and a will we are capable of moral action. Animals are not responsible nor culpable. 

Many have heard of the saying, "There oughta be a law!" (or on sports, "There oughta be a rule!)  Well, it is to this sense of "ought" that I am addressing here. Everyone believes some things are wrong and some things are right. Have you ever heard of a society that honored cowardice or selfishness?

It was the principles of morality that were attractive to some pagans as they converted to Judaism. The Greek philosophers Plato and Aristotle were embarrassed with the immorality of the "gods," e.g., Mars and Venus had sexual intercourse with mortal women. The morality of Judaism attracted many Greek God-seekers or God-fearers. In antiquity might made right and no one questioned the authority of the government to set standards. It was the Judeo-Christian ethic that brought the values we have today. Christians ended the gladiator fights and slavery. It would be another world had Jesus never been born. All the major Universities of Europe and the first 150 American Universities were started by Christians. Hospitals, relief organizations,  orphanages, charities, and humane societies and temperance leagues were influenced by Christians.

Before the Ten Commandments, there was the Hammurabi's Code, but there was no uniform code. People were generally ruled by whim and conscience. The law of the land was an eye for an eye. Jesus put an end to that and brought morality to a new level--loving our neighbor. The Dark Ages saw the "seven deadly sins" (lust, anger, jealousy, greed, envy, gluttony, and sloth) as the evil to avoid according to the Pope. Christian life was performance-based then before the Reformation.

The Golden Rule that Christ taught is the epitome of morality that we can only hope to emulate. Today most people are cynical and believe in "do unto others as they do unto you," (Brazen Rule) or "do unto others before they do unto you" (Iron Rule).  They think recompense and comeuppance. It is like Hindu philosophy that good and bad karma works out our fates or good karma cancels bad.

Of course, there is an element of truth in all religious systems. Islam believes morality is arbitrary because Allah's decrees can change. Without an absolute standard such as God's holiness, there can be no morality. The Christian God is not arbitrary, capricious, nor whimsical, but dependable and immutable. But we know intrinsically that morality exists as absolute standards (is there ever an instance where rape is moral; once could argue when one had no choice, but this isn't justification, just a moral dilemma)?) Justice, love, courage, and mercy have always been admired; while cowardice, lying, and stealing have always been despised. God gave everyone a conscience and we are responsible to Him. "They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness..." (Rom. 2:15).

Today some modern philosophies teach to do what feels right for you. This is nothing but the old apostasy of Israel in Judges 21:25; 17:16 which is described: "Each man did what was right in his own eyes."

The reason behind morality is responsibility. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind" (Luke 10:27). We are not free to make up our own rules as we go along--we always make up a system we think we have kept (acc. to D. James Kennedy). Animals are not responsible to God for moral behavior but we are in the imago Dei (image of God).

When we become the source of our values it is nothing short of blasphemy--it is God's prerogative as the Judge of all mankind. The summation of ethics is to follow Christ, the great mandate of salvation. Today they teach the children they are animals--is it any wonder they act like them?  Soli Deo Gloria!