Spiritual Meme Question Twenty-Six
26--Have you ever morally contradicted yourself?
Unlike New Year's resolutions, moral codes are instilled early, without our permission, and presented to us as truth, maybe "God's truth." Take the "Ten Commandments:" i know i have violated eight of them, and some people would argue with me about the other two (and i would argue with myself about "Thou shalt not kill." Some would say that if i ever even thought about killing someone (like a serial killer or a Republicn politician) i have already committed murder in my heart.
In a world of illusion whose underlying reality is incomprehensible, morality is bount be inconsistent by its very nature. Furthermore, morality , which once had a very broad meaning (moral is from mores, the sacred rules of a culture) has come to refer mainly to sexual behavior-- which itself is subject to some of the most stupid, unjust, and hurtful rules ever thought up by human beings.
So i have come to think more in terms of an ethical code than a moral code, and i am thinking here of human ethics or life ethics as opposed to professional ethics. But the first rule fo me is "Do no harm."
So now we come to the question of a person's right to control how his or her body is used (volunteering for dangerous duty. nullifying an unwanted pregnancy, etc.) versus the right of others to call on a person to make sacrifices for the "greater good." (Military draft, pro-life, etc.). In terms of war, i am a pacifist and have been since age 13. I refused to register for the draft at age 171/2 and finally succumbed to mother's tears and registered as a consciencious objector. But i have had relatives who were drafted. who volunteered or semi-volunteered (the military or prison, take your pick) I can't help but wish for their lives and their safety which means i am willing to see others die so they won't.
I am both pro-choice and anti-abortion. But i solve the problem this way:. a woman has no moral right to abort a child and the govenment has no ethical right to deprive her of safe and legal means to do so. As a male i tend to stay out of the abortion arguement, but as a citizen i can't avoid the politics involved in imposing rules that make second class people out of half the population. Earlier in life, i did take a moral position on abortion. I felt that the welfare of a pregnant woman far outweighed the (debatable) welfare of the (arguably) human being inside her. I was preparing to address a pro-choice group when Dianne said, if you do i will not be here when you get back. I did not go, and that began a long process of reconsideration and ultimate change in my position.
Whether moral, ethical, or legal, rules in the material world are always problematic. Every rule benefits some and injures others. I can only hope that the rules i make up for me to follow will "do no harm," or at least the very minimum of damage to others.
Writing prompts: only ones that would be hard for you to answer please! {FULL!} - the eclectic ecstasy of an ecphorizing eccentric
Unlike New Year's resolutions, moral codes are instilled early, without our permission, and presented to us as truth, maybe "God's truth." Take the "Ten Commandments:" i know i have violated eight of them, and some people would argue with me about the other two (and i would argue with myself about "Thou shalt not kill." Some would say that if i ever even thought about killing someone (like a serial killer or a Republicn politician) i have already committed murder in my heart.
In a world of illusion whose underlying reality is incomprehensible, morality is bount be inconsistent by its very nature. Furthermore, morality , which once had a very broad meaning (moral is from mores, the sacred rules of a culture) has come to refer mainly to sexual behavior-- which itself is subject to some of the most stupid, unjust, and hurtful rules ever thought up by human beings.
So i have come to think more in terms of an ethical code than a moral code, and i am thinking here of human ethics or life ethics as opposed to professional ethics. But the first rule fo me is "Do no harm."
So now we come to the question of a person's right to control how his or her body is used (volunteering for dangerous duty. nullifying an unwanted pregnancy, etc.) versus the right of others to call on a person to make sacrifices for the "greater good." (Military draft, pro-life, etc.). In terms of war, i am a pacifist and have been since age 13. I refused to register for the draft at age 171/2 and finally succumbed to mother's tears and registered as a consciencious objector. But i have had relatives who were drafted. who volunteered or semi-volunteered (the military or prison, take your pick) I can't help but wish for their lives and their safety which means i am willing to see others die so they won't.
I am both pro-choice and anti-abortion. But i solve the problem this way:. a woman has no moral right to abort a child and the govenment has no ethical right to deprive her of safe and legal means to do so. As a male i tend to stay out of the abortion arguement, but as a citizen i can't avoid the politics involved in imposing rules that make second class people out of half the population. Earlier in life, i did take a moral position on abortion. I felt that the welfare of a pregnant woman far outweighed the (debatable) welfare of the (arguably) human being inside her. I was preparing to address a pro-choice group when Dianne said, if you do i will not be here when you get back. I did not go, and that began a long process of reconsideration and ultimate change in my position.
Whether moral, ethical, or legal, rules in the material world are always problematic. Every rule benefits some and injures others. I can only hope that the rules i make up for me to follow will "do no harm," or at least the very minimum of damage to others.
Writing prompts: only ones that would be hard for you to answer please! {FULL!} - the eclectic ecstasy of an ecphorizing eccentric