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Because I go against the current once I start following moral values.
How does individual or social morality ‘go against the current’? The former simply speaks to decisions based on honesty and responsibility; the latter is relative to fairness and governing society (and law).
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Originally Posted by farm108
What should be done, not what I would like/feel like doing.
Individual morality is not a set of rules.
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Originally Posted by farm108
Following God's laws, striving for a moral compass, listening to the voice of God (I call it intuition), doing your best.
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Originally Posted by farm108
I don't care about religion but I do care about morality.
Your posts appear to suggest otherwise; why mention ‘God’s laws’ in a philosophy thread re: moral reasoning? You’re speaking to religious rules of conduct (and ‘striving to conform’ to such).
Because I go against the current once I start following moral values. What should be done, not what I would like/feel like doing. It's easier to do the wrong things, I don't need to use my will power to stop my bad habits for instance. I want ice cream, I eat ice cream every time I feel like it. I just repeat the bad habits, over and over again. There is no self-control. In this sense, it's not easy to do/be good.
Yes about having a moral compass or not. At a certain point, you can't lie anymore, cheat anymore, etc. But as you said, no one is perfect. I'm trying and sometimes failing, so...that's why I talked about the struggle. I come up with many rationalizations and excuses to take the easy way sometimes. I have a wild imagination and I do make mistakes. It happens, I'm a work in progress. God knows I am.
Yes, regarding religion and morality. I don't care about religion but I do care about morality.
It is not always clear what should be done. Is it always right to follow the law if the law is unjust, say the anti-Black racial laws of the South?
Actually it is easier to do good, because that is what we are naturally impelled to do. It is when our ego and neediness surface, we either withhold our goodness, or do the opposite. Doing bad always leaves us feeling bad because our moral compass rebels.
Because I try to follow the universal moral laws, that never change. Most important religions also have this set of rules (of conduct, of right behavior). Yama and niyama, the Ten Commandments etc.
I don't care about religion in a sense that if you are not a moral person or striving to be one, it doesn't matter if you participate in x or y religion and call yourself a Christian or something else. ut you don't follow the rules of right behavior. A non believer in a God can be a moral person and I have more respect for him.
I don't know how to explain in a different way the first part, regarding going against the current when you start being/doing good. I'll try again.
When I started using introspection (How can I change for the better? What can I do to get rid of my bad habits?) it was not easy. My friends with the same bad habits discouraged me, they didn't want me to change and for them to remain the same. I gave up smoking and they could not so what they did? Made fun of me. I made them uncomfortable. It's easier to go with the bad flow/current in society than to stop and reflect/introspect. And then change for the better.
Because I try to follow the universal moral laws, that never change. Most important religions also have this set of rules (of conduct, of right behavior). Yama and niyama, the Ten Commandments etc.
I don't care about religion in a sense that if you are not a moral person or striving to be one, it doesn't matter if you participate in x or y religion and call yourself a Christian or something else. ut you don't follow the rules of right behavior. A non believer in a God can be a moral person and I have more respect for him.
I don't know how to explain in a different way the first part, regarding going against the current when you start being/doing good. I'll try again.
When I started using introspection (How can I change for the better? What can I do to get rid of my bad habits?) it was not easy. My friends with the same bad habits discouraged me, they didn't want me to change and for them to remain the same. I gave up smoking and they could not so what they did? Made fun of me. I made them uncomfortable. It's easier to go with the bad flow/current in society than to stop and reflect/introspect. And then change for the better.
The only way to do the right thing is to do the right thing.
In my native country (a former communist, Eastern European country) even today it is necessarily to bribe a doctor before a more serious surgery.
What is the right thing to do? Bribe the piece of s**t doctor, the one who asks for the bribe? Or not bribe him, and let your mom die?
I chose to bribe the doc. This is a real life situation, my dad needed surgery and my own brother had to bribe the doc. He could not do it (was disgusted) but mom had no problem doing it, and she did it.
It does depend on the situation. And motives. God knows we are not bad people (we try not to be) and understands our struggle in this case. We did it out of love and God understands. There was no other way. "We" above = my family members.
In my native country (a former communist, Eastern European country) even today it is necessarily to bribe a doctor before a more serious surgery.
What is the right thing to do? Bribe the piece of s**t doctor, the one who asks for the bribe? Or not bribe him, and let your mom die?
I chose to bribe the doc. This is a real life situation, my dad needed surgery and my own brother had to bribe the doc. He could not do it (was disgusted) but mom had no problem doing it, and she did it.
It does depend on the situation. And motives. God knows we are not bad people (we try not to be) and understands our struggle in this case. We did it out of love and God understands. There was no other way. "We" above = my family members.
Bribe in money is still only money. If parent needs surgery then paying additional money to the surgeon to do his job is the right action. The burden of morality lies with surgeon who will do his life saving responsibility only with a bribe. We can only own our own actions, and know it was the right action.
Intentions do not matter if the course of action results in killing someone, say. Or hurt their feelings. or cause violence. That action will be judged wrong.
Intention itself is often shaped by highly subjective opinion.
Patriotism is usually judged as good. For the sake of love of one's country and its security can one one go on a bloody rampage and kill 30,000 innocents including women and children, and cause famine and disease? That action will be judged wrong no matter what the intention is.
The same thing that makes something desirable or undesirable. The difference is that desires tell you how to do things for yourself, and morality tells you how to do things for other people.
Morality is a choice based on harmless actions in support and defense of one’s right to life, under the law of love. No greater love than self sacrifice for the benefit of others.
Choosing harmful actions in support of one’s right to life is immoral, except under the law of the jungle, which should be unacceptable to civilized people.
However, to a predator under the law of the jungle, he's "law abiding" and good, prey are "good to eat," and prey who fight back are "bad."
It's futile to appeal to the better natures of a predator. To him, we're chumps and muggles.
Tolerance of predators is unmerciful to their next victim.
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