Moral absolutism.
Have you heard that term before? It sounds kind of harsh. Practically speaking, it is defined as a "philosophy [stating] that mankind is subject to absolute standards of conduct that do not change with circumstances" (Got Questions 2015).
This basically means that morality exists and stretches beyond the boarders of culture, citizenship, etc.
It's funny because this term seems so opposite of what our current society blares at us. We are obsessed with doing whatever makes us happy & not taking into account the impact & influence of our actions. Sounds pretty selfish, huh?
So what has caused this? What has caused society to abhor listening to anyone but themselves, trusting their gut over thousands of years of philosophical and theological discussion?
It's scary. And our world is crumbling because of it.
We are terrified of rules. We are terrified of being confined in absolute truth and morality. We are young! wild! free!
But people. Come. On. Why are you so scared with being told you are doing something wrong? We shouldn't be so confident in our humanity. I would never pin myself as someone who is perfect in thought or deed, but that's why I have to consult Truth to redeem my ignorance.
This whole discussion was something brought up in my "Christian Teacher" class this morning. The semester thus far has been geared towards establishing our own pedagogical philosophy and understanding what faith-integrated learning looks like. Today we were talking about a myriad of topics, but this quote specifically started to unravel something in my brain:
"Without [faith] integration, youth will tend to exhibit a passive acceptance of current cultural values, unable to separate entertainment values from moral and artistic values. Cultures with unfixed standards of reference move inevitably toward extremes, “pushing the envelope” without taste or decency. (Robert Harris, 1997).
Read that over one more time.
Okay. So looking at some key words and phrases here:
1. passive acceptance of current cultural values
2. separation of entertainment values from moral values
3. pushing the envelope without taste or decency
WOW. That's all I could say. These are some scary, real things friends. With the rate we are moving as an American society, our generation and the next are so far removed from establishing ethical, biblical, and moral values for themselves. If there are no boundaries, how will the world even function?
Now I'm not saying we need to be rigid and rule-obsessed, because there is no freedom in that. That is absolutely not the way God intends us to live our lives. But whether or not you believe it, there is freedom within order. Having guidelines to life help us to find solutions to the problems we are faced with. It narrows down difficulty in making hard decisions and teaches us how to maintain a universal harmony with the world around us; and by following biblical standards, we grow more in the fullness of Christ. Now that's what I'm talking bout!
But we as a people are moving closer and closer to the extreme of moral antagonism.
People hate rules.
They hate limitations.
But what they think is good for themselves is really killing who we are as humanity. We cannot function without rules.
All this to say, don't be afraid of rules within morality. If we are not carefully and critically setting those boundaries for ourselves, the corrupted and selfish world we live in will only grow more so.
You are important. Every action and response you make is important. Take this time to evaluate the moral compass you have set for yourself. Remember WHERE we should be getting those moral jurisdictions from.
The media has never had your best interest at heart. They're only using us because we're the easiest target for shameless marketing and profit.
So analyze what you believe and WHY you believe it. Engrave biblical standards as a lifestyle. And don't just say it, SHOW the world how we should be living. It's up to the church to set the culture, not follow it.
And it starts with you.
*end rant*
Have you heard that term before? It sounds kind of harsh. Practically speaking, it is defined as a "philosophy [stating] that mankind is subject to absolute standards of conduct that do not change with circumstances" (Got Questions 2015).
This basically means that morality exists and stretches beyond the boarders of culture, citizenship, etc.
It's funny because this term seems so opposite of what our current society blares at us. We are obsessed with doing whatever makes us happy & not taking into account the impact & influence of our actions. Sounds pretty selfish, huh?
So what has caused this? What has caused society to abhor listening to anyone but themselves, trusting their gut over thousands of years of philosophical and theological discussion?
It's scary. And our world is crumbling because of it.
We are terrified of rules. We are terrified of being confined in absolute truth and morality. We are young! wild! free!
But people. Come. On. Why are you so scared with being told you are doing something wrong? We shouldn't be so confident in our humanity. I would never pin myself as someone who is perfect in thought or deed, but that's why I have to consult Truth to redeem my ignorance.
This whole discussion was something brought up in my "Christian Teacher" class this morning. The semester thus far has been geared towards establishing our own pedagogical philosophy and understanding what faith-integrated learning looks like. Today we were talking about a myriad of topics, but this quote specifically started to unravel something in my brain:
"Without [faith] integration, youth will tend to exhibit a passive acceptance of current cultural values, unable to separate entertainment values from moral and artistic values. Cultures with unfixed standards of reference move inevitably toward extremes, “pushing the envelope” without taste or decency. (Robert Harris, 1997).
Read that over one more time.
Okay. So looking at some key words and phrases here:
1. passive acceptance of current cultural values
2. separation of entertainment values from moral values
3. pushing the envelope without taste or decency
WOW. That's all I could say. These are some scary, real things friends. With the rate we are moving as an American society, our generation and the next are so far removed from establishing ethical, biblical, and moral values for themselves. If there are no boundaries, how will the world even function?
Now I'm not saying we need to be rigid and rule-obsessed, because there is no freedom in that. That is absolutely not the way God intends us to live our lives. But whether or not you believe it, there is freedom within order. Having guidelines to life help us to find solutions to the problems we are faced with. It narrows down difficulty in making hard decisions and teaches us how to maintain a universal harmony with the world around us; and by following biblical standards, we grow more in the fullness of Christ. Now that's what I'm talking bout!
But we as a people are moving closer and closer to the extreme of moral antagonism.
People hate rules.
They hate limitations.
But what they think is good for themselves is really killing who we are as humanity. We cannot function without rules.
All this to say, don't be afraid of rules within morality. If we are not carefully and critically setting those boundaries for ourselves, the corrupted and selfish world we live in will only grow more so.
You are important. Every action and response you make is important. Take this time to evaluate the moral compass you have set for yourself. Remember WHERE we should be getting those moral jurisdictions from.
The media has never had your best interest at heart. They're only using us because we're the easiest target for shameless marketing and profit.
So analyze what you believe and WHY you believe it. Engrave biblical standards as a lifestyle. And don't just say it, SHOW the world how we should be living. It's up to the church to set the culture, not follow it.
And it starts with you.
*end rant*