Truth or Consequences or Moral Education for the New Order

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In May I sent an email out to some friends regarding moral relativism.  It included a link to a page that outlined what advice Contessa Brewer (MSNBC) was offering the GOP.  She offered this advice to the Republicans:

"Until they change policies--I mean, that's what it took for conservatives in Great Britain to win--is a real change in focus away from morals and values into things that affect people's daily lives."

I don't know about you, but I believe that morals and values affect people's daily lives.  The presence or absence of core morals and values affects just about everything.

Consider the link above to article.  In it Rasmussen did a poll in April of 2009 asking young people whether they preferred Capitalism or Socialism.  37% preferred Capitalism, 33% preferred Socialism, and 30% were undecided.  It also includes some findings from Josephson Institute's Report Card on Ethics of American Youth.  The high percentages of youth that admitted to stealing and/or lying in the past year are disturbing.

There are those pesky Commandments again.  You know, Thou shalt not steal and Thou shalt not bear false witness.  What's the big deal?

A couple of weeks ago I took an informal poll of friends and acquaintances regarding the use of a neighbors wireless signal.  I got everything from "not right and should not be done" to "if they are too stupid to secure it go for it."  One person said that as long as it is only temporary and for a short time it's OK.  What do you think?  Is this stealing?  Wireless signals weren't around when the tablets were handed to Moses so we have no specific answer to this..or do we?

How about lying?  How about cheating?  Last week the New Patriot Journal reported that FBI Director, Robert Mueller told Congress that he does not know how many of his agents cheated on an important exam.  The test questions pertained to the agencies policies for conducting surveillance on American citizens.  That combined with Mueller's own foggy understanding of what the rules are for conducting surveillance on Americans sort of worries me.  The fact that the FBI under the Patriot Act can issue "self-written" subpoenas and search warrants (National Security Letters) and forbid you to even tell anyone about it frightens  me.  Yeah, there are rules but does anyone really know what they are?

Then there's that confining sexual morality:
ABC Family, Tuesdays at 8p.m. airs Pretty Little Liars.  A friend of mine who has a teenage daughter overheard something on a show her daughter was watching on ABC Family.  It involved one teen telling another teen what kind of bra she should wear to let a boy "feel her up."  When asked about it her daughter said that it was  "no big deal"  Yeah, considering the content of Pretty Little Liars it would seem to be "no big deal."

What are the consequences of this moral relativism?  We entrust our freedom and liberties to people who cheat on the test.  No big deal?  We entrust our election process to groups that commit voter fraud and lie about the legitimacy of the registration forms.  No big deal?  Our youth are exposed to content on a FAMILY channel that shows little or no consequence for promiscuity and sexual experimentation.  No big deal?  Acorn members break into a home that was foreclosed and declare it a "foreclosure free zone."  Taking possession of something that does not belong to you is stealing, isn't it?  Or is it just no big deal?

There are serious consequences to moral relativism that many do not want to acknowledge.  I am not perfect, I am a flawed human just like you are.  I've broken a commandment or two.  However, having a firm idea of what is right and what is wrong helps us all.  A little lie, a little stealing, a little sexual promiscuity do have consequences.  We need to recognize where those first little steps can lead and try to lead lives as close to those 10 standards handed down to Moses so long ago.