The Moral Dilemma

A lot of people today don't believe in morality. Their "anything goes" point of view is obviously popular among anyone who never wants to take responsibility for his or her actions. Lack of morality is a blanket free pass to do whatever one pleases.

Much of the world now supports that concept. They say it is wrong to hold criminals to society's established laws. After all, it is not their fault. They had a bad childhood. When possible they even twist it around to make the victims responsible for the crimes committed against them.

We hear things like, "they were too wealthy so they deserved to be robbed. She was too pretty. A little acid in her face will teach her a lesson. She deserved to be raped dressing like that." When I counseled battered women, their husbands' excuses for the abuse were inevitably, "she made me do it."

Why are we as a society so willing to let criminals off the hook while completely ignoring or punishing their victims? How screwed up is that?

I don't believe any group has the right to push their moral code on others outside the confines of the law. They have the right to share their views. They do not; however, have the right to demand others conform to them.

Today, I hear a lot of ugly negative things being said about Christians like myself. Apparently we are the end all and be all of everything that is wrong with the world. If I've heard once, I've heard it a thousand times. We are ALL bad. We are ALL to blame. We ALL deserve to lose our rights.

The obvious question then becomes who gave the other side absolution? How are they ALL good? How are they ALL right? Why do they get to say we no longer have rights just because we are Christian? Isn't that just as bad as the claims they make against us?

Also, if morality isn't necessary, what is with those nagging little voices inside our heads? One tries to steer us on a path of goodness while the other tells us it is okay to misbehave. If morality isn't an issue, why do they exist? We shouldn't need them. Unfortunately, we do.

Nothing is totally black and white. Nothing is absolutely right or wrong. There are plenty of shades of gray in between and somewhere in all that gray exists a compromise. The problem is we refuse to see it. No, that's not right. We actually refuse to look for it.

When I was growing up, my grandparents and great grandparents instilled in me the importance of the golden rule. They were huge believers in treating people the way they deserved to be treated. Consequently, they were not at all judgmental.

I grew up in a church that was much the same way. It wasn't all about hellfire and damnation. They never once turned anyone away from a meal or declined a person shelter because he or she wasn't a Christian. Their arms were always open and their love was steadfast and true.

My minister made it a point of saying that we were all children of God. As such, it wasn't our right to judge others outside the confines of the law.

He never preached at someone. He never tried to force his beliefs down someone else's throat. He just led by example and waited patiently until they offered him an invitation.

I hope I learned from his amazing example. While I'm no where near perfect, I do feel good about who I am. I listen to the good little voice inside my head. It has never steered me wrong. As for the bad one, him I ignore; at least most of the time. That has led to a relatively happy life despite trials and tribulations.

I don't pretend to have all the answers. I don't believe anyone does. I do; however, I do believe this. Without some kind of moral compass to follow, we are lost and we may never find our way home.