One of the growing concerns about present-day Western society is its apparent junking of moral absolutes in favor of moral relativity. For a growing number of people, the concept of right and wrong now depends on what you think is right or wrong and society must respect your opinion because that is generally your right. On the other hand, a significant number of people still believe that the concept of right and wrong depends not on what you think but what your conscience tells you is right or wrong, and that society should follow the dictates of your mind because that is a responsibility of any citizen to ensure that society will run smoothly.
GROUP A
- think
- opinion- right
GROUP B
- conscience
- follow- responsibility
Isn't Group A more popular and attractive-sounding than Group B? In these days of hedonism and egocentricity, thinking about conscience is synonymous with guilt, to follow is like being enslaved, and responsibility is... well, doesn't that contradict the politically correct "virtue" of self-expression?
But if you really think about it, you simply cannot say that right and wrong, good and bad all depend on your opinion. Imagine yourself driving on a busy intersection in the midday heat. The traffic light turns green; for you it means "go" instead of "stop" but to the other person it means the other way around. Just imagine the chaos if everybody had their own interpretation of what a green, red or yellow light means!
Universal laws are based on these moral absolutes. The Ten Commandments, for instance, are not restricted to a particular civilization but are actually the basis for much of the world's fundamental laws. Commandments like "thou shalt not kill" or "thou shalt not steal" are not bound by by any cultural mindset. The Golden Rule, which tells us to "do unto others what we would have them do unto us," is in fact taught in all of the world's major belief systems. What are some of the universal laws that we all need to observe and follow? Recall some of what Fulghum said he learned in kindergarten:
1. Respect others.
2. Eat the right kind of food.
3. Always be thankful.
4. Have a sense of humor.
5. Be fair to others.
6. Share what you have.
7. Acknowledge your mistakes.
8. Believe in a higher power.
9. Honor your parents.
10. Be truthful.
11. Keep a secret.
12. Spend time with your family.
13. Don't waste your resources.
14. Learn to forgive.
These laws are so basic to life. For instance, if you wish to have money, it is a universal law that you should never steal, not even a table napkin from a restaurant. If you do, then someone might steal something from you. Remember that what goes around comes around. If you throw a rock, then you might trip on it. If you treat others unkindly, you'll get the same treatment in the end. But if you are kind, tolerant, compassionate and forgiving, expect people to treat you the same way.
But if you really think about it, you simply cannot say that right and wrong, good and bad all depend on your opinion. Imagine yourself driving on a busy intersection in the midday heat. The traffic light turns green; for you it means "go" instead of "stop" but to the other person it means the other way around. Just imagine the chaos if everybody had their own interpretation of what a green, red or yellow light means!
Universal laws are based on these moral absolutes. The Ten Commandments, for instance, are not restricted to a particular civilization but are actually the basis for much of the world's fundamental laws. Commandments like "thou shalt not kill" or "thou shalt not steal" are not bound by by any cultural mindset. The Golden Rule, which tells us to "do unto others what we would have them do unto us," is in fact taught in all of the world's major belief systems. What are some of the universal laws that we all need to observe and follow? Recall some of what Fulghum said he learned in kindergarten:
1. Respect others.
2. Eat the right kind of food.
3. Always be thankful.
4. Have a sense of humor.
5. Be fair to others.
6. Share what you have.
7. Acknowledge your mistakes.
8. Believe in a higher power.
9. Honor your parents.
10. Be truthful.
11. Keep a secret.
12. Spend time with your family.
13. Don't waste your resources.
14. Learn to forgive.
These laws are so basic to life. For instance, if you wish to have money, it is a universal law that you should never steal, not even a table napkin from a restaurant. If you do, then someone might steal something from you. Remember that what goes around comes around. If you throw a rock, then you might trip on it. If you treat others unkindly, you'll get the same treatment in the end. But if you are kind, tolerant, compassionate and forgiving, expect people to treat you the same way.