I recently did a quizz on facebook to find out how religious i was. It asked some great Qs but sadly the diagnostic did not match my answers as i was diagnosed as an agnostic, and i'm not one of those, well not usually :).
Anywho, this question on my moral code made me stop and think, so I'll share it with you. What would you respond...
My moral code boils down to this...
(a) How I treat the neighbor is how I treat God.
(b) Do good to others. (Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.)
(c) Don't be bad to others. (Don't do to others what you don't want others to do to you.)
(d) Don't get caught
(e) I don't have to be religious to have morals, I already have morals.
I think a lot of time i operate down at (d) or possibly raise my game to (c) - both of which are ways for me to live how i want to live with minimum interference/cost. I guess i could amalgamate them to (f) what can i get away with...
It made me think cos i often comfort myself by thinking well i don't really do anything that bad to anyone which is not the same as actively trying to do good to others.
That question stumped me as well. (d) was the only answer that didn't fit me. In my bleaker moments I'm far more prone to don't care than don't get caught.
(e) is not the answer for me, but I feel it's important to affirm that view. I've heard a lot of Christians who really should no better claiming that outside faith the only moral alternative is nihilism. It seem to sound compelling within some theological schema but it doesn't bear even the most modest level of scrutiny.
(b) seems like the right answer, but sometimes it can be the manipulative or invasive answer as well. It's pretty easy to assume that everyone needs our help/word/opinion, when maybe they don't. Sometimes (c) is the answer that best responds to grace and giving people room to grow in their own journey.
As for (a), well it sound kinda pantheistic on one level, but then again it seems to square pretty well with the spirituality of John's epistles.
Posted by: fernando | 25 April 2008 at 04:57 PM
Hmmm. Stop and think!
At first I thought it was really easy - I automatically picked (b), but could I change it to what I actually mean is that I treat others how I expect to be treated back?
It's one thing to STATE your morals - it's another story when it comes to living them out...
However, I think the only answer that didn't fit me was (a).
Posted by: Laura Anne | 25 April 2008 at 11:51 PM
Ditto Paul, maybe I spend more time worrying about morale rather than morals...
Posted by: Duncan McFadzean | 26 April 2008 at 09:46 AM
I've been thinking about why none of these answers really works. I think it is because for a follower of Jesus one's moral code doesn't boil down to a, b, c, d or e. The two great commandments are the furthest down that we can boil it.
Loving God with absolutely everything and loving my neighbor like I love myself are two distinct things and don't fit with any of the choices.
Also, there is the matter of how one actually lives, which you all have already discussed.
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I love the angry atheist statement at the end. I realise that it is entirely true, but when I read it it sounds shrill, self-righteous and defensive in my head. And that makes me laugh.
Posted by: Jeff Gill | 26 April 2008 at 11:04 AM
You've just made like a metaphorical lightbulb switch on in my head Jeff - nicely put, and so true.
Posted by: Laura Anne | 26 April 2008 at 11:27 PM
Laura, that's so cool. I kind of had a lightbulb moment too as I thought about this question.
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A few minutes ago I was in the bath reading 'Contemplative Youth Ministry' by Mark Yaconelli and I came across this:
'I tried to explain that the purpose of the church was to help people live the Christian faith and the Christian faith wasn't focussed on morality. The Christian faith is about following Jesus; it's about falling in love with God. It's about seeking to become so transparent to the Spirit of God that you were no longer sure which actions were your own and which ones were God's.' (p.19-20)
Posted by: Jeff Gill | 27 April 2008 at 12:27 AM
Thanks F, another one of those both/and answers :)
Posted by: Paul | 02 May 2008 at 06:16 PM
Thanks Jeff, it's a good rule to come back to, altho i wouldn't be so dumb now i know what the answer is to ask jesus who my neighbour is!
Which i guess is my point in my dilema, how i love, if i love is often limited and nicely defined!
Posted by: Paul | 02 May 2008 at 06:19 PM
Good point Laura Anne and glad there is plenty of light bulbs buzzing here amongst you all :)
Posted by: Paul | 02 May 2008 at 06:20 PM
thanks duncan, how is morale?
Posted by: Paul | 02 May 2008 at 06:21 PM