How others chose my faith

[Pendrench]

10. Hi Major Nikon - Excellent point! (and thank you for replying to my post)

First of all, I agree with everything you said:

When someone is looking over your shoulder such as say a boss, parent, teacher, significant other, etc., most people are going to adhere to that person's moral code because if they don't they will be held accountable.

The true measure of morality is can a person do the right thing if nobody is looking over their shoulder and forcing them to be accountable.

Virtually all organized religions have some sort of accountability looking over their shoulder constantly and ultimately judging their actions against a moral code given to them by someone else.




As to your question: How moral is a person really if they need to be handed a moral code along with a system of accountability? I can share my own thoughts and perspective.

Since I was raised Catholic, you are correct that I was taught a certain moral code that has a prescribed system of accountability. But I was also taught that I should love and help others, especially those in most need of help. So the question for me then becomes, am I helping others because I'm afraid of punishment if I don't, or am I helping them because I love them. Not because I'm supposed to love them, but because I do.

I realize that (by their nature) analogies are imperfect, but if I may offer the following comparison. When I was young, and my parents told me to do something, if I didn't do it there was a very good chance that I would be punished. So many times I did what I was supposed to do because I didn't want to get sent to my room, yelled at, etc. And there was also the possibility that if I behaved myself, I would be rewarded - maybe they would take me out for ice cream or some other treat. So my actions were very selfish: I wanted to avoid punishment and be rewarded.

But eventually, I realized that I wanted to do right by my parents because I loved them.

So while it is true that I belong to a faith that handed me a moral code along with a system of accountability, if I choose to do "good things" just to avoid punishment and/or reap rewards, then I don't believe that I am living a moral life. Instead, I should try my best to help others because it is right and kind to do so - not because of what I might avoid or what I might get out of it.

Therefore, I believe that if there is a god, then she/he/it wants me to live a moral life simply because it is the right thing to do.

Thank you again for the opportunity for discussion - it's always a pleasure.

Wishing you well and peace.

Tim