Is morality relative?

[highfigh]

I've been reading a few threads and normally I'm not a steam vent kind of guy but I felt like chiming in with a word or two... I'm sure you know what threads I'm talking about.

I would consider myself moral in the sense that I don't do drugs, drink beer, spend money on hookers, strippers, etc. I don't view porn or watch R rated movies because I believe that my life is better without those things in it. I have done some of those things in the past but compared to my life previously and my life today, I am happier without that stuff.

In the bible there is a scripture Matthew 7:5

"Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye."

The scripture is really meant for one special x-member of audioholics but it applies to all of us.

Just because I live like I do does not make me a closed minded individual that hasn't seen or experienced life. I have friends/family that are drug addicts, homosexuals, etc. and that is something they have chosen to do in their lives and I still love them as much as my family/friends that don't do those things.

Seems a lot of judgement is going towards people with "moral" lives and not everyone that lives a moral life has a "mightier than thou" attitude.

Lets keep the thread real so this one doesn't get closed.

People like to feel that they're better than others and when they see that someone likes someone/thing that they consider disgusting, they instantly jump on their soapbox and start preaching. Some don't speak up but many do. Doing it in print often makes them much more bold in the same way some people are really brave on the phone and pussycats in person.

I think morality is personal for a lot of people- they don't want to be lumped together with others and want to make their own decisions about what they so, and with whom. Others are more interested in going with the herd, so they let the herd decide for them in matters of morality. Some people don't care who they hurt with their activities and some will do things that are self-destructive but won't intentionally harm others.

Jimmy Swaggart, Jim Baker and many others are shining examples that prove being "religious" or a "Man of God" doesn't preclude them from being absolute hypocrites and scumbags.

 

[cfrizz]

Morality is relative to each individual. So long as we don't try to shove our INDIVIDUAL morality down everyone elses throat all is fine.

Same goes for religion, a womans freedom to choose what she wants to do with her INDIVIDUAL body, politics.

If what someone else is doing has no impact on you, then there is no need to stick your nose into it.

It's called live & let live. If more people knew how to do so the entire world would be a better place.

 

[highfigh]

Morality is part absolute and part relative. Certain stuff is just plain wrong. Some stuff is up to the individual.

Some people think it's wrong to drink alcohol, but others don't that's relative. Burning down an entire village just for revenge is wrong.

Remember- for every person who finds some act or thing to be disgusting, there's always someone else who will go to great lengths to get or do this very thing/act.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

Just for the record, I am better than everyone else........

People like to feel that they're better than others .

 

[randyb]

I actually don't know which threads the OP is talking about. Can someone PM me the threads. Frankly, a thread on morality is going to have a lot of opinions. Philosophers have debated it for eons.

 

[lsiberian]

People like to feel that they're better than others and when they see that someone likes someone/thing that they consider disgusting, they instantly jump on their soapbox and start preaching. Some don't speak up but many do. Doing it in print often makes them much more bold in the same way some people are really brave on the phone and pussycats in person.

I think morality is personal for a lot of people- they don't want to be lumped together with others and want to make their own decisions about what they so, and with whom. Others are more interested in going with the herd, so they let the herd decide for them in matters of morality. Some people don't care who they hurt with their activities and some will do things that are self-destructive but won't intentionally harm others.

Jimmy Swaggart, Jim Baker and many others are shining examples that prove being "religious" or a "Man of God" doesn't preclude them from being absolute hypocrites and scumbags.

I'd think there were a lot worse examples. How about the persecutions of anabaptists?

Still just because there are scumbags who espouse view doesn't make the view suddenly incorrect. I've not met many people that I'd consider to be great people. We all have flaws.

Of course I also need a swift kick from a friend every now and then too.

For the record Jesus hung out with the Tax Collectors and sinners not the religious folk.

 

[Guiria]

I actually don't know which threads the OP is talking about. Can someone PM me the threads. Frankly, a thread on morality is going to have a lot of opinions. Philosophers have debated it for eons.

PM sent...although the opinions stated here are far more interesting than the other thread.

 

[lsiberian]

Remember- for every person who finds some act or thing to be disgusting, there's always someone else who will go to great lengths to get or do this very thing/act.

I'd say they were wrong and fight them on that point no matter the cost. Some things are flat out wrong and should be opposed. I've got no issue arguing a view of morality in the appropriate forum. But don't expect me to go around bashing anybody for their lifestyle.

 

[Guiria]

Enough of the steam vent for me...I'm off to read about things that pertain to audioholics.

Thanks for the useful and non-life threatening posts I'm glad to see there can be civilized discussions on matters we all don't see the same.

 

[Ares]

I have no problem with someone having a different point of view from mine,that's what makes life interesting but when someone goes on a rant about how morally superior they are to everyone else then I'm sorry I can't just sit back and say nothing. Now you approached the subject of morality with class and without judgment of those who may indulge in those actives that you don't,and for that I thank you. This other guy was trying to be an internet tough guy. Intolerance breeds tyrants look to history and see, Hitler comes to mind. And if good people said and did nothing how many more lives would have been destroyed by this tyrant of intolerance.

 

[JerryLove]

I would assert that morality is subjective. It exists in the mind of the observer rather than objective reality.

Judging an act as moral or immoral is relative: specifically it depends on what subjective moral code it is being compared to.

Even someone stating that morals are absolute and objective, generally speaking, is actually claiming (when you drill down on his beliefs) that one moral code is, for one reason or antoher, superior or authoritative.

 

[mike29892]

I would assert that morality is subjective. It exists in the mind of the observer rather than objective reality.

Very true.

 

[mtrycrafts]

I googled morality so here is a definition:

concern with the distinction between good and evil or right and wrong; right or good conduct
wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

Following my own beliefs, yes, I believe I am more moral than those that participate in such activities. That does, however, not make those that participate in said activities bad people.

The title of my thread is "Is morality relative?" I have my definition of what I believe is moral, it may or may not be the same as yours.

What is morality to you?

Regardless of how it is defined, my "morality" does not make me a greater person than the next and that is the purpose of my original post to begin with.

Perhaps morality is ones own code of conduct?

Back to the subject line, in general, morality is relative, so is right and wrong.

But, I am not a philosopher

 

[mtrycrafts]

... Frankly, a thread on morality is going to have a lot of opinions. Philosophers have debated it for eons.

And will for the same length of time to come So, it is very relative, at leas some of the aspects.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Morality is relative to each individual. So long as we don't try to shove our INDIVIDUAL morality down everyone elses throat all is fine.

Same goes for religion, a womans freedom to choose what she wants to do with her INDIVIDUAL body, politics.

If what someone else is doing has no impact on you, then there is no need to stick your nose into it.

It's called live & let live. If more people knew how to do so the entire world would be a better place.

I think we totally agree here The only issue is all that nose sticking that is going on.

 

[NicolasKL]

OP, you really think drinking beer, smoking, and watching R rated movies is immoral?

 

[mtrycrafts]

I'd say they were wrong and fight them on that point no matter the cost. ....

That's what some of the laws are about, aren't they? We have laws against Marijuana. Is that right or wrong?

 

[mtrycrafts]

Just for the record, I am better than everyone else........

Yes, and that is the relative side of things, right?

 

[mtrycrafts]

...
For the record Jesus hung out with the Tax Collectors and sinners not the religious folk.

Yes, the latter group is already converted

 

[highfigh]

Just for the record, I am better than everyone else........

No, you're not. I am. So there.