Vice and Virtue

What does it mean to be a good / ethical person?

To be just in our affairs; to be above board, honest and open; to be conscientious - not just act but put one's heart into it; to be equitable and fair in our affairs; to adopt a moral stance, but to live this out, too; to be virtuous - elsewhere we discuss virtues, here we want to put them into practice; to be honorable, loyal and supporting; to live a life of sharing and contribution. Life is full of rules. Life is full of standards. Life is full of values. You need to find your own. Elsewhere we discuss having a value system. To be ethical is to live this value system out in our day to day lives. Not only when the going is easy, but also when the chips are down.

Do you believe in Ten Commandments (They include instructions to worship only God, to honour parents, and to keep the sabbath; as well as prohibitions against idolatry, blasphemy, murder, adultery, theft, dishonesty, and coveting)?

An overrated lifestyle guide, unsustainable and largely ineffective, only succeeding in making people confused and guilty. For example: You shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, nor his house, nor his servant nor his ox, nor his donkey etc.

This was obviously a no-hoper. Coveting is all everyone does, all the time, every day. It’s what drives the world economy, pushes people to make a go of their lives, so that they can afford the executive model of their Ford Mondeo to park next to their neighbour’s standard model.

What do major world religions teach us about how people should act and behave?

When we think about religions and what they preach, we see a plethora of differences and even conflicts between teachings of different religion. And living in today’s world where everything is a click away and where we interact with people of all religions and diverse cultures on a daily basis, it can indeed be quite mind boggling to form a cohesive understanding of all the different religion when their teachings come in conflict with each other. At these times, there’s a certain quote that needs to be remembered, “Religion is flawed only because man is flawed.” However, there have been people in all times who have tried to bring all religions together and find the core principles which are imbedded in all of them. These core principals can then be the key to our understanding of the spiritual reality. God is omnipresent, he is everywhere. We are his creation and he is present in every inch of his creation. This resonates with all religions of the world. Belief in one God, one eternal power, one Supreme Being is common to all religions. Even in Hinduism the philosophy becomes a matter or metaphysics when it says to achieve the formless whole we have to go through the formed. The concept of nirguna and saguna might baffle us but the ultimate aim is the existence of one power, one boundless and formless form of energy who created our being and who we must all return to at the end of our lives. All religion mentions the existence of something beyond body in us. Some try to trace this to our consciousness but even then some supernatural or mystic element does exist in us is validated by all the religions. Bible says, “Fear not those who are able to kill the body they can never kill the soul.” Koran says- “A soul cannot die” and Bhagavad Gita talks in great detail about the cycles of life and death and how a soul is beyond all the process of life and death, that it is eternal. Spiritual power does not know class, caste or gender. It’s accessible to all and is highly merciful and unbiased. All religions teach us to be kind and sensitive to our immediate environments. They ask us to be compassionate to our fellow human beings and the world that we inhabit. There’s some form of Moral teaching in all religions and more than often there are many common threads which run through these religions. Morals are usually universal- Do not cheat, Do not lie, Do not kill, Do not steal etc. thus moralistic teachings of say The ten Commandments, Percepts of Buddha and those given in sermons of Krishna are all same and one. They ask us to focus on our own actions instead of going about criticizing the world. Philosopher for centuries have pondered over questions of a conscious whole. An ultimate unity of all our souls. Hegel described this as a Universal Mind, an entity which supersedes our own individual existences. All of these thoughts resonate in religions as well. Religions often teach that humankind is supposed to life in Unity, They ask us to behave towards each other as if we were of one kin. Peace and Non Violence are the ultimate teachings of all religions. Something that needs to emphasize in today’s world of bloodshed and wars. Bible asks everyone to be peacemakers for peacemakers are true children of God. Yet we fail to see this most important preaching of various religion and fight amongst ourselves on the name of religion, in the name of God. What kind of Holy Wars do we think we are fighting if they supersede the one basic principal that all religions of the world are based on.

Do you think religious people are more moral than nonreligious people?

The scriptures of the world’s great religious traditions are chock-full of moral teachings. Believers are encouraged to treat each other as neighbors, to be kind to strangers, and to help the poor. But religious people aren’t always more moral or righteous than nonbelievers – indeed, religions have inspired wars, inquisitions, and seemingly endless prejudice. Religion, Bloom points out, does actually seem to make people more altruistic and generous. Religious people give more to charities than non-religious people, including secular charities. Actively religious people are much more likely to say they are “very happy” with their lives than their secular counterparts. But as always – at least when it comes to religion – the positives are balanced nearly evenly by the negatives. For example, religious participation also often inspires people to be prejudiced against outsiders and minorities. Religious people are much more prejudiced against minority groups and foreigners than non-religious people. Private religious behaviors of all kinds don’t seem to make much difference when it comes to people’s ethical actions. For instance, among Palestinian Muslims attending mosque services often was associated with support of suicide bombings against Israelis, while individual prayer had no such association. The relationship between morality and religion is a difficult one. Calvinist Christian theologians like Karl Barth have argued that human morality has nothing to do with God’s sense of right and wrong, and that salvation can only come from God’s inscrutable decision. And, as other writers have pointed out, profound religious or mystical experiences often seem to blur the lines between good and evil, making the basic nature of the universe seem neither good nor bad.

In what ways are people violating spiritual laws and values?

Spiritual law – or divine law, truth and the life force in the greater sense – are all one, all eternal. The spiritual laws of self-responsibility, cause and effect, justice, and brotherhood, among others, are all interconnected. They overlap, expand or further define each other. Every decision, no matter how small, every deed or attitude, stands in direct relationship to one or more of the spiritual laws. Where we violate or deviate from these truths/laws, we obstruct our love, our growth, and our path. Divine law is always just and fair. It is determined first and foremost by not hurting others. Law in its real and divine sense has nothing to do with force and compulsion. Quite the contrary. As soon as force or compulsion sets in – whether it comes from outside or from within your own self – at that moment, divine law is violated. When these laws – the general as well as your, personal ones – are violated in your inner and outer reactions, your divine consciousness leads you inexorably in such a way as to restore order and balance in your life. Violation of spirutal laws and values can be seen when you forget the following laws: Law of Self-Responsibility. You create your own reality. Only you create your own happiness and unhappiness… Nothing can come your way that is not self-produced. Law of Paying the Price. There is a price to be paid for each desired gratification. The price for illusion is extremely high. The more you want to evade paying the natural and fair price, the heavier the toll becomes. This is unalterable law. All diseases of the soul are based on evasion in payment of the rightful price, desire and insistence on having it both ways – the easy way. Law of Cause and Effect. Every act has its consequences. Every thought and attitude, whether conscious or unconscious, is a definite act. But the more unconscious, the greater the consequence. Every thought and attitude, whether conscious or unconscious, is a definite act. But the more unconscious, the greater the consequence. As you give, so shall you receive. You never receive more than you invest. Every entity is always given a chance to solve his problems, conflicts, and disharmonies in the easiest circumstances possible. Law of Living in Truth (Facing Life). To face life's reality means to face yourself as you are, with all your imperfections; embrace life whole-heartedly, without fear, without self-pity or being afraid of being hurt. Say to yourself, “In order to become what I would like to be, I must first, without fear or shame or vanity, face what is in me.” Law of Brotherhood. To be able to open your heart to another brings spiritual help that you could not receive by your self. Law of Justice. Learn to detach yourself from the vanity of the little ego and pride, for only then will you have the proper proportion in comparing yourself to others and therefore have the same reaction for others as for yourself. This is what is meant by loving your brother as yourself. Concept of Awareness. You cannot purify – cannot eliminate a problem – if you don't first become aware of it. Concept of Self-Acceptance. You do not have to be perfect in order to respect yourself. All you have to do is to have a realistic attitude about your imperfections and to adopt a constructive attitude about them. Concept of Free Will. Every individual has complete free will. Free will doesn't mean you can do anything you please without it causing any effect. This is a gross error. Concept of Sacrifice. You have to give up what you want to gain. Without the willingness to let go, there is such a tension, such fear, that everything is taut inside and the good of life cannot come to be received. Only when one can lose without terror is winning possible. Concept of Harmony A human being living in complete and utter harmony with the life force would not die. Wherever the life force has not been violated, happiness, complete harmony and peace would be yours. Concept of Growth The only thing that gives meaning to life is to continuously grow.

Are crime rates rising these days?

Today, crime rate is a menace that each country faces. It is said that society has a direct influence in making criminals. Government imposed many laws to reduce crime rate to make world a better place to live in, but majority did not find expected results. In this essay I would like to discuss about some of the reasons why people committing crimes and what measures government could take to prevent it. First and foremost reason is unemployment and poverty. Everyone of us should have a job to reach our goals and fulfill our life. Population explosion also made difficulties to find jobs for each individual. Jobless person may find hard to make both ends meet and develop frustration among themselves. This at last end up in to antisocial or criminal activities where they get easy money. Another main reason is broken families or single parenthood. here children will not get any attention neither from the family nor from the society; feels alone and makes them engage in crimes. For instance, Children those have unpleasant past experiences would be rebellious to society. Medias like internet, porn movies and detective novels also plays a tangible role in making them worse. Population control is a major step to be implemented to abolish criminalities, starting small scale industries to provide job for the young graduates may also could cut short the unemployment. Last but not least implementing and enacting stringent laws and counseling also can suppress crime to a certain level. To put it in a nutshell, todays children are tomorrows law abiding citizens. Everything should start from the root level. Government and society are equally responsible to make them perfect and to avoid crimes.

Are people more prone to self-destructive behaviour (like alcohol and drug abuse)? Can the war against drugs be ever won?

Human beings are more likely to behave in more self- defeating ways depending different circumstances, such as a person’s mental health. If a person is depressed or anxious then that person is more likely to behave in a self-destructive way than a person would if they were mentally healthy. Other important factors that contribute to self-destructive behaviors include low- egos, low self-esteem and seclusion. Results from various studies propose that a “strong feeling of social inclusion is important for enabling the individual to use the human capacity for self-regulation in ways that will preserve and protect the self and promote the self's best long term interests of health and well-being." The war against drugs can't be won and it should not. This is a war without cause. Without reason. It is a political tool. The problem with drugs is single-fold. They are illegal. It is the illegality of drugs in a free society, that allows drug-pushers to flourish. It's drug dealers who cause the violence and the war. Legalize it, and there will be no more war. Tax it and billions will be made to help the poor, create jobs, education and infrastructure. Let people decide for themselves. The arrogance of a government deciding what a person can do with his own body, is what is causing the problem. No illegality, no war, coz there will be no dealers fighting each other and the police. It's a stupid, unneccesary war.

Is marriage in crisis?

We are living in truly momentous times. The historic pillars of Western civilization—biblical religion, marriage and the family—are under siege and crumbling. In the last half of the 20th century the fundamental building blocks of human society were compromised, corrupted and rejected at an alarming rate—and the trend is only accelerating. But what has caused this rapid demise of marriage and the family? For anyone willing to look, the contributing factors are not hard to find. Author Black states that the rise of relativistic thinking in the 1960s convinced many Americans that "they could trade responsibility and genuine commitment for sensual self-indulgence and self-gratification. Church and state, marriage and family, and many of our most sacred traditional values came under attack. The moral underpinnings of society were discarded in the name of personal freedom and self-actualization". Talk show host Jim Bohannon comments that when people began "doing their own thing" in the 1960s, families began to disintegrate. He observes that "doing your own thing, for parents, means splitting up over just about any provocation. It seems easier to divorce than stay married these days. Divorce has easy to follow steps, and a legion of lawyers to guide you. Marriage comes with no owner's manual, and is… hard work sometimes". Researcher Stanton writes that many today are "unable or unwilling to make the kind of commitment marriage requires".

Do you know any statistics of child abuse and violence in the family? Do you see a way to change the situation?

Imagine being a young child. Picture that someone is mistreating you, and you are completely unable to retaliate in any way. Imagine what would be running through your mind, all of the fear and hatred that you can do nothing with except hold it all inside. The United States government defines child abuse specifically as any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation to any individual who has not attained the age of 18 years, or an act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm to any individual who has not attained the age of 18 years. This is a serious problem that destroys the lives of innocent children every day. Statistics show that 903,395 children were confirmed as being abused in the United States during 1997 alone, and there were 1,439,284 reported instances of abuse in the United States. Those numbers add out to be in the neighborhood of 1.54% of the nations children being abused daily. Child abuse also accounts for nearly 57.5% of fatalities to children under the age of five. Experts also say that 87.1% of abused children are abused by both the mother and father. Roughly 2.7% of child abuse occurs in foster care. The most abundant form of child abuse is neglect. Neglect accounts for 53.5% of child abuse nationwide. Neglect is defined as: child less than 18 years of age whose physical, mental or emotional condition has been impaired or is in danger of becoming impaired as a result of the failure of the child’s legal guardian to exercise a minimum degree of care in supplying the child with adequate food, clothing, shelter, or education or medical care. Neglect also occurs when the legal guardian fails to provide the child with proper supervision or guardianship by allowing the child to be harmed, or to be at risk of harm which includes when the guardian misuses drugs or alcohol him/herself. Children who fall victim to neglect feel that their parents have no time for them. The psychological aspects of this type of abuse is that the child or children affected typically try to get attention at school or somewhere away from home, are abnormally aggressive, and become somewhat maniacal when left alone for long periods of time. The second type of child abuse is physical abuse, which is responsible for 22.7% of total abuse cases that were confirmed. Physical Abuse is characterized by the infliction of physical injury as a result of punching, beating, kicking, biting, burning, shaking or otherwise harming a child. Sexual abuse is the third type of child abuse, which accounts for 11.5% of all confirmed abuse cases. Sexual abuse includes fondling a child’s genitals, intercourse, incest, rape, sodomy, exhibitionism, and commercial exploitation through prostitution or the production of pornographic materials. Many experts believe that sexual abuse is the most under-reported form of child maltreatment because of the secrecy that so often characterizes these cases. The final type of child abuse is emotional abuse. This abuse is responsible for about 6.2% of all abuse cases. Emotional abuse includes acts or omissions by the parents or other caregivers that have caused, or could cause, serious behavioral, cognitive, emotional, or mental disorders. Several solutions are available to lessen the problem of child abuse, but there is no way to completely stop it. The sad part is that a child who is abused has about a 75% chance of becoming abusive as he or she matures into adulthood. A mother or father who was abused as a child is likely to abuse his or her children, and 87.1% of abused children are reportedly abused by both parents. My solutions differ from the experts, but I do think they have some great points to make. With a few changes in the said points, I think child abuse could be one day brought to a minimum. First, law enforcement agencies need to crack down extremely hard on these abusers. The standard penalty for a child abuser is having his or her children taken from the home. If the parent wanted the child there in the first place, then he or she would not have abused the child. When suspicion of mistreatment is present, I feel that there should be an immediate investigation and evaluations of everyone involved. This would be expensive, and a lot of people would object, but I myself would support it. Also, a very good point made by R. A. Caldwell is that all convicted child abusers would have some kind of proof of past abuse cases when they attempt to obtain a marriage license. Caldwell also added that a background check should be available to community leaders when a new person moves into that community. Automatic jail time needs to be placed on all convicted child sex offenders, as well as physical abusers. Our society today tends to lean toward mercy, and I don’t think it is a good thing. These people are hurting innocent children, and, in my opinion, there is no excuse to ever harm a child past the point of discipline. I also believe that there needs to be more organizations set up to relieve the pain that child abuse causes. Awareness programs need to be given in these organizations as well. First of all, parent awareness programs can be crucial to the way that a child is raised.

Should, for instance, morals and ethics be taught in our schools?

After we leave school, few of us will ever need to solve another quadratic equation, or remember the minutiae of cell biology. But we will all be faced with moral decisions. We face these decisions every day. Most of the time we don’t think about it, but ethics is everywhere; in the products we buy, the careers we choose, and the way we interact with others. The first reason to teach ethics is to help us reflect on the moral dimensions of the decisions we make. The second reason to teach ethics is that moral decisions are difficult, and will often be amongst the most important decisions of our life. In making them we will be almost entirely dependent upon our own capacities. We cannot escape the ultimate responsibility for making them, and even when we can seek the counsel of those we trust, we may receive competing advice. Finally, there is a public interest in teaching ethics. The ability to reason morally is a fundamental requirement of good citizenship, and an aspect of ‘civics education’ broadly understood. It is important that citizens know how laws are made, and how decisions can be challenged. But a robust democracy requires more: it requires citizens with the capacity to reflect on how their country ought to be. Issues as diverse as taxation and inequality, the limits to free speech, and the claims of future generations, all have a moral dimension. Citizens need to be able to spot flaws in arguments and weigh competing considerations if they are to exercise ‘self government’ in the fullest sense.