America's New Moral Code is Leaving Christianity Behind

[bobhikes]

People that do that should be locked up. Violently attacking anyone who isn't violently attacking someone else is criminal. And it is far, far worse than simply f**king in public.

It is a criminal act but it is simple to avoid and that is my point. Why do you want to risk it? People die for stupid reasons every day and the criminals go to jail but that doesn't bring the person back. If 10% of the population will have a negative reaction to you going to the grocery store naked, why would you go to grocery store naked.

 

[Polymath257]

It is a criminal act but it is simple to avoid and that is my point. Why do you want to risk it? People die for stupid reasons every day and the criminals go to jail but that doesn't bring the person back. If 10% of the population will have a negative reaction to you going to the grocery store naked, why would you go to grocery store naked.

Sorry, but if people go violent because someone is female, does that mean women aren't allowed in public? if someone goes violent because they see two guys kissing, does that mean that guys shouldn't kiss in public? if someone goes violent because of skin color, does that mean only whites get to go around in public?

The potential violence of criminals isn't a good reason to avoid perfectly good behavior.

/E: Simply avoid becoming violent.

Now, we can ask if going around naked is 'reasonable', but that is independent of whether someone else will go violent about it.

 

[bobhikes]

Sorry, but if people go violent because someone is female, does that mean women aren't allowed in public? if someone goes violent because they see two guys kissing, does that mean that guys shouldn't kiss in public? if someone goes violent because of skin color, does that mean only whites get to go around in public?

The potential violence of criminals isn't a good reason to avoid perfectly good behavior.

/E: Simply avoid becoming violent.

Now, we can ask if going around naked is 'reasonable', but that is independent of whether someone else will go violent about it.

I feel like I'm explaining to a teenager. Check the news, Women are assaulted regularly in public spaces, same for people of color. If you are a women or a different race it is not easily avoidable and we have criminal laws and police. Kissing in public, Going naked in public and having sex in public are easily avoided and if they put you in danger why risk it.

Everyday Sociology Blog: Who is Most Likely to be a Crime Victim?
Males are more likely to be victims of violence than females
I was wrong on this it says its a common misconception though.
Blacks are more likely to be victims of violence than whites

 

[Polymath257]

I feel like I'm explaining to a teenager. Check the news, Women are assaulted regularly in public spaces, same for people of color. If you are a women or a different race it is not easily avoidable and we have criminal laws and police. Kissing in public, Going naked in public and having sex in public are easily avoided and if they put you in danger why risk it.

I'm sorry if you truly live your life wondering what you are doing that *might* cause someone to go violent.

Kissing is NOT illegal. I am certainly NOT going to stop kissing my partner simply because you or anyone else *might* get offended. Anyone that is can take a long walk off a short pier.

Going naked or having sex in public are usually illegal. That *still* isn't a reason to cater to those who are so unstable that they can't deal with others rationally.

 

[bobhikes]

I'm sorry if you truly live your life wondering what you are doing that *might* cause someone to go violent.

Kissing is NOT illegal. I am certainly NOT going to stop kissing my partner simply because you or anyone else *might* get offended. Anyone that is can take a long walk off a short pier.

Going naked or having sex in public are usually illegal. That *still* isn't a reason to cater to those who are so unstable that they can't deal with others rationally.

As I said to my niece when she was so proud of herself after giving the middle finger and cursing at the person that just cut her off. You can do what you like but what you are doing is dangerous. I had a friend that was shot for doing the same.

Its your life live it as you wish, understand other's will do the same and not all are going to be friendly.

 

[Polymath257]

As I said to my niece when she was so proud of herself after giving the middle finger and cursing at the person that just cut her off. You can do what you like but what you are doing is dangerous. I had a friend that was shot for doing the same.

Its your life live it as you wish, understand other's will do the same and not all are going to be friendly.

Let's hope that some that won't be friendly go and deal with their anger problems somewhere more constructive, like therapy.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

“Two-thirds of American adults either believe moral truth is relative to circumstances (44 percent) or have not given it much thought (21 percent),” the survey [research recently conducted by the Barna Group]* divulged. “About one-third, on the other hand, believes moral truth is absolute (35 percent). Millennials are more likely than other age cohorts to say moral truth is relative — in fact, half of them say so (51 percent), compared to 44 percent of Gen-Xers, 41 percent of Boomers and 39 percent of Elders. Among the generations, Boomers are most likely to say moral truth is absolute (42 percent), while Elders are more likely than other age groups to admit they have never thought about it (28 percent).”**

Those whose moral compass is grounded in the Bible view morality in a much different light.

“Practicing Christians (59 percent) are nearly four times more likely than adults with no faith (15 percent) to believe moral truth is absolute,” the statistics show. “Those with no [Christian] faith (61 percent), meanwhile, are twice as likely as practicing Christians (28 percent) to say it is relative to circumstances. Americans who adhere to a faith other than Christianity are roughly on par with the national average on this question.”

Writing a new moral code

Barna President David Kinnaman contends that research indicates a new brand of morality has evolved in America. He insists that Christianity has for the most part been removed as the cultures’ moral norm and replaced with a new moral code, which he says consists of six tenets:

The best way of finding yourself is by looking within yourself
People should not criticize someone else's life choices
To be fulfilled in life, you should pursue the things you desire most
The highest goal of life is to enjoy it as much as possible
People can believe whatever they want, as long as those beliefs don't affect society
Any kind of sexual expression between two consenting adults is acceptible
source​

* The Barna Group is an evangelical Christian polling firm based in Ventura, California.

** Millennials (born between 1984 and 2002),
......Gen-Xers (born from 1965 to 1983),
......Boomers (born from 1946 to 1964)
......Elders (born in 1945 or before)



So . . . is this change good or bad?

.

What change? The move to relative morality?
Doesn't that make it ironical that the Barna President believes those 'morals' can be distilled into 6 points?

 

[Skwim]

What change? The move to relative morality?

So it appears.

Doesn't that make it ironical that the Barna President believes those 'morals' can be distilled into 6 points?

How so?

.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

How so?
.

It appears an objective distillation of supposed subjective morals. Subjective morals without context are merely (at best) a list of actions, with an assumption that they are consistent with the moral code informing them.

 

[Sand Dancer]

Xianity didn't become religion's top dog by standing idly by.
I'm sure it will adapt & thrive.

Unfortunately many are leaving, with mostly the far right ones remaining, who will never adapt.

 

[Revoltingest]

Unfortunately many are leaving, with mostly the far right ones remaining, who will never adapt.

Give'm time to cope.

 

[Sand Dancer]

Give'm time to cope.

True. They have probably all fainted.

 

[Skwim]

It appears an objective distillation of supposed subjective morals.

Truthfully, half of them come across as platitudes rather than morals.

Subjective morals without context are merely (at best) a list of actions, with an assumption that they are consistent with the moral code informing them.

Agreed.

.

 

[Polymath257]

As I said to my niece when she was so proud of herself after giving the middle finger and cursing at the person that just cut her off. You can do what you like but what you are doing is dangerous. I had a friend that was shot for doing the same.

Its your life live it as you wish, understand other's will do the same and not all are going to be friendly.

I'm curious if you also refrain from discussing controversial subjects in public because someone *might* get offended. That can be dangerous.

I also wonder if the problem was two guys kissing. If so, do you get upset when a man and a woman kiss in public? Truthfully, either way I would say you need some counseling on this.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

It is a criminal act but it is simple to avoid and that is my point. Why do you want to risk it? People die for stupid reasons every day and the criminals go to jail but that doesn't bring the person back. If 10% of the population will have a negative reaction to you going to the grocery store naked, why would you go to grocery store naked.

So? Plenty of people have a negative reaction towards me for being non-theist, for being a communist, for my choices in music, and of course lots of people have negative reactions towards transgender people. And even when I was young, I was bullied to the point you might as well say people then had a negative reaction towards my existence.
Just because someone might have a negative reaction, that isn't good enough reason to not do something. My family had a negative reaction when I decided to re-enroll in college. Sometimes, doing things that others approve of just isn't the right thing to do, an doing the right thing will not always have others lending their support.

 

[LukeS]

The most enjoyment of life? That seems self indulgent.

Probably a primitive response to secularism, an a-social YOLO .

The wisdom of the ages seems to indicate that unbridled self indulgence is folly. Its like "defection" in game theory. Take the winnings and run from responsibility.. This may be good for the individual player, but bad for the group. I'm not necessarily collectivist, but political level 'collective bargaining' ought IMO to have an element of solicitude. We are political creatures - this "forget the bible" ethos seems to forget this itself.

Probably the right wing individualism of America is a cause too. You work, you consume, you be as happy as possible. Repeat.

Whatever happened to the saints?

 

[LukeS]

"We live in times wherein many are grown atheists. They have run through all opinions, and now of professors they are turned epicures; they have drunk in so much of the poison of error that they are quite intoxicated and fallen asleep, and begin to dream there is no such state of blessedness after this life; and this opinion is to them above the Bible. When men have the spiritual staggers, it sadly presages they will die." Thomas Watson (1600s Puritan preacher) - The Beatitudes

 

[Shadow Wolf]

The wisdom of the ages seems to indicate that unbridled self indulgence is folly. Its like "defection" in game theory. Take the winnings and run from responsibility.. This may be good for the individual player, but bad for the group. I'm not necessarily collectivist, but political level 'collective bargaining' ought IMO to have an element of solicitude. We are political creatures - this "forget the bible" ethos seems to forget this itself.

Actually, this "unbridled self indulgence" is more found in philosophies such as Ayn Rand's right/Libertarian philosophy of "rational self interests." And hedonism doesn't actually have that big of a following. And, ultimately, even though who are strongly against the Bible do realize and acknowledge and accept we are social animals and together we prosper more.

 

[Silverscale derg]

“Two-thirds of American adults either believe moral truth is relative to circumstances (44 percent) or have not given it much thought (21 percent),” the survey [research recently conducted by the Barna Group]* divulged. “About one-third, on the other hand, believes moral truth is absolute (35 percent). Millennials are more likely than other age cohorts to say moral truth is relative — in fact, half of them say so (51 percent), compared to 44 percent of Gen-Xers, 41 percent of Boomers and 39 percent of Elders. Among the generations, Boomers are most likely to say moral truth is absolute (42 percent), while Elders are more likely than other age groups to admit they have never thought about it (28 percent).”**

Those whose moral compass is grounded in the Bible view morality in a much different light.

“Practicing Christians (59 percent) are nearly four times more likely than adults with no faith (15 percent) to believe moral truth is absolute,” the statistics show. “Those with no [Christian] faith (61 percent), meanwhile, are twice as likely as practicing Christians (28 percent) to say it is relative to circumstances. Americans who adhere to a faith other than Christianity are roughly on par with the national average on this question.”

Writing a new moral code

Barna President David Kinnaman contends that research indicates a new brand of morality has evolved in America. He insists that Christianity has for the most part been removed as the cultures’ moral norm and replaced with a new moral code, which he says consists of six tenets:

The best way of finding yourself is by looking within yourself
People should not criticize someone else's life choices
To be fulfilled in life, you should pursue the things you desire most
The highest goal of life is to enjoy it as much as possible
People can believe whatever they want, as long as those beliefs don't affect society
Any kind of sexual expression between two consenting adults is acceptible
source​

* The Barna Group is an evangelical Christian polling firm based in Ventura, California.

** Millennials (born between 1984 and 2002),
......Gen-Xers (born from 1965 to 1983),
......Boomers (born from 1946 to 1964)
......Elders (born in 1945 or before)



So . . . is this change good or bad?

.

It's a good thing, the bible caused witch hunts for those who dared worship the earth and held non human animals at the same level as humans. Pagans worshiped the earth and wanted it to be safe yet the church or the bible at least wants them dead but "thou shall not kill" right? Not only did "god" kill everyone with the flood but he also said it was good. Such a messed up creature to make up a rule to break for himself.