from Verse One Hundred TenTherefore good and bad are the same in the sense that repudiation and praise depend on conventional trends; actions are equal in the sense that opposition and harmony depend on the time.~ Wen-tzu: Understanding the Mysteries ~
Like many Americans, I grew up in a Christian household that held to the belief that there is an absolute right and wrong that exists independent of humanity. These rules -- showcased in the Ten Commandments of the Old Testament -- supposedly are firm and unbending. Stealing and murder, for example, are held to be wrong in any circumstance...or so it seems!
However, a quick perusal of the Bible clearly shows that these rules are conditional. There are times when the deity supposedly orders his followers to commit these very acts. Even more telling, throughout the ages church doctrine seems to provide a lot of loopholes for these strict commandments too.
Killing is wrong, yet many Christians glorify and justify war. Stealing is wrong, yet it's quite okay if our country steals from your country, but not the other way around!!
In practice, Christianity seems to give a nod to what the Taoist sages knew all along -- right and wrong are dependent on the situation and circumstances. What may be the right action 99 times out of 100 may be the worst action in the 100th case. What may be horribly wrong in one generation may be stupendously correct in the next one.
This is the chief problem with so-called morality. It consists of hard and fast rules that at one time may have fit the circumstances, but may not fit the circumstances any longer.
This post is part of a series. For an introduction, go here.
However, a quick perusal of the Bible clearly shows that these rules are conditional. There are times when the deity supposedly orders his followers to commit these very acts. Even more telling, throughout the ages church doctrine seems to provide a lot of loopholes for these strict commandments too.
Killing is wrong, yet many Christians glorify and justify war. Stealing is wrong, yet it's quite okay if our country steals from your country, but not the other way around!!
In practice, Christianity seems to give a nod to what the Taoist sages knew all along -- right and wrong are dependent on the situation and circumstances. What may be the right action 99 times out of 100 may be the worst action in the 100th case. What may be horribly wrong in one generation may be stupendously correct in the next one.
This is the chief problem with so-called morality. It consists of hard and fast rules that at one time may have fit the circumstances, but may not fit the circumstances any longer.
This post is part of a series. For an introduction, go here.
Ah, yes. Morality is Belief in Right Belief. But Ethics is Belief in Right Action. You can be as Moral as you like, and do nothing at all to help others. Or through your Morals, decide to harm others in you superior right belief. If you are Ethical, and have positive Ethics, you decide, minimally, to not cause harm to others. If you have good Ethics, Morality becomes less important, almost a stumbling block -- Morality tends to be tied up in causes and conditions -- while Ethics adapt to whatever situation and context is at hand. This has been my experience. Thanks for the post.
ReplyDeleteThe 10 Commandments (which don't originate in Christianity, or even Judaism really) are guidelines...if you steal, or cheat on your spouse, or envy your neighbor, shit happens and you'll probably make yourself and others miserable. You will have to bear the consequences.
ReplyDeleteBut Jesus (who knew all the historical junk in the old scriptures) said there were only two commandments...love your neighbor, and love God...although you could think of this as becoming one with Tao. Is there somewhere in any of the Taoist canon that says stealing and killing is a good and right thing to do? I understand the situational ethics, but don't we have to start somewhere?
It is unfortunate that bad "Christians" and their bad behavior, and the Church itself, have obscured and tainted the real message.
And it is funny that the "verification word" I need to enter to post this comment was "ingod." Really.