Connected to EthicsConnected to Ethics Paul Chamberlain, Ph.D.Paul Chamberlain, Ph.D. Trinity Western University Trinity Western University

General Moral Principles

Specific Moral Questions Correct Moral Action

Complex moral & social dilemmasComplex moral & social dilemmas

More of themMore of them

IncreasinglyIncreasingly complexcomplex

TechnologyTechnology

Ethical Questions:Ethical Questions:

Cultural Moral MessagesCultural Moral Messages

PersonalPersonal PrivatePrivate Neither right or wrongNeither right or wrong OpinionOpinion Cannot imposeCannot impose

Loss of Moral Principles Loss of Moral Principles Loss of Loss ofa Moral Compassa Moral Compass

How should we think about God’s How should we think about God’s moral teaching?moral teaching?

Directions for the Human Directions for the Human MachineMachine

A FriendA Friend

Traditional moral values are Traditional moral values are questioned/ set aside questioned/ set aside

Is the moral landscape changing?

Her baby was born with spina bifida If the

mother had

known, she

wouldn’t have had him.

Now she is

suing her

family doctor for...

SanctitySanctity of life ethic of life ethic versusversus QualityQuality of life ethic of life ethic

Is the moral landscape changing?

Why does our Society seem so Why does our Society seem so morally confused?morally confused?

What’s going on here? I don’t understand!

Contradictory moral views Contradictory moral views held by the same peopleheld by the same people

Definition: no objectively true moralDefinition: no objectively true moral valuesvalues

Isn’t morality relative?

Subjective TruthSubjective TruthDepends upon the attitude or opinion ofDepends upon the attitude or opinion of the personthe personIs Is created/determinedcreated/determined by the subject by the subject

Does not depend upon anyone’s attitudeDoes not depend upon anyone’s attitude or opinionor opinion

Objective TruthObjective Truth

Is there to be Is there to be recognized/discoveredrecognized/discovered

Baseball Baseball Umpires:Umpires:Baseball Baseball Umpires:Umpires:““I call’m as I call’m as

I see’m”I see’m”““I call’m as I call’m as I see’m”I see’m”

““No, I No, I call’m as call’m as they are”they are”

““No, I No, I call’m as call’m as they are”they are” ““They ain’t They ain’t

nothing til nothing til I call’m”I call’m”

““They ain’t They ain’t nothing til nothing til I call’m”I call’m”

Analysis of Moral Analysis of Moral Relativism:Relativism:Analysis of Moral Analysis of Moral Relativism:Relativism:

3) Blue Folders 3) Blue Folders4) “A victim of injustice always knows an injustice is being done”

4) “A victim of injustice always knows an injustice is being done”5) A genuine injustice means that some objective standard of justice is being violated.

5) A genuine injustice means that some objective standard of justice is being violated.

1) No act could be condemned 2) No act could be commended

Morality & Social Responsibility:Morality & Social Responsibility: How we Grow it How we Grow it

Paul ChamberlainPaul Chamberlain

Give young people a biblically Give young people a biblically informed way of informed way of understanding understanding God’s moral teaching God’s moral teaching

Directions for the Human Directions for the Human MachineMachine A FriendA Friend

The Tolerance QuestionThe Tolerance Question

“Can I live out my morals without others thinking

I’m intolerant?”

The Assumption:The Assumption:

Intolerance is always bad Intolerance is always bad&&

Tolerance is always good Tolerance is always good

) Why is tolerance so ) Why is tolerance so important in our culture?important in our culture?

Truth is relativeTruth is relative

Goal : - get rid of truthGoal : - get rid of truth - pursue tolerance - pursue tolerance

Truth is the enemyTruth is the enemy

Result:Result:

Becomes Truth Becomes Truth versusversus Tolerance Tolerance

Objective truth is rejectedObjective truth is rejected

Tolerance winsTolerance wins

TruthTruth is downplayed is downplayed & &

Tolerance is elevatedTolerance is elevated

) What is true tolerance?) What is true tolerance?Tolerance entails Tolerance entails disagreement disagreement

YesYes

) Should Christians be ) Should Christians be tolerant? tolerant?

But not toward everythingBut not toward everything

What should we do?What should we do?

Speak truth in love: Speak truth in love: Eph. 4:15 Eph. 4:15

Respect other’s rights to Respect other’s rights to do the same do the same Protect what we hold dear by Protect what we hold dear by

legitimate intolerancelegitimate intolerance

“Is it wrong for me to impose my moral values on others?

Marginalized MoralityMarginalized Morality

KEEP OUT!!

Public Policy

A ResponseA Response

* Ask: Can my view really be written off as a “religious” view?

* Call for Consistency

* Define “Impose”

A Conversation onA Conversation onResponding to a Few ObjectionsResponding to a Few Objections

What follows is a fictional, yet realistic, conversation between Michael who considers himself a free thinker and his friend Isaac. Michael objects to the way Isaac expresses

his moral convictions to others.

Michael - “You’re imposing your moral/religious values on me. You can’t do that. Keep them to yourself. They’re your values.”

Isaac - “Don’t you believe in individual liberty?”

Michael - “Yes. Which is why I want to stop people like you from imposing their values on the rest of us. It limits our rights and freedoms.”

Isaac - “Don’t you express your views on moral issues? Don’t you try to influence public policy in a way you believe to be good?”

Michael - “Yes, but I’m not religious. You are; and you’re trying to impose your religious morals on the rest of us who are not religious.”

Isaac - “Does everyone agree with your moral values?”

Michael - “No, I guess not.”

Isaac - “So we both have values which not everyone agrees with.”

Michael - “True.”

Isaac - “And when you argue that certain laws should be enacted, aren’t you doing the same thing you were accusing me of doing, imposing your moral values on others who do not necessarily agree with you?”

Michael - “I don’t like the word ‘impose.’”

Isaac - “Neither do I, but since you used it, could we talk about it for a moment?”

Michael - “Why not?”

Isaac - “Is it imposing one’s moral values on to others to get involved in the democratic process to lobby and campaign, and to try to influence public policy in a way that you believe is good? Doesn’t democracy even invite us to do this? Is that imposing?”

(At this point, Michael could answer either “yes” or “no.” Suppose the answer is . . .)

Michael - “No.”

Isaac - “Good. Then we agree that as long as we are doing this, neither of us is imposing our moral values on others.”

(But suppose He answers . . .)

Michael - “Yes, it is imposing.”

Isaac - “Then we’re both guilty. So is everyone who tries to influence public policy this way. Right? Let’s get serious. We both know that imposing is the wrong word to describe what we’re doing here.”

(Note: This is usually applied only to certain worldviews, i.e., religious ones, but this is inconsistent. The same activity is carried out by many people of different views, but the negative term “impose” is reserved for those views which some disagree with.)

(Suppose this further objection is raised)

Michael - “But there is a difference between what you are doing and what I am doing.”

Isaac - “And what is that?”

Michael - “You are restricting people from doing something they want to do. We are not. If people want an abortion, or euthanasia, I say go ahead. If they don’t want to, they don’t have to. But you are trying to enact laws to stop people from doing these things because you think they are wrong. That is imposing.”

Isaac - “And you don’t do this?”

Michael - “No way! Not a chance! I impose nothing on anyone!”

Isaac - “How do you feel about child pornography?”

Michael - “It’s disgusting. It harms children.”

Isaac - “Should it be illegal?”

Michael - “Of course it should be illegal!”

Isaac - “What about rape, murder, speeding, tax evasion, and driving on any side of the road you please? Should these be illegal too?”

Michael - “Obviously. Stupid question.” (somewhat irritated)

Isaac - “Even though some people want to do these things?”

Michael - “Yes! And your point is . . .?”

Isaac - “That you do it, too.”

Michael - “Do what?”

Isaac - “You impose your values onto others who do not agree with you or want to live by your values. Every legal restriction is a restriction on someone’s choice and you just said you’re in favour of legal restrictions.”

Michael - “Sure, to prevent someone from harming another person.”

Isaac - “Let me get this straight. You believe it is legitimate to argue for laws which you believe are necessary to protect people even though some others may disagree with you?”

Michael - “Yes, and that’s the only reason!”

Isaac - “Exactly.”

Michael - “What?”

Isaac - “I said ‘Exactly.’ Because that is why I think abortion should be restricted by law.”

Michael - “Who is being harmed in abortion?”

Isaac - “The unborn, which I believe to be fully human in embryonic form.”

Michael - “But I don’t believe the fetus is human.”

Isaac - “Yes, I know. We disagree about who or what is being harmed in an abortion. Since I believe the fetus is human, I believe an abortion harms, in fact kills, a human and didn’t you just say it is legitimate to argue for a law you believe is necessary to protect people even though others may disagree?”

Michael - “Yes.”

Isaac - “So you don’t really have a problem with what I’m doing do you? You just called it ‘legitimate.’”

(Pause)

Michael - “But aren’t you forgetting something?”

Isaac - “Probably. What?”

Michael - “Those abortion protesters. Surely you admit they are imposing their morality onto others. They’re trying to stop people from having abortions.”

Isaac - “Yes, they’re just as bad as those logging protesters, and those seal hunt protesters, not to mention Martin Luther King and his civil rights protests. Do you condemn these, too?”

(Michael may answer either way. Suppose he answer . . .)

Michael - “No.”

Isaac - “Why not? They’re engaging in civil disobedience too, and trying to stop people from doing something they want to do. This is inconsistent.”

(But suppose He answers . . .)

Michael - “Yes, I do.”

Isaac - “Then what you’re really disagreeing with is civil disobedience in all forms, not just abortion protesters. You may be right. This is debatable, but let’s not be too quick here.”

Michael - “Why not?”

Isaac - “Are they really so different from the rest of us who lobby for new laws to restrict certain activities? In both cases we’re trying to stop people from doing things they want to do. In civil disobedience, the people themselves, try to stop the activities. In the other, we get the government and police to stop them for us.”

Michael - “But this is different. These people are breaking the law.”

Isaac - “True. That is the difference. In one case we use legal means to stop people. In the other case, they have given up on these and have turned to other means.”

Michael - “Which are illegal.”

Isaac - “Yes. I think that although this should be a last resort, history has shown that governments are sometimes like big ships, slow to change course to bring about justice.”

Sometimes it is individual people who recognize the injustice of a particular law or public policy and who are willing to put themselves at risk to force the issue, to appeal to people’s sense of justice and end an injustice. I’m thinking of slavery and the underground highway, M. L. King, the Ten Booms, Gandhi, the Hebrew midwives in Exodus, the followers of Jesus in Acts 5.”

Might makes rightMight makes right

But couldn’t social consensus be the basis of morality?

Any Any social consensus is social consensus is morally right morally rightPowerPowerSusan SmithSusan SmithA Few Good MenA Few Good MenNuremburg TrialsNuremburg Trials

What’s our moral foundation?

1) The world/universe 1) The world/universe without God without God 1) The world/universe 1) The world/universe without God without God

2) The world/universe with 2) The world/universe with God God 2) The world/universe with 2) The world/universe with God God

Two Scenarios:Two Scenarios: Two Scenarios:Two Scenarios:

What is so special about What is so special about humans?humans?What is so special about What is so special about humans?humans?

What could produce real good What could produce real good & & evil?evil?What could produce real good What could produce real good & & evil?evil?

Unanswered Questions:

Isn’t Christianity anti-gay?

not not in spite ofin spite of Christian teaching Christian teaching

One Misguided ResponseOne Misguided Response

scripture does not teach that scripture does not teach that homosexual activity is wronghomosexual activity is wrong

problem: Leviticus 18:22 , problem: Leviticus 18:22 , Romans 1:26-27, I Cor. 6:9-11Romans 1:26-27, I Cor. 6:9-11

but but because ofbecause of Christian Christian teachingteaching

What scripture calls immoral?What scripture calls immoral?

homosexual activity: Yes_ No _homosexual activity: Yes_ No _

orientation = tendency, desire, orientation = tendency, desire, temptationtemptation

temptation to sintemptation to sin

Better Approach

homosexual orientation: homosexual orientation: Yes_ Yes_ No _No _

sinsin

temptation = sin : Hebrews temptation = sin : Hebrews 4:154:15

2 different 2 different thingsthings

Christian Moral Teaching

homosexual activity is wronghomosexual activity is wrong

love homosexualslove homosexuals

not a super sinnot a super sin

homosexual orientation is a

special temptation for some