Morality - Part Six

In Parts One through Five I discussed my views of how morality evolved as society changed. How it was my thinking that morality was not a static list of do's and dont's, shalts and shalt-nots, but a growing, adaptive force that reflected what the greater society saw as beneficial for its continuance. This view is at variance with how many people look at morality: rules set down by a "higher power", a god whose proclamations are by definition moral. Despite the stated opinion that morality is god-derived, we have seen moral standards change in our lifetime. Legal racial discrimination, sexism and attitudes toward a variety of issues have slowly moved away from the prevailing morality of earlier generations. Holy books are interpreted differently, old assumptions are re-examined and we move on. What should morality be based on? Some might question the validity of situational ethics and moral relativism, but a morality based on something other than religious texts need not be immoral. Defining a moral/ethical system is not a simple or easy thing, but it should take into account an individual's right to follow the dictates of their own desires as well as society's need to be protected from unrestricted selfishness. To use a current example: does the fact that two people who happen to be of the same gender want to be married and enjoy the benefits of that state harm those who are married and of different genders? Does it harm the greater society? Other than deviating from the old order and contravening tradition as enshrined in "holy books" (or their interpretation) I would argue that no harm is done and that an extension of those benefits would be a moral thing to do.

The needs and desires of the indivual and the society must be balanced when determining the morality of a given action. And individuals are free to consider their religious traditions in their weighing of situations and actions; but society, and it's representative, government, must not be required to consider religion in the sphere of societal ethics.