Chapter 3: Values and Morals:Guidelines for living - Psychological ...
Chapter 3: Values and Morals:Guidelines for living - Psychological ...
Chapter 3: Values and Morals:Guidelines for living - Psychological ...
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meanings of life. If a person neither accepts the values <strong>and</strong> morals of<br />
his/her family/community/church nor develops his/her own value<br />
system, the rest of us may suffer in the <strong>for</strong>m of crime, abuse,<br />
violence, inconsiderateness, <strong>and</strong> selfishness. Thus, I believe we all<br />
have a grave responsibility to decide upon <strong>and</strong> live by our own (but an<br />
acceptable) set of morals.<br />
It may be that religions have not given us nearly as many morals<br />
<strong>and</strong> values as commonly believed (although religion has obviously<br />
given believers some meaning, in the sense that, <strong>for</strong> Christians,<br />
believing in Christ <strong>and</strong> following "God's word" is thought to lead to<br />
everlasting life). There is evidence that religions gradually incorporate<br />
a society's morals <strong>and</strong> ambitions into what is proclaimed to be God's<br />
will (rather than correcting society's wicked ways). Thus, a pacifist<br />
religion--"turn the other cheek"--founded by the "Prince of Peace" has<br />
repeatedly supported religious crusades, wars <strong>for</strong> economic gain, <strong>and</strong><br />
"just wars" wanted by leaders or the people. Even though it appears<br />
that religions did not "invent" good morals, religions remain very<br />
strong, far from dead. In fact, <strong>for</strong> believers, religion amply satisfies the<br />
four powerful needs <strong>for</strong> meaning, e.g. purpose, directing many lives<br />
<strong>and</strong> promising salvation <strong>and</strong> less fear; values, telling us what is right<br />
<strong>and</strong> wrong; efficacy, offering the power of prayer <strong>and</strong> some feeling of<br />
control over life <strong>and</strong> death, <strong>and</strong> self- worth, including feeling superior<br />
to others <strong>and</strong> being loved, favored, <strong>and</strong> chosen by God. Religion helps<br />
people h<strong>and</strong>le life's mis<strong>for</strong>tunes <strong>and</strong> our enormous fear of death. For a<br />
brilliant analysis of religion's crucial role in denying death, read Becker<br />
(1974). Religion also provides a sense of belonging <strong>and</strong> a social<br />
support system. The payoffs of religion are so fantastic that if you<br />
believe in a religion, it is extremely threatening to even question it, let<br />
alone give up its alleged advantages.<br />
God is a delicate issue because some people need religion but<br />
others do not. The realist must ask: Did an omnipotent God create<br />
man or did insecure, frightened people create Gods? Most people<br />
might give a knee-jerk answer but thoughtful consideration of this<br />
question takes months or years. How you answer that question will<br />
influence your behavior somewhat, particularly in terms of church<br />
attendance, reliance on prayer, contributions to church activities <strong>and</strong><br />
buildings, <strong>and</strong> perhaps other ways. But your basic value system may<br />
not change at all: People are just as honest, caring, gentle, good, etc.<br />
when they no longer believe in God as when they did. Religion is not<br />
the only basis <strong>for</strong> being considerate of others, being faithful,<br />
unprejudiced, <strong>and</strong> <strong>living</strong> in harmony. These values are simply<br />
reasonable <strong>and</strong> beneficial. With or without a religion, we all have the<br />
same four needs to meet <strong>and</strong> most of the same moral choices to<br />
make. We can find meaning <strong>for</strong> our lives without religion. We won't all<br />
arrive at the same meaning, but we can, with ef<strong>for</strong>t, all be good <strong>and</strong><br />
do good in our own way. There is no one true meaning of life. Perhaps,<br />
as Baumeister says, "the quest <strong>for</strong> meaning, not the answer, is the<br />
real miracle of life."<br />
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