A question of morality.?

Question

Who decides what is "right" and what is "wrong"?

Are morals absolute? Are they black and white?

Answer 1

Morals are very grey simply because we all come at life with totally different experiences, backgrounds, ideas and traditions. What's right or okay to one person is totally unacceptable to another. But, there's no unbiased third party out there to tell us who is right and who is wrong.

Answer 2

Your own conscience decides what is right and what is wrong

Morals cannot be absolute, different societies have different sets of morals, for example, pre marital sex is an accepted fact in the western society, in the indian society it is still a taboo, as is single motherhood, while a single mother can be accepted in the west, there is absolutely no chance of that happening in the East, such mothers are usually shunned by their own families
I have a cousin who married outside her caste, and her family doesn't even talk of her, it's like she never even existed, God forbid but if anything ever goes wrong with her marriage she is completely on her own.

But I think this whole thing about morals, what is right and what is wrong is just nonsense, I believe that as long as the other person's actions do not harm anyone else in anyway, it should be fine, and ofcourse each individual has his/her own conscience to answer to, if you can sleep peacefully at night,without guilt, it's ok

I once read a poem which said that - while living on this earth we are bound to make a few mistakes and hurt people, even if unknowingly, but if on his deathbed a man can put his hand on his heart and say with honesty, that he never once tried to hurt another form of life intentionally, and even if he did, he was truly sorry for it, then that person can be sure to find forgiveness in the house of God. I use this to guide me

Answer 3

Morality is VERY subjective. A basic set of moral rules for a society are developed (and change) over time. For instance the American civil war was fought because one side was convinced of the morality of continuing slavery even though technically, the constitution of the United States guaranteed the equality of all men.

Today, in America, the vast majority would consider slavery morally reprehensible, even those that are themselves the ancestors of slave owners.

There will always be disagreements and all out wars because as long as people of different races, cultures and religions exist on this earth there will never will be a consensus.

Answer 4

Society decides what is right or wrong. Like if you lived in the 1800's, a woman wearing pants or cussing would be immoral. It just depends on where you live, what status you are (rich, middle class, poor), who your friends are, how your parents raised you. What's right in China isn't necessarily right in America or somewhere else. Same thing goes for what's wrong. What you say and do with your parents can be considered uncool to your friends.

So, like I said, society decides what's moral.

Answer 5

Ive been told by almost everyone I know & nowI can see that they were all right that I was always black or white nothing in between. But as you get older there is a gray area & I think each person according to what they believe decides whats right & wrong

Answer 6

Society dictates the "morals of the day", what was immoral in 1900, wouldn't be considered so now, TO AN EXTENT, but
BASIC MORALS NEVER CHANGE ,no it's not black and white, but in your heart you know there's a line not to cross.......was it a "white lie" to save someone's feelings, or a blatant lie for personal gain,---did you sleep with someone for personal gain instead of caring? The line between moral and immoral should be in your heart.....you'll know

Answer 7

A person should always be guided by their conscience. But if one is having trouble deciding what is right and what is wrong, they can always turn to the 10 Commandments for guidance.

Answer 8

Societies and religions establish what is right and wrong.
For example, in my country choosing a wife is my decision but in a lot of cultures this decision is tacked by other peoples like the parents. What is right and what is wrong?

Answer 9

As to who decides, its the society that you are in. For Christian's, morals are absolute as it is written in the holy book, the bible. You may want to read the new testament of the bible to find out. Please do.

Answer 10

As religion inculcates morality, it is therefore the truest philosophy, and on it is built the only lasting civilization. As an example of this, he points out the Christians of the time whose morality was on a very high level. The belief of this philosopher conforms to the truth, for the civilization of Christianity was the best and most enlightened in the world. The Christian Teaching was illumined by the Divine Sun of Truth, therefore its followers were taught to love all men as 32 brothers to fear nothing, not even death! To love their neighbours as themselves, and to forget their own selfish interests in striving for the greater good of humanity. The grand aim of the religion of Christ was to draw the hearts of all men nearer to God’s effulgent Truth.
If the followers of the Lord Christ had continued to follow out these principles with steadfast faithfulness, there would have been no need for a renewal of the Christian Message, no necessity for a re-awakening of His people, for a great and glorious civilization would now be ruling the world and the Kingdom of Heaven would have come on earth.
But instead of this, what has taken place! Men turned away their faces from following the divinely illuminated precepts of their Master, and winter fell upon the hearts of men. For, as the body of man depends for life upon the rays of the sun, so cannot the celestial virtues grow in the soul without the radiance of the Sun of Truth.
God leaves not His children comfortless, but, when the darkness of winter overshadows them, then again He sends His Messengers, the Prophets, with a renewal of the blessed spring. The Sun of Truth appears again on the horizon of the world shining into the eyes of those who sleep, awaking them to behold the glory of a new dawn. Then again will the tree of humanity blossom and bring forth the fruit of righteousness for the healing of the nations. Because man has stopped his ears to the Voice of Truth and shut his eyes to the Sacred Light, neglecting the Law of God, for this 33 reason has the darkness of war and tumult, unrest and misery, desolated the earth. I pray that you will all strive to bring each child of God into the radiance of the Sun of Truth, that the darkness may be dissipated by the penetrating rays of its glory, and the winter’s hardness and cold may be melted away by the merciful warmth of its shining.

It is my hope that the friends and the maid-servants of America become united on all subjects and not disagree at all. If they agree upon a subject, even though it be wrong, it is better than to disagree and be in the right, for this difference will produce the demolition of the divine foundation. Though one of the parties may be in the right and they disagree that will be the cause of a thousand wrongs, but if they agree and both parties are in the wrong, as it is in unity the truth will be revealed and the wrong made right.