Are there really such things as good and evil and right and wrong? If so, how can we tell which is which and and why so? If they exist, by what authority are they defined? Why couldn't all actions remain undefined and be considered to be equal in every respect.
The obvious fact is that not all people agree upon what is right and wrong or good and evil. Religious and/or philosophical differences result in different opinions about the nature of an act. One of the things this says to me is that although some minor accommodations can sincerely be made to "tolerate" differences, commonality of definitions would provide a simpler, more satisfying result.
The American experience began with people who mostly had the same values to define good and bad. Even though the roots of these values are contained in religious concepts, they also fit any secular common sense appreciation of their correctness. They are the basis of the majority of our laws for that reason, they make sense. For anyone to say, for example, that it is wrong to condemn the murder of one by another because one of the commandments of God forbids it and therefore violates the so-called "separation of church and state" is obviously ridiculous. Many of our values are based upon religious roots but are not exclusively religious.
Some religions, including atheism, do contain beliefs and practices which our values cannot accept. What are we to do about religious freedom in these cases? Can we allow these to set their own concept of right and wrong in our society while we punish others for the same actions? Are we to have multiple sets of laws which allow every other group to define good and bad for themselves? Is behavior a personal thing to the point that society cannot insist on standards? Must we abandon all values because a minority are offended by them?
We are witnessing the decline of standards in our country which will eventually destroy us. Even the conduct of our "leaders" is appalling and signals the complete acceptance by many of an "anything goes" type of conduct. In fact, government regulations and many laws are hostile to religions and interfere with the "free exercise" concept. We will wind up with a sterile and baseless code of conduct which will please no one but the undisciplined.
The obvious fact is that not all people agree upon what is right and wrong or good and evil. Religious and/or philosophical differences result in different opinions about the nature of an act. One of the things this says to me is that although some minor accommodations can sincerely be made to "tolerate" differences, commonality of definitions would provide a simpler, more satisfying result.
The American experience began with people who mostly had the same values to define good and bad. Even though the roots of these values are contained in religious concepts, they also fit any secular common sense appreciation of their correctness. They are the basis of the majority of our laws for that reason, they make sense. For anyone to say, for example, that it is wrong to condemn the murder of one by another because one of the commandments of God forbids it and therefore violates the so-called "separation of church and state" is obviously ridiculous. Many of our values are based upon religious roots but are not exclusively religious.
Some religions, including atheism, do contain beliefs and practices which our values cannot accept. What are we to do about religious freedom in these cases? Can we allow these to set their own concept of right and wrong in our society while we punish others for the same actions? Are we to have multiple sets of laws which allow every other group to define good and bad for themselves? Is behavior a personal thing to the point that society cannot insist on standards? Must we abandon all values because a minority are offended by them?
We are witnessing the decline of standards in our country which will eventually destroy us. Even the conduct of our "leaders" is appalling and signals the complete acceptance by many of an "anything goes" type of conduct. In fact, government regulations and many laws are hostile to religions and interfere with the "free exercise" concept. We will wind up with a sterile and baseless code of conduct which will please no one but the undisciplined.
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