Look Who's Back (It's Morality!)
By Tom Fairbank
Okay, so refuting what I wrote a few months ago I now believe in morality. I first started to accept this belief a few weeks ago while in prayer. After reasoning through it I know it to be true.
I believe that inside every person is a desire to act in harmony with the universe. While before I claimed that morality was created by each individual, I now see it as expressed, experienced and interrupted differently by each individual but being a universal characteristic to all of humanity. Since I now believe all people have a natural inclination to act in harmony with the universe, I cannot say that morality does not exist or that it is merely self-created, for it exists in every one of us as an fundamental part of who each of us are.
I now see my ant experiment as demonstrating a natural desire to act in harmony with the universe. This desire is simply expressed, experienced and interrupted uniquely by me to create my unique experience.
What about those who seem to act in ways so unharmonious to the universe? Are they not evidence that morality does not exist since they do not behave as if they have this natural desire for order in the universe?
These people still have this desire to act in harmony with the universe, yet they also have conflicting desires. Often these other motives involve justifying their self-worth, defending their ego or protecting 'their' communities. Notice the verbs in the last sentence: justifying, defending and protecting. These are all defensive words and they are used when people feel threatened. I believe that when people are in a state of fear they are more likely to forget the higher moral purpose of life.
While I now believe in morality I still do not believe in any judgment. Even though every person has a natural desire to bring harmony to the universe, I do not think this type of morality requires man or the universe to be judgmental. I simply think that every person's 'unique self-created morality' has the same origin.
So what is a person to do under this school of thought; follow their own 'self-created morality' or follow the universal morality that lies within us all? This is a trick question for our own views of morality are intimately connected to the universal morality inside us all. So one should continue to follow their own 'self-created morality' but understand that this belief structure is always in a state of continual change and growth. One should seek the moral source that lies within and attempt to follow this inner guide. Silent prayer, or meditation, can both be useful mediums for this purpose.
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