Getting It

We return to the knotty problem of morality that includes how to identify it, and how to make it effective in life.  A man was found in Europe to have hidden in his dilapidated house a cache of art objects that had been stolen worth many millions of dollars. They had been bought, donated or stolen before and during World War II largely under the aegis of Adolph Hitler.  There was search for these originals for decades since 1945.  When reviewed by the eminent TV program, 60 Minutes, the engaged attorney noted that the real matter included the morality of treating stolen goods, but that the case may not be strong because the law is not designed to deal with morality related to the matter, since current laws do not address morality issues.  It is believed that the matter will be settled in that the museum to which the government will vouchsafe the art has suggested that the pieces that can be proved to have been stolen will be returned to the heirs of the owners, and what is not claimed will be museum property.  Most involved persons doubt that the matter can be settled by law, unless issues of morality are recognized.  This is taken as a dramatic point to be settled out-of-court.  The firmness of institutions not to rule on morality, except in dealing with religious institutions, has hardened.  (A god-figure is needed for morality.)  During my collegiate years, colleges were often seen not only as educational centers, but administrative in loco parentis, filling out the formative years of students leaving parental authority.  In loco parentis has been abandoned or weakened.  My entrance into a state university included a statement from the administration that students were to keep the laws of the city.  That would be all that would be said of the matter.  To break the civic laws of the city would be dealt with by the police and courts, with no input or involvement from the university. 

Universities have been faced in recent decades with the embarrassment of sexual escapades, both consensual and forced, with drunkenness that has brought the institutions and fraternities into collision, with students in exotic employments that distract from classrooms, and the story enlarges.  It was assumed by the members of the Board of Trustees, the sponsoring church body, and nearly all the parents that I, as president of a church related college, would be arbiter in moral matters following biblical principles for values.  Had I not treated matters seriously related to Christian morality, the student body population would have rather quickly declined.  Those not leaving on their own would have been withdrawn by their parents.  (I do not doubt that the standard also limited our growth, but the students would have been different than our target ones.)  Currently a professional basketball player in our state community was arrested for wife abuse.  Authorities will deal with it only on the basis of law.  The fellow, if he returns to play basketball, will be treated differently by many fans feeling related to the matter.  If tried and found guilty the man will serve a sentence.  On release he will argue that he paid the price of error according to law, and should be treated without any fallout related to morality.  He will not escape a large public that will continue to hold the man guilty until he confesses his wrongdoing and seeks forgiveness of his family, perhaps to the employer who may have been affected.  Even then there will have to be an attitude and practice of humility that prove his sincerity and change.  When consequences of ill conduct are found to be so far-reaching, and relating to human experience, it surprises me that we do not have a program of public education that addresses the matter of values and morality as it relates to the whole community. 

The point is that for both pagan and religious cultures, variances in the interpretation of morality/values, and the difficulty in understanding issues, have caused leaders and institutions to opt out of responsibility for righteousness (right) in life course.  Fumbling, over right and wrong, causes loss in direction for society that leads to decay and general carnality.  Society weakens.  That morality plays an important role in both secular and spiritual contexts is illustrated in Genesis 20, where both the king representing the general society and Abraham representing the child of God are faced with moral judgment affecting the lives of all citizens – not only the religious.  Morality continues to be vital to human life.  It invites our study.