Potentially, this is likely to come off more as a rambling of convoluted ideology, and I apologise now if that is the outcome. Nonetheless, an interesting subject has come to light, and a fundamental base value system check has been initiated. So, I will leave this for discourse within the stimulated minds of the honorable ILP’ers:
America was founded, representatively, four hundred years ago by English journeyors, seeking release from oppression, religious and otherwise.
Having felt the need the to set the new country on a more correct philological path, the Bill of Rights and Constitution were created, without belaboring historical points, to convene a system of general equality and fairness of execution. These documents were and are the foundation of a new type of infrastructure, that the initiators believed would lead to the most fair living conditions, of the greatest majority. Personal proclivities aside, they were arguably, some great minds.
This country was built, primarily, and most concisely, on the moral structure of an earlier form of Christianity.
Before anyone decides to argue that point, which would be ludicrous, do what I have done, and look through some history, and even modern activity, with regards to legislative bodies, and their perfunctories.
Our currency all states, “In God We Trust”. Our legislative bodies, local, state and federal, all begin sessions with a form of Christian prayer. A witness or defendant in a trial, swears an oath of truth upon a Bible. The same for any Governor, and many locally elected officials. Military citizens take an oath with a Bible. The President elect of our nation is sworn in taking an oath of fielty and truth upon a Bible.
The very fabric of this nation has been woven with a Christian moral needle. I do not find this to be refutable.
Within myself, there is, as like with most others, an intrinsic system, which barks its’ morality to me, in those moments where a misstep is felt. On those occasions where that alone isn’t strong enough, the extrinsic system manifests as well, as a natural supporter of the former. I maintain objectivity in understanding that to each entity, morality is certainly relative internally. We often see similarity of moral type, but the subtleties may not appear as visible or noticeable, hence, I regard morality as a relative, yet an imperative.
Taking into account all the changes in this country in the past quarter century, and many of the interesting and intelligent writers encountered here, the adoption or creation of a new morality is becoming more obvious. Yet entirely uncertain.
Things are not as they were, especially from my youth, and the current socio-political bent, is not what I would consider pleasing. In my youth, respect for elders was paramount, of which I have another interesting story to relate at another time. In the neighborhood of my youth, other parents were to be respected, and their rules adhered to, without question. Profanity in public would be met with harsh criticism, and sometimes the offender even ostracized. Public intox, drug use, sexual debauchery, public lecherousness … considered immoral, wrong, incorrect. Then, not now.
Christianity was not a plague then either, something to be destroyed, but was a mainstay of general living. I am not a Christian, but neither will I attempt to destroy that which made this country a great nation, at a point in history. That would be unjust in my view.
Certainly, as humanity moves forward, old things will be left to the ashes of memories and ill-gotten ideas, things that did not hold their weight through the processes of change and reformation. Logic, analysis, critical thinking are certainly necessary in a greater degree now, due simply to the sheer masses of problems created by an ever burgeoning global populace.
It seems apparent to me, especially after exchanging discourse with some fine writing minds here, that morality is becoming an academic subject, and less a system of personal guidance. This may be an evolution of sorts, or it may be the precursor to the finality of humankinds inability to maintain even the semblance of equanimity, especially in America.
As a matter of personal supposition, I will assert that leaving away or behind the moral system that was and documentarily, is, the foundational structure of this country, will finalise an abject result. The results are writing themselves as these bits pass across the internets.
Shouldn’t every being look at the path behind, to justify the direction forward? Is this not the definition of prudence and sound judgement? Should we not lever the progress forward, in thought and action, with lessons of the past? Should we not critically think through the forward action, knowing the past, and ascertain a definitive system of replacement, before discarding what is there, with a void?
If you can’t look back, then you do not have a coordinating point for justifying where you are, and moving forward will be like stumbling drunkly into failure.
Where do we go from here? I have no answer.
) I’m not ready to go back to what I knew growing up, and I’m not ready to accept what I see before me. Whatever the answers are, they must be in the right now. This doesn’t mean that we can’t re-affirm those guiding principles from the past that are in need today, but we may have to find new language, new metaphors to fit a new time. I’m still skeptical that the percentage of those capable has changed. True, we see more neglect of common civility, but it is also true that we simply see more people as well. That, coupled to the constant barrage of media of every sort, and things look much worse than they probably are. Culture is often a swinging pendulum, and we seem to be at the end of one swing. I am both skeptical and cynical as you well know, but I have a tiny reservoir of faith in the human spirit. Our response is always late and mostly misguided, but I’ve confidence that we will pull back from the brink. It won’t look like what we grew up with, but it will be recognizable. Patience, my friend, and keep putting youself out there. I find that preferable to retreat. On any long march into unknown territory, there are always those who scout ahead. Stay the course.