What is the greatest moral issue in modern society?

[URA]

I get my wisdom from sources that are more rational thanks.

I'm always interested in the input of non-Christians, as most of my friends from home are some form of atheist/agnostic, and thinking of religion in broader & more critical terms has been the basis of my faith journey.

What about the aforementioned passage from Proverbs do you find unwise? I find it very odd that the words of a religious text would be immeeiaimme dismissed without any detail about why. While I've only ever been Chistian, I find it quite useful & interesting to read other religious texts. I used to have my browser automatically open to a daily verse from the Bible, the Quaran, and the Hindu texts; the only reason I stopped was because the websites didn't work well!

 

[URA]

I think its very foolish equating the works like you do and it shows very little understanding of all three.

With all due respect, if you claim the Bible is full of contraidctions, I don't believe you understand it well. If you reject religious texts, why do you seem to think you understand the Bible better than Christians?

I can have a lot of respect for atheists who truly consider some religious claims, and perhaps you have in the past (I won't act like I can assume your background; call me out if I have, please). However, it is just as difficult for a religious person to talk with an atheist that automatically dismisses religious claims, than it is for you to talk to someone who automatically dismisses any non-Christian claims. Please try to have more respect & specific reasons through this discussion; I want to have a good conversation, but it's hard when one side is so closed-minded against the other.

Peace & all good,
Alex

 

[muichimotsu]

The examples are all over the place. We witness them on a daily basis. I'm surprised that you'd say what you did, frankly.

Have you not noticed that, for example, if the president makes a Twitter tweet that condemns violence, he is quickly criticized for supporting "white supremacism," of all things!

The point is that once the speaker "knows" that he is moral, and the President, by definition and in all instances, is a reprobate, nothing changes that and everything "proves" it...to the person who identifies his own judgment with morality. It doesn't even matter what the particular issue is or what's been said.

Now, before the inevitable "NeverTrump" kind of retort comes back, I mention this only for two reasons: you asked for examples and this one is very fresh.

But there are plenty of others, and they do not all refer to questionable pronouncements made by people from the same side if the socio-political fence.

You think Trump isn't talking out both sides of his mouth here? And even if he says something on a rare occasion that might not be the ravings of a septagenarian who thinks he's entitled to say whatever he wants with NO consequences, that doesn't excuse the majority of stuff he says that is reprehensible to any person who's not taking his position as president as the primary concern.

And not everyone does this, so your generalization doesn't help, to say nothing of Trump not making things better in most everything I'm aware of. Even with the pandemic, he screwed up so bad the deaths of people that could've been prevented had he not done the irresponsible actions he thought would "help", including downplaying the whole threat, are on his hands and he doesn't care, he only tries to save face in some duplicitous fashion that makes prior Republican presidents look like paragons in comparison

Your extreme example is the problem, not the observation of partisan politics being a thing and even tribalistic attitudes: the notion that there are lots of people calling for someone to lose their human rights is something you actually need to substantiate, not speak in generalities as if I'll just take that as evidence for the specific claim you're making

 

[muichimotsu]

"fanaticism" praised in the book of Proverbs?

Who do you think you are fooling?

Did you imagine none of us have read the Book of Proverbs?

Wake up. This is Christians Forums, so that means some here will have read the Book of Proverbs.

Proverbs 19:2 Even zeal is no good without knowledge, and he who hurries his footsteps misses the mark.

Perhaps I misspoke and I can admit that: the problem is how vague or uncommon the calls to not be a fanatic are in the bible. Or, more importantly, how much content the bible has when God, if it's truly all knowing, could've condensed the whole thing greatly. But I guess if we have to deal with the human canon that God barely played a part in, then sure, God's "off the hook" and we just get to blame each other for not having the Holy Spirit or such

The expectation of the esoteric knowledge one has to have in regards to this book smacks of fanaticism to me implicitly in the worldview even if there are verses suggesting that you should be wary of it. Because you still have the problem where this book is seen as the be all and end all, everything else insinuated to be virtually useless

 

[JIMINZ]

Well maybe, but its very different kind of works. The bible is an ecclectical collection from numerous authors who often contradict one another. It has many different themes and covers many subjects.

The works of Marx or Lenin, they cover something completely different and have another purpose.

I think its very foolish equating the works like you do and it shows very little understanding of all three.

Do you mean the same way your understanding of the Bible and the things written within the pages of it are lacking.

By the way, there aren't any contradictions within the Bible, those things would only appear because of your understanding of it.

 

[JIMINZ]

One nonsensical comment deserves another.

I can fully understand why you would say that about what you posted.

 

[JIMINZ]

Perhaps I misspoke and I can admit that: the problem is how vague or uncommon the calls to not be a fanatic are in the bible. Or, more importantly, how much content the bible has when God, if it's truly all knowing, could've condensed the whole thing greatly. But I guess if we have to deal with the human canon that God barely played a part in, then sure, God's "off the hook" and we just get to blame each other for not having the Holy Spirit or such

The expectation of the esoteric knowledge one has to have in regards to this book smacks of fanaticism to me implicitly in the worldview even if there are verses suggesting that you should be wary of it. Because you still have the problem where this book is seen as the be all and end all, everything else insinuated to be virtually useless

Now there is where you are emphatically wrong, it says it very plainly no insinuation needed, it is all useless because, besides the Bible being the be all and end all, there is no truth about the Supreme Creator of the Universe, (GOD).

 

[muichimotsu]

Now there is where you are emphatically wrong, it says it very plainly no insinuation needed, it is all useless because, besides the Bible being the be all and end all, there is no truth about the Supreme Creator of the Universe, (GOD).

So you admit that your belief in the bible is purely based on your conviction and not actually any evidence then?

 

[JIMINZ]

Perhaps I misspoke and I can admit that: the problem is how vague or uncommon the calls to not be a fanatic are in the bible. Or, more importantly, how much content the bible has when God, if it's truly all knowing, could've condensed the whole thing greatly. But I guess if we have to deal with the human canon that God barely played a part in, then sure, God's "off the hook" and we just get to blame each other for not having the Holy Spirit or such

The expectation of the esoteric knowledge one has to have in regards to this book smacks of fanaticism to me implicitly in the worldview even if there are verses suggesting that you should be wary of it. Because you still have the problem where this book is seen as the be all and end all, everything else insinuated to be virtually useless

Do you not know that a Fanatic, or Zealot is just a person who believes more strongly about what he knows than you do and expresses it openly.

I find it odd that a person is admired for their being a Fanatic about their love of sports, music, or any other subject, but when it comes to a persons Love of GOD, the word Fanatic itself becomes a word of disdain and the person is looked down on as one of the dregs of humanity, but then again that is what Jesus said would be the norm for the Christian.

 

[klutedavid]

Of all the issues in modern society, what is the greatest?

I had this question as an assignment in my Christian Morality class, and I thought it would be good to share it here. I had a friend who put down that the greatest moral issue is that we keep talking about moral issues without actually doing anything about them. I liked that idea, and when I had another assignment I wrote in the class (about a controversial moral issue), I decided to write about the societal acceptance of laziness.

I think laziness could rightly be defined as at least 1 of the greatest moral issues in modern society. It is a fundamental problem, because the more laziness is accepted, the less will be done about any moral problem. I see it all the time when people waste hours on YouTube, Snapchat, or any of the vast entertainment platforms that are available today. What would happen to mental health problems, and moral issues throughout the world today, if people put aside this entertainment in favor of doing something that brings accomplishment to their life? Not the entertainment is bad in and of itself, but when entertainment becomes a way of life, we miss out on so much!

So what do you think?

I would hazard a guess that unbelief in Jesus, would be the most serious moral issue.

 

[klutedavid]

Do you not know that a Fanatic, or Zealot is just a person who believes more strongly about what he knows than you do and expresses it openly.

I find it odd that a person is admired for their being a Fanatic about their love of sports, music, or any other subject, but when it comes to a persons Love of GOD, the word Fanatic itself becomes a word of disdain and the person is looked down on as one of the dregs of humanity, but then again that is what Jesus said would be the norm for the Christian.

That's a very good point.

 

[JIMINZ]

So you admit that your belief in the bible is purely based on your conviction and not actually any evidence then?

That is what Faith is all about, knowing the Truth which sets you free.
Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen.

My conviction is, the Bible IS the inspired word of God.

 

[CaspianSails]

Of all the issues in modern society, what is the greatest?

I had this question as an assignment in my Christian Morality class, and I thought it would be good to share it here. I had a friend who put down that the greatest moral issue is that we keep talking about moral issues without actually doing anything about them. I liked that idea, and when I had another assignment I wrote in the class (about a controversial moral issue), I decided to write about the societal acceptance of laziness.

I think laziness could rightly be defined as at least 1 of the greatest moral issues in modern society. It is a fundamental problem, because the more laziness is accepted, the less will be done about any moral problem. I see it all the time when people waste hours on YouTube, Snapchat, or any of the vast entertainment platforms that are available today. What would happen to mental health problems, and moral issues throughout the world today, if people put aside this entertainment in favor of doing something that brings accomplishment to their life? Not the entertainment is bad in and of itself, but when entertainment becomes a way of life, we miss out on so much!

So what do you think?

In my view we have the same moral issue as the people had in Noah's day. Every man did what was right in his own eyes. Moral relativism. Those who practice this see themselves as god. Nothing is right, nothing is wrong, there is no morality, no norms. Chaos follows.

 

[disciple Clint]

Of all the issues in modern society, what is the greatest?

I had this question as an assignment in my Christian Morality class, and I thought it would be good to share it here. I had a friend who put down that the greatest moral issue is that we keep talking about moral issues without actually doing anything about them. I liked that idea, and when I had another assignment I wrote in the class (about a controversial moral issue), I decided to write about the societal acceptance of laziness.

I think laziness could rightly be defined as at least 1 of the greatest moral issues in modern society. It is a fundamental problem, because the more laziness is accepted, the less will be done about any moral problem. I see it all the time when people waste hours on YouTube, Snapchat, or any of the vast entertainment platforms that are available today. What would happen to mental health problems, and moral issues throughout the world today, if people put aside this entertainment in favor of doing something that brings accomplishment to their life? Not the entertainment is bad in and of itself, but when entertainment becomes a way of life, we miss out on so much!

So what do you think?

https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/moral-relativism/

 

[muichimotsu]

Do you not know that a Fanatic, or Zealot is just a person who believes more strongly about what he knows than you do and expresses it openly.

I find it odd that a person is admired for their being a Fanatic about their love of sports, music, or any other subject, but when it comes to a persons Love of GOD, the word Fanatic itself becomes a word of disdain and the person is looked down on as one of the dregs of humanity, but then again that is what Jesus said would be the norm for the Christian.

I don't admire anyone for being a fanatic, it leads to extremist thinking of one form or another; splitting, delusions of grandeur, etc. Let's not assume how others think because you've observed some doing it, that's a hasty generalization, faulty reasoning.

There's such a thing as excess in terms of something that is fine to enjoy, I don't begrudge such things, I have a problem when it becomes obsession or fixation against any critical thinking

You put words in my mouth, I never said they were "dregs of humanity" or any such thing, they are to be pitied only because of willful ignorance, not for holding beliefs that may very well be mistaken

 

[muichimotsu]

That is what Faith is all about, knowing the Truth which sets you free.
Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen.

My conviction is, the Bible IS the inspired word of God.

You don't get to assume the truth and then believe in it, that's wholly backwards. The truth must be demonstrated to be taken seriously, otherwise, it's merely an assertion made by someone who doesn't care about accuracy, only feeling like they're correct, which is lazy thinking

That's a bundle of assumptions you have there and haven't demonstrated or even offered up a manner in which they may be falsified, seeing as they're claims that should fit within reality instead of just some imagined world

 

[timothyu]

There is not one evil in the world that cannot be counteracted simply by putting into practice the loving of all as self, a commandment of God. People freely seek gain for themselves often at the expense of others, yet will complain if the same deeds are perpetrated upon themselves.

 

[Halbhh]

Perhaps I misspoke and I can admit that: the problem is how vague or uncommon the calls to not be a fanatic are in the bible. Or, more importantly, how much content the bible has when God, if it's truly all knowing, could've condensed the whole thing greatly. But I guess if we have to deal with the human canon that God barely played a part in, then sure, God's "off the hook" and we just get to blame each other for not having the Holy Spirit or such

The expectation of the esoteric knowledge one has to have in regards to this book smacks of fanaticism to me implicitly in the worldview even if there are verses suggesting that you should be wary of it. Because you still have the problem where this book is seen as the be all and end all, everything else insinuated to be virtually useless

The collection is lengthy because it has so many accounts/stories/parables, which are much more memorable than isolated rules or ideas. We naturally learn more fully from a story, therefore the text is mostly such.

An example:

11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.

13“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

17“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20So he got up and went to his father.

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

21“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

22“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

25“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

28“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

31“ ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ”
Luke 15 NIV

If I only said: 'anyone can repent, and it doesn't matter then that they had a bad past, and we should totally celebrate their change', that is only helpful if you already know it in a full way.

Until one learns it more fully, an idea about it isn't enough.

We need that story to get it more completely, or a life experience that can takes years.

 

[com7fy8]

they all interconnect

I would say a "little" wrong thing can be connected with a "big" wrong thing. The little items can help to make someone weaker and weaker so he or she then is broken enough to do a big thing that is wrong.

Arguing has been known to lead to adultery and worse depression and family murder-suicides. And street gang people can start with a fuss, and then be popping each other.

And God's word says >

"Do all things without complaining and disputing," (Philippians 2:14)

So, I would say God knows how arguing and complaining can be harmful to us.

Also > complaining, then, can be a problem. There are people who complain against rain which is so needed for us to have life on this planet. And ones can have a dismal time, whenever it is raining, instead of enjoying God and all the loving we can be doing while it is raining. So, their complaining can be against love, even. And because they have committed themselves to considering rain to be lousy weather, they have doomed themselves to have lousy time, for the rest of their lives, whenever it is raining!! . . . unless they get wise to this. And this, then, I see, can keep a person deeply weak so he or she more easily can give in to various emotional problems.

And Romans 1:18-32 shows how people could become . . . starting with not being "thankful" > verse 21. I see how a person, then, can start with something which does not seem obvious, like not being "thankful"; but then he or she can break down into worse and worse things, in that weakness of simply not being "thankful".

 

[JIMINZ]

I don't admire anyone for being a fanatic, it leads to extremist thinking of one form or another; splitting, delusions of grandeur, etc. Let's not assume how others think because you've observed some doing it, that's a hasty generalization, faulty reasoning.

There's such a thing as excess in terms of something that is fine to enjoy, I don't begrudge such things, I have a problem when it becomes obsession or fixation against any critical thinking

You put words in my mouth, I never said they were "dregs of humanity" or any such thing, they are to be pitied only because of willful ignorance, not for holding beliefs that may very well be mistaken

I was not putting anything in your mouth , don't be so touchy, my post was a generalization of what SOCIETY does not you specifically, I don't know you from Adam.

The stereotype I was describing is true, whether you like it or not, it is not an isolated case.