II Peter part 3

Comments concerning virtue

II Peter

part three

So, I ended last weeks posting with a question and an invitation to join us in a exercise. (Restated at the end)
The question was; - "I would also like to ask you to think with me about morality in general and about ethics in particular. Do you think there is a difference between morals and ethics? 
Should there be?"

The general consensus among those in attendance last week was that there is really no distinction between ethics and morals in our society today; the lines of distinction have been blurred and all but obliterated.

By definition ethics is a normative science; that is to say it is the standard of "oughtness"; the way things ought to be, concerning behavior.
It is the study of the foundational principles that inform and dictate the moral standards of a person or group.
We in America, traditionally followed the Judeo/ Christian ethic found in the Bible; it was a Theocentric/ Christocentric ethic; even though not all members of our society adhered to said ethical standards. Never the less, that was the basis for what was defined as acceptable and what was unacceptable moral behavior.

Morals, by definition is a descriptive science. It is the description of the current state of behavioral standards of a person or group; that is to say the "isness" of what people consider acceptable behavior.

I am a member of the "Baby Boomer" generation and I was fully engaged in the counter culture revolution of the sixties and seventies. I mention that because; the way I see it ; it is largely a result of what we did back then that has brought about or at the very least, contributed greatly to our current situation concerning the loss of our ethical standards and the degeneration into the reversal of the situation concerning moral standards in our society.

It is now the case that the cart is leading the horse so to speak. The "isness" of our moral (or more to the point, lack there of) activities have become our standard of "oughtness" and so whatever we can get away with in society has become our new ethic and standard of morality.

It saddens me to admit that I and my generation had such a detrimental effect on our national morals.
We thought we were doing great things by promoting things like "free love" and "experimentation" with psychedelic drugs. We were wrong.
A perfect example of how far we have fallen was witnessed at the recent Grammy awards show; the degradation of the female performers, the mockery of traditional marriage along with an open display of satanism on public television prove the point.

So, that was the question.
And the invitation was;
I would like to ask you to help me to make a list of traits that you would consider to be virtuous; things that would reflect moral excellence to you.
Make your list and write out your answers and hold on to them.

Here are some that we came up with at last weeks session.
Honesty, selflessness, accountability, guarded conversation, compassion, humility, generosity, faithfulness, brotherly love, sensitivity, good stewardship, mercy, forgiveness, and civility.

Our next study will be about knowledge, the kind of knowledge that the Apostle is encouraging us to add to our faith and moral excellence.