Hello again, yabberefugee. If I had to guess, I would say that society could be held together by the same sets of opinions. They can help create a common cause, loyalty, and a sense duty and unity.
Morality is neither...it is taught and conforms to whatever society you were raised in. In Korea it is acceptable to eat dog and sell unwanted (girl) children into sex slavery. Turkey has debtor prisons where the wife is prostituted to pay off the family debt. Also, if you have sex with a virgin you are married by Turkish law. Thailand executes drug dealers. Every society has its own moral codes and laws, what's illegal in the US is legal in other countries, like pedophilia is legal in most of the Orient The reason I say it is taught us because I have been in 39 different countries around the world. Also if we were to follow natural law, then only the physically strong would survive...someone with a strong intellect but weak physically or handicapped (Stephan Hawking) would be left to die.
If, by the term 'morality' we are attempting to discern the difference between right or wrong I would have to say that ALL such determinations are rooted in relativeness and even that which we might claim to be a universal morality can become viewed as relative depending upon circumstances.
Wait. Further explanation required. It seems to me that a 'universal' morality would be 'owned' being that one moral code applies universally, whereas a 'relative' morality depends on the individual and would be 'owned' by no one. I dont think Im understanding your terminology.
Suppose some tribe on earth has always had man having sex with a woman whether she wanted it or not. The women allow the sex as part of some duty because its always been that way. Is she raped? Even though a westerner will certainly think so and they don't.
That which you find offensive do not do to others. Everything else is commentary. Hillel the Elder (c. 110 BC – 10 AD) Is that relative or universal? Moi r > g Unmasked.
Nope. Rape is when someone is forced against their will to have sex. If a woman allows men to have sex with her, even if she doesn't really like doing it, you can't call the man a rapist. Consent is consent.
I believe that perfect morality comes from a perfect being. Since we are imperfect, each with an individual will, morality is relative.
And in an evil society based on greed and exploitation, all morality with be infected. The only morality is to change the smelly system.
Not wanting it, is not consent. Its just tradition. I didn't say not like, i said allow as the female duty. Responsibly. Tradition. She actually hates it and personally doesn't want it. But if she doesn't the tribe will ridicule her or worse. To the tribe, tradition. To the west, rape.
Wrong, that is like saying that a wife who doesn't want sex with her husband was willingly does it because she thinks it's her duty is being raped. She isn't, it's only rape if they REFUSE to do it and are FORCED to. If they make the choice to do it, regardless of the reasons for that choice, it isn't tape. You could argue that their tribe coerced her into consenting, but that is not the same as rape.
That is your opinion. Of course, for the past 1000s of years, women who didn't comply were killed, so it is forgone conclusion of the women, to comply or be killed. Because it happened before in previous generations. Coercion isn't rape? Or scared shitless isn't rape? Just like beating one's wife, isn't really beating if she asked for it by not having supper ready when the man came home after work.
No it isn't. It can be demonstrated by example, which is only valid insofar as it squares with the conscience of the observer. No, the reason you say it's taught is that you have it confused with regional custom; and what's more, you've likely never stopped to reflect on why some form of despotism is overwhelmingly the rule in the countries you've been to.
So in your mind slavery is just a custom and not a moral issue? Which says to me that you condone it in certain countries, just condemn it in the US. Also, despotism is in very few of the countries I have lived in, some of the North Africa and Middle East countries I agree with you, but none of Europe, S.Korea, Japan, Thailand, Guam, New Zealand, Australia, Phillipines...these are referred to as Democratic type countries that hold elections. Morality is taught, you simply have to look at the divisions in the US too see this, on one hand you have the middle part of the US which is based upon Judeo Christian values...On the coast in the big cities primarily you have a moralistic relativity that is dominant. These are taught by both teaching and example...A baby is the most needy, narcissistic being on the planet, closely followed by Hollywood liberal idiots that only talent is not being themselves.
How in Hell you got that out of anything I said is a complete mystery... ...but it's not exactly a surprise that you've seen fit to use your fantasy as a springboard to this idiocy. Big deal, so did the Soviet Union. Please, you have no idea. No, you have to employ an intellectually and morally bankrupt definition of the term to believe it.
I think given actions are either right or wrong, in every place, and every time, but sometimes it's hard to know. For example, eating meat is wrong in some subcultures and not wrong in others. An animal suffers and feels pain when harvested, and I could live without it, so it is probably wrong, but I still want a brisket sandwich. I think I am evolutionarily wired to crave it. Does that make it okay to eat meat? I honestly don't know.
You can't say that it is wrong to willfully torture animals and babies for kicks? People do that kind of thing, you know. It's called "wrong."
I will have to say if you have a theological background: Christian, Jewish or Muslim (Monotheist) then you could say that morality is universal. The problem with all of these religions is that they have a history of rationalized violence towards other people groups and other religions. This has included examples of genocide, infanticide, and other forms of murder, torture and abuse of human beings and animals. So, if you look at things in a rational and/or logical way you can't say that even those examples are even based on universal morality. So, I can only conclude if we are being honest is that Morality is relative.
The original post you guoted I talked about unwanted (girl) children being sold off into sexual slavery...and you responded with I was confusing morality with customs...just so that you know where I'm coming from. You should really learn to digest what a person says before you go off the subject. So I ask you, is slavery immoral or just a foreign custom?
Says who? You realize your morals, even ones you feel are generally excepted by the majority of people, do not necessarily reflect the morals of someone else? No matter what it is, no matter how extreme you think the opinion might be or how universally condemned you might see it, somewhere out there at least 1 of the 7 billion people in this earth will truly believe it’s ok.