Brian’s Reflection: Monday, June 4, 2012

A system of morality which is based

on relative emotional values is a mere illusion,

a thoroughly vulgar conception

which has nothing sound in it

and nothing true.

Socrates, Greek philosopher; he was born

on this date, 469 BCE, at Athens

Socrates said that he must be one of the wisest of men … because he knew that he know Nothing!

“Morality” has to do, essentially, with a conception of “right and wrong”. Personally, I think such conceptions are relative … to culture, time, moral thinking, etc. I do not believe that there is such a thing as a universally applicable “morality”.

I think Socrates is correct. Moral systems cannot be based on how we “feel”. Building a moral basis for living is like Loving:  Love has little to do, essentially, with how we feel. Love, like morality, is based on the foundation of careful reflection of human nature and behaviour … and the often hard decision to love despite the chaos our emotions can trap us in. In my view, you can be sure that in the Christian Myth Jesus put aside any emotional feelings in making His decisions for Love, freeing Him to push aside those feelings that might have pushed Him to live by Fear.

Feelings will often betray us. Shakespeare powerfully tells us this in the story of Othello and Desdemona. Love is the core foundation of being human … and in essence Love is an act of the Will and not of the Emotions. This is the foundation of Jesus’ teaching, “Love your enemies”. It forces us to “build our house (our Life) upon rock” rather than upon “sand” … upon will, mind, and the true teachings of the Heart rather than upon the volatile and all to easily corrupted Emotions.

In America today we have too much religion and morality based on “relative emotional values”. To me its vulgarity, lack of soundness, and falseness is only too apparent in the collapse of civility and of compassion and of kindness.

No illusions for us.

Brian+