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Below we explore spiritual questions applied to ethics.
Ethics address the ‘should’ & ‘ought’, questions about what is right. From private matters of conscience to issues of public concern such as business ethics and political judgment. We try to apply spiritual principles to these moral questions.
Posts for example address the dilemma of working parents between work and being at home for the children. What guidelines should be employed when disciplining children within the home? What should be the limits of tolerance, protectiveness, anger or impatience?
Human beings need to economically make use of the physical environment. Where should the balance be between valuing and preserving nature and exploiting it to meet the economic needs of a growing world population?
Can it be right to tell someone something they don’t want to know like their medical condition? What about euthanasia? How far should we go to prolong life? Ought we not take our own life?
Articles, linked to below, tackle how to approach political ethics using spiritual principles. Is it right to have a monarchy? How should we regulate free market capitalism? What are the right and wrong ways to deal with a country’s financial crisis? What about immigration policy and multiculturalism? What stance should we take to the numbers of refugees we take in. Should we be ashamed of the western world values. In relation to violence, how should we respond to the human misery caused by civil wars and lawless rogue states?
Insincerity and hypocrisy are criticised. But arguably white lies and pretence are needed to oil the social cogs of society. When is it fair to criticise those who don’t always practice what they preach? When is it wrong to gossip?
If discrimination and judging others are wrong, just how tolerant should one try to be? Posts below look at attitudes to criminals, layabouts, foul language, litter.
Should we put our needs before those of others? Should one give favours on the understanding we will get them back in return or should we follow the ideal of unconditional love? Do we get our own way too often?
Should we try to tell the difference between right and wrong? How much should one give to charities? How to evaluate one’s own private desires? Why does it matter if we go against our conscience? Are there really any impure thoughts? Is sexual imagery too explicit? Where is the harm in watching pornography. How does one become a better person?
When things go badly wrong in the world of commerce, we ask about the ethics of free-market capitalism. Dangerous cracks had been spotted in the walls of the Rana Plaza building. This is a factory complex in Bangladesh. However, managers have ordered staff to continue working making clothes for lucrative export to the West. Now … Continue reading Is free-market capitalism unethical?
Are those who believe that marriage is only the union of a man and a woman homophobic or bigoted? Dr Sharon Jones from the Coalition for Marriage (UK) offers a respectful answer.
Do you feel fed up by all the negative news reporting you hear through the media? Martyn Lewis (former BBC news presenter), says that constantly covering bad news is lazy journalism and amounts to ignoring the good things that happen around us on a regular basis. This is not an attempt to discredit or argue … Continue reading How positive are the press?
What would you do if you found an envelope containing a fortune? This is what happened to Bismark Mensah. The Seattle Times first reported the story of how he spotted the envelope in a shopping trolley at his place of work. It had fallen out of a shopper’s purse. Imagine his amazement when he discovered … Continue reading Heart warming story of honesty
Richard Steel, a vicar from Huddersfield, gave out a ten pound note to each of 45 members of his congregation. They were asked to use the capital to raise needed money. Speculate to accumulate? Or is it a case of Christ’s message that if you give then it will be given back to you. Any … Continue reading Give and you will receive
It is sometimes argued that watching porn helps some adults with a low libido become more sexually aroused, and also that with some people it reduces anxiety and even adds spice and novelty to their sex life with their partner. However, such ideas perhaps need to be treated with caution, given the wide continuum of … Continue reading Where is the harm in watching porn?
Sarah Darling dropped some coins from her purse into a begging cup. Without her realising it, her diamond ring accidentally was dropped into the cup as well. This was in Kansas where homeless man Billy Ray Harris was tempted to pawn the ring that had fallen into his hands. Instead, he waited for the owner … Continue reading Resisting temptation
Because, well, it seems like today we need some uplifting stories about kids. This is a teaser about the incredible upcoming documentary, Landfill Harmonic, “about a remarkable musical orchestra in Paraguay, where the musicians play instruments made from trash.” Sounds hard to believe, but watch and be blown away. A violin made out of garbage … Continue reading Good news about rubbish!
When you are young prolonging life seems a great idea. But when you get old things seem a bit different. Emily aged 85 went into hospital. Her home is a nursing care home. She cannot support her own weight and needs a hoist and wheelchair to get her to the toilet and dining room. She … Continue reading Prolonging life — How far should we go?
How can you spend your spare time doing something useful? Renato Grbic is a burley tattooed restaurant owner. Fifteen years ago he was fishing in the river Danube when he saw a body fall into the river from the nearby Pancevo bridge in Belgrade. He helped the man to safety and decided then and there … Continue reading Saving lives
