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I’ve been thinking about this question abstractly for awhile but was unable to put it into actual words until last night. I’m really not sure why it took me so long to do so, quite honestly, but I’m glad that I finally have. It will allow me to better investigate the topic and hopefully, someday, come to some kind of personal closure on the issue.
In case you have no idea what I’m talking about with the question, basically, I’m asking if one can believe that something is right in (for this discussion, let’s say “all”) individual circumstances, but not necessarily the right thing when speaking of a population as a whole. For instance, can one believe that, say, contraception is always wrong between two people, but see the value of contraception for the population at large? Can one believe that abortion is always wrong on an individual basis, but feel differently when speaking about tens of millions of people?
I’m really looking for comments here. Usually I don’t specifically ask for them, but usually, at least hopefully, my thoughts are already (half) complete. This time, I’ve only just begun to think about whether there can be a difference between one’s micro- and macroethics and would love some more input on the topic. Thanks ahead of time.
January 22nd, 2009 at 1:23 pm
Ok, can you expand on your contraception example. I don’t understand how you can think it is wrong between two people always and then think that for the population at large it might be right? In what case would it be right for the population at large? Is it not between two people in that case? I’m confused on this topic… I think I kind of understand how things could be different locally and ‘micro’ to yourself and close friends and family, but possibly different to those in a different group that excludes the previously mentioned ‘micro’ group… but wouldn’t it only be different in the different group because they might have different morals / standards… I guess I’m thinking if you are talking about moral issues such as abortion, your stance should pretty much be standard across all groups, micro, macro, or what have you.
But I may change my answer after I hear more about you contraception example…
January 22nd, 2009 at 10:49 pm
I believe an absolute truth is an absolute. If I believe that God tells us that elective abortion (not to save the mothers life)is the crime of murder I must believe it in all circumstances. I think much of our society deals in relativism and turns it’s back on truth because truth isn’t always easy. If everything is relative therefore up to our interpretation then we become god. The absolute truth is we are not.
January 23rd, 2009 at 12:32 am
@ Tom - I like your post, only one problem… The Bible (God) does not directly say elective abortion is a crime of murder to my knowledge… I think most quote the sixth commandment “Thou shalt not kill” when trying to link the Bible to abortion. Those for the ‘freedom of choice’ (horrible name if you ask me as the baby inside the mother basically gets no choice)… but those for the freedom of choice viewpoint will have an argument that the fetus is not ‘truly’ living, and therefor the termination of such is not ‘truly’ murder.
Anyhow, Tom, if you haven’t signed this yet, please sign this petition http://fightfoca.com/ to fight against the FOCA (freedom of choice act) Obama promised he would put into law first thing in office.
January 29th, 2009 at 4:09 pm
What it seems to me that you are saying here, is that while an individual commiting the “sin” is wrong, what may be perceived as a “good” coming from it on the larger scale might make it right.
The simple answer is this: The ends do not justify the
means.
There is a difference between killing grandma, and waiting until she dies naturally. This is an extreme example, but it illustrates that the end is the same, but the means of getting to that end are very different.
Wrong means wrong. And remember, what may be perceived as a good in our life, is not necessarily a good in the long run. We also do not see the spiritual, emotional, and other side effects of each wrong.
February 7th, 2009 at 7:18 am
I am actually struggling with the same idea. It’s difficult for me to say definitively what is right for another person, regardless of what the issue may be. The Church teaches contraception is wrong, but if there is a teenager that chooses to have sex (or any person not ready to bring a baby into the world for that matter) I would want them to use contraception. I can’t see where God would have any problems at all with a person being responsible about a decision, even if that decision isn’t what He would originally have chosen for him/her.
I think the bottom line is the larger picture that you and I both struggle with from time to time. I think God is incredibly loving… so much so that we don’t give Him enough credit for it. Other people have responded with such black and white scenarios/view points and I can’t see anything in this world that doesn’t have some shade of grey to it, and I think God sees through the same blurred vision. Life/spirituality has never been black and white and to confine ourselves to such rules all the time, does not seem just to me at all.
Love ya Christo!