I recently read an article about "disturbing societal shifts that are challenging our moral compass." "Moral compass"? Interesting concept. A moral compass is our way of telling the right way to go, morally. We get that. But the question is, whose compass should we use? In a real compass, there is a "true north" so that all compasses point the same way. In today's social setting, there is no "true north" -- no "absolute morality" -- to point to, so our "true north" becomes "Whatever I think is right." Then we push that onto others and ... voilà ... we have a moral compass for everyone. Mine. No, not yours. No, not theirs. The one that I and the one the loudest voices use.
Some religious folks complain that atheists have no moral compass. Without God, they say, morality is whatever you want it to be. The premise is true, of course. Without a moral "true north" for everyone, morality is whatever you want it to be. It has no objective basis and, therefore, no universal standing. If my moral values are based on whatever I want them to be, there is no rational reason to tell you to comply with them. So it's not true that atheists have no moral compass. Some are very moral, but that's only because their moral compasses -- their internal sense of right and wrong -- sometimes coincides with what God says is right and wrong. What those who deny God's moral code do not have is a basis suitable for passing on to others.
It's not just atheists who have a problem with a moral compass. it's all human beings. By nature, Scripture says, "No one does good, not even one" (Rom 3:12). By nature, "the intention of man's heart is evil from his youth" (Gen 8:21). When our primary moral compass is "follow your heart," we belie the fact that we are unaware that "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick" (Jer 17:9). We are not capable of a viable, reliable, self-constructed moral compass. That's why we need an absolute, a "true north" outside of ourselves. That's why we need God's Word expressing God's thoughts on what's best for God's creation. Among other things, a true moral compass. When they want to know whose moral compass we should follow, it's not yours or mine. It's God's.
3 comments:
I think people often balk when it is said that there is no basis for morality without God because they know too many irreligious people that are "good". But what is really meant is that without God, there is no basis for imposing your morality on others. If it is only individual or socially driven morality, who are we to impose our morals on other people or cultures. It amuses me when they decry colonialism, when they are much more guilty of moral colonialism when they tell other countries that they need to treat people a certain way without any basis outside of "we said so".
This a good reminder for current times, when we sorely need a universal moral compass--a trustworthy “conscience” that will steer us straight. A morality based on God’s Word is denied by many, but God remains “True North”--our starting point to know good vs. evil and to properly judge everything in between. Just as we need consensus on what “true north” is for compasses, maps, and globes to be reliable, we--as individuals and societies--need to get our bearings and our direction from God’s truth; otherwise, we will be off-course for this life and the one to come.
The notion of a moral compass is interesting. It seems to presume that there is some sort of True North that our moral compass aligns to, despite the insistence from society and some christians that morality is subjective. I think your point that subjective morality can't logically be applied to others is excellent. The only way to impose a subjective morality on those who hold a different moral code, is through force. Which is pretty much how Islam imposed it's moral code on millions.
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