abortion and moral judgments

[Guest guest]

It seems to me, I left myself open to criticism by Dan for not specifically mentioning the obvious. Yes, I do make judgments on moral questions according to my personal set of values. One really must do that knowing that: it is a temporary, never final judgment of what little we know of the person we are judging or the action or values he is responsible for making.We cannot turn away shrugging our shoulders and not seeing (because we believe in Unity...that doesn't work while we live in duality)We are responsible social beings.

I can say torture is wrong...according to my values

I can say stealing is wrong, but I had better understand why...I wouldn't condemn Valjean for instance, or the constantly referred to guy who steals to buy a life-saving prescription for his wife or child.....and on and on.

Black and white is not an option for a mature moral individual!

The ones I judge most severely are myself and my community since we are the ones who by turning away and not seeing, put the joint smoker in jail for years as if he were a violent drug dealer, but allow millions of our dollars to be given away in no-bid contracts which could have been used, for example to help the hungry.Those crooks in public "trust" are never jailed because the public either does not know or doesn't care enough to raise its outrage.

I see how great it would be to believe in "reward and punishment"as a moral guide of absolutism...but actually I outgrew that stage of moral development at about age 10.

Just to set the record straight, Dan...yes, I find myself saying " I think that is good" or "I see that as an evil".If I saw a serious law broken I would alert the authorities. If I were again on a jury, I would try to follow the law as I have done in the past, always wondering if I have the humility to see correctly.

But, in private life, after bringing up my children and as a teacher trying to hold up the common perceived moral good in behavior, I really try not to pass judgment on everyday behavior of my neighbors. Unfortunately where my country is concerned, I have to exercise my moral judgment constantly, and find my country not living up to its potential in so many ways...according to its self publicized rhetoric. What a sad day to watch the shenanigans of its leaders.What a sad day to watch the suffering we are causing...and yes, occasionally happily the good we are capable of.

Hope does spring eternal, I am told.

Toni