Moral degeneration

Conservapedia ^ | 11/21/09 | Conservapedia

[daniel1212]

Moral degeneration refers to the process of declining from a higher to a lower level of morality. The condition of moral degeneration is seen as concomitant with the decline of the quality of life, and the decline of nations. In the words of Judge Devlin, "an established morality is as necessary as good government to the welfare of society. Societies disintegrate from within more frequently than they are broken up by external pressures."

The United States

America is seen to be somewhat unique in the degree of moral foundation which was it founded upon, with a strong Biblically based influence, which was strengthened as a result of religious revivals, and which affected a strong union of faith and civil life in the new Republic. French historian Alexis de Tocqueville commented,

“The Americans combine the notions of Christianity and of liberty so intimately in their minds, that it is impossible to make them conceive the one without the other; and with them this conviction does not spring from that barren traditionary faith which seems to vegetate in the soul rather than to live."

1960 and beyond

The decade of the 1960's would begin a dramatic moral change in America's history. While a more developed moral social consciousness helped to effect beneficial and needed changes, such as in the area of civil rights, as regards such non-moral aspects as race and color, this recognition of basic equality was used by liberal moralists to advocate liberty for immorality in word and in deed... The 1960's culminated with Woodstock 69, with the decade being marked by rebellion against authority in general (though usually not to living off it) and against capitalism, and the promotion and practice of pre-marital sex, recreational drug use, the rise of feminism and the advocation of liberal ideology in general.

[Clemenza]

1. The culture always moves left. The best the right can do is slow down the process.

2. The "social revolution" actually started in the 1920s, but was put on hold by a depression, a World War, and the lack of a large youth/young adult population in the 1950s.

[Clemenza]

The 1920s saw rising rates of divorce, rising crime following Volstead (including the rise of "drive by" shootings), and greater tolerance of sexual freedom.

Don't get me started on the illegal gambling and prostitution that was out in the open in places like Jersey City (where my grandparents grew up) even during the depression and the 1940s.

[Clemenza]

The problems is, Socialism is popular with the weak and the mediocre, including many “social conservatives.” All we have to do is look to Quebec’s “Quiet Revolution” of the 1950s-1970s to see how easy it was for a traditional, Church-bound society to quickly transform into a secular, even anti-religious society wedded to state as a source of employment and personal sustenance.

[Doe Eyes]

What we call moral teaching now used to be called education, people wanted to teach their kids to read so they could read the bible.

The same is true for Muslims today. The whole focus of their education is the read, memorize and recite the Koran.

[mamelukesabre]

Looks like we are on the same wavelength then.

You could expand your essay to include more civilizations. The great empires are the ones to focus on. Going backwards in time

USA
russia
british
spanish
islam(seljuks and then turks)
holy roman empire
byzantine
vikings
roman
greek
persian(first and second empire)
egyptian
babylonian
etc.

The five most recent are the most interesting to me. One could make the argument that america is only a continuation of the british empire, in it’s second form...or in other words, present day america is the beginning of the second british empire reconfigured around a new political paradigm.

The rise to prominence of the english speaking people are an interesting recent happening on the big timeline. One could go into a moral analysis of english culture and compare it to other empires and the rest of the world. There is something strikingly different about anglos as compared to all the rest of the world. I think they are somewhat a modern day version of the vikings, in character.

Arguably, the spanish empire ended when they were defeated by americans in the spanish american war. Why were spanish people displaced by anglos in north america? Why are anglos being displaced by latins nowdays? What role did morals have to play in this, if any?

BTW, I dissagree with your assertion that china lacks morals. They do not. All the oriental people have a strong sense of morals. It is different than the christian version. They value “honor”. this is a type of moral code...different from christianity, but still it is a code of conduct. it is very strong in their culture. I think it might explain the success(and failures) of the chinese over the last few thousand years. The japanese as well.

Islam also has had periods of great success. I strongly feel if you look hard you will find evidences of a strong moral code in that culture as well. certainly not like christianity. But something there, with some commendable traits nonetheless. something that, when implemented in a certain way, will foster achievement and economic growth. Otherwise, how could you possibly explain their past rise to greatness?

[potlatch]

[Lying is the sin that precedes all others.]

True. Even, the famous, Sean Connery had a quote about lying;

"You should always tell the truth, because if you tell the truth you make it the other person's problem." Sean Connery"

James Bond would have probably disagreed, lol.

[mamelukesabre]

You left out fist fights.

That problem seems to be gone now. strange.

[daniel1212]

See post 12.

[daniel1212]

I know much cold be added, and the article is obviously focused on the USA, that being its main target, but if you want to sign up and add some on other nations you could. It took my a lot of time to reference what i did. As for the china lacking morals, that was only referring to its falling away from morality, and it does say that “China’s long recorded history testifies to both various degrees of moral virtue as well as moral declension and its consequences.” See http://www.conservapedia.com/History_of_homosexuality#Homosexuality_in_China for one aspect of the negative.

[Chode]

On October 11, 1798, President John Adams addressed the officers of the First Brigade of the Third Division of the Militia of Massachusetts in a letter:

'We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net.

Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.'

[devolve]

.

Excellent potlatch

And Moneypenny would catch him anyway!

[daniel1212]

Frankly, I know moral degeneration began at the fall, and this we are no like innocent infants, and thus a women’s naked beauty is for her husband to behold, and not to be paraded in public. Maybe it can be removed.

[daniel1212]

And the religion that he had in mind was not that of the Muhammadans, not even that of Rome.

[potlatch]

Moneypenny probably did catch him, lol, Bond was a whole different person. Connery sounds like a nice man, but I have’t researched his life.

[M Kehoe]

Good evening.

"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."

That is a fact.

So far, every society through out history has failed due to moral decay. The Romans, the Greeks, the Soviets, the Germans, the Persians, etc.. Unfortunately, it seems like we're next.

5.56mm

[devolve]

.

I saw Sean Connery on a TV show in an interview

Asked if he actually liked cars -

He answered he was not a car buff

About 11 months ago I saw one of his personal cars sold at an auction for a low $17,000 US buckeroos

A silver Bentley in mint condition

Not an Aston Martin DB5 coupe (the one in his movies was a custom DB5 #1 prototype made from a standard DB4 coupe)

But it was also not a Ford Pinto, Chevy Nova, or a Chrysler New Yorker

Nice wheels but maintenance, restoration, etc. would be expensavo

A nice white 1955 BMW 507 aluminum engined V8 roadster like Elvis leased in Germany in early 1958 was for sale recently for only $9,000

Again - maintenance, restoration, etc.....

Better to buy a 100% body-off restored 1955-57 Ford T-Bird at Barrett-Jackson for only $38,000 (upgraded suspension, brakes, AC, engine, ignition, intake, automatic transmission, wheels, tires) - less than many new Hondas or Toyotas - and they increase in value faster than gold does

$75,000 - $110,000 easy if unmodified or updated - those are for the silver-haired chubby millionaires and their wives or girl friends

Same with early and even late 50’s ‘Vettes - no disc brakes - drums - even a Triumph TR3, TR3A, TR3B (2200cc - same bore sleeves/pistons as a TR4) had disc brakes

[potlatch]

You are the car expert. I can tell you that if a woman were to drive an old classic, it would be a small sized one. I drove the ‘57 MarkII a few times but it’s just too big and cumbersome.

Interesting story [off topic]. Remember the Bugatti [sp] that was found in England and sold for over a million? Recently, near Galveston, a man dropped his cell phone and ran his Bugatti into a salt marsh, submerging it, lol.

He did not want his name released........

[devolve]

.

I saw the Texas Bugatti story

You would like a restored retro-mod ‘56-’57 T-Bird

Little trunk room on the ‘55 T-Bird

That is why the ‘56 got the Connie Kit

[potlatch]

[I saw the Texas Bugatti story]

Interesting that you saw that. It actually happened near LaMarque. That’s where Kay Hutchison’s family lived - although she doesn’t claim it.

Tiny little town, but had some good ‘dance halls’ in my teen days.

Yes, the small T-Bird with the port window would do.

[Chode]

and good evening to you sir... it's like gun laws. only law abiding gun owners will abide by stooopid gun laws, NOT the criminals