http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/morality/ en-us Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:05:04 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2066190/posts I encourage you to watch the Glenn Beck Program this next Friday, August 22, at either 7 pm, 9 pm or midnight, Eastern Standard Time. The program will consist of an interview with four students and Prof. George to discuss the work that has been going on at Princeton over the last 10 years or so to create a climate that is more supportive for students interested in a college education that includes the development of moral convictions and practices. As you know Universities have years ago decided they are no longer going to instruct students on what is right... e-mail alert http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2066190/posts#comment Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:05:04 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2063049/posts The Myth of Moral Equivalency By Burt Prelutsky There was a time not all that long ago when most of us agreed about what constituted good and evil. But that time, I’m afraid, has come and gone and is now as passé as five cent cigars and 45 cents-a-gallon gasoline. Our former sense of morality hasn’t been replaced by immorality, at least not entirely, but by something that’s probably more dangerous because it comes cleverly disguised as broad-mindedness. Those in the mass media and academia ridicule people who still believe there are nations, values, and cultures that are superior to... Modern Conservative http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2063049/posts#comment Sat, 16 Aug 2008 22:29:23 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2062950/posts COLUMBUS, Ohio – While many studies have examined cheating among college students, new research looks at the issue from a different perspective – identifying students who are least likely to cheat. The study of students at one Ohio university found that students who scored high on measures of courage, empathy and honesty were less likely than others to report their cheating in the past – or intending to cheat in the future Moreover, those students who reported less cheating were also less likely to believe that their fellow students regularly committed academic dishonesty. People who don’t cheat “have a more... Ohio State University http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2062950/posts#comment Sat, 16 Aug 2008 17:35:29 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2062871/posts Folks, a number of Catholics, after reading Steven Mosher's piece published in Catholic Exchange, Why I Will not Be Attending (or Watching) the Beijing Olympics, are now taking to say that Catholics shouldn't in anyway watch the Olympic Games taking place now in Beijing.  These also argue that China's dismal human rights and mass abortion record and active repression of Catholic believers necessitates that Catholics take such a symbolic protest stand. Then again, there is another very consequential school of thought, lead by the Holy Father Benedict XVI who represent another approach. Benedict XVI Hopes for Olympics that "Respect Dignity"... Vivificat! - News, Opinion, Commentary & Reflections from a personal Catholic perspective http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2062871/posts#comment Sat, 16 Aug 2008 14:31:56 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2061957/posts Austin, Aug 13, 2008 / 09:15 pm (CNA).- Citing a desire to let their faith in God guide their sex lives and to trust Him in every aspect of their existence, some Protestants have become practitioners of Natural Family Planning (NFP). Eschewing contraceptives, some are now joining Catholics in fertility classes and returning to traditional Christian teaching.The Austin American-Statesman reports that the number of NFP practitioners who are Protestants is difficult to quantify. However, Rev. Amy Laura Hall, a Methodist minister and associate professor at Duke Divinity School, says there appears to be growing interest. She said that, as... CNA http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2061957/posts#comment Thu, 14 Aug 2008 20:30:42 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2061459/posts In the Pennsylvania primary, Barack Obama rolled up more than 90 percent of the African-American vote. Among Catholics, he lost by 40 points. The cool liberal Harvard Law grad was not a good fit for the socially conservative ethnics of Altoona, Aliquippa and Johnstown. But if Barack had a problem with Catholics then, he has a far higher hurdle to surmount in the fall, with those millions of Catholics who still take their faith and moral code seriously. For not only is Barack the most pro-abortion member of the Senate, with his straight A+ report card from the National Abortion... Stiff Right Jab http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2061459/posts#comment Wed, 13 Aug 2008 23:43:33 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2060003/posts Character development is a process; it is not automatic. When we received Christ, we got all of His character. You have the ability with Christ in you to have all of His character traits coming out of your life. We received this character and then we begin to do what Paul said in Colossians 2:6, “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him” Or in other words, as you’ve received His character in you, now live out His character in your words, in your deeds, in your actions. We’ve got to go after character by... Cross Action News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2060003/posts#comment Mon, 11 Aug 2008 16:53:09 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2059832/posts The outrage over John Edward's admitted affair with a filmmaker transcends what we have seen with most recent sex scandals. This partly results from his repeated denials of the affair. Much more important, of course, is the fact that it took place while his wife was battling cancer. The two of them had already dealt with the tragedy of losing a teenage son, and the public is furious that Edwards caused his wife, who agreed to campaign for him even after being diagnosed with incurable bone cancer, more pain. Why, people want to know, do men who have it all... Jerusalem Post http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2059832/posts#comment Mon, 11 Aug 2008 12:11:58 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2043445/posts All of us were educated in the Israel Defense Forces to adhere to the code of the purity of arms, part of which means using our weapons in a moral way. The moment a decision is taken and a bullet is shot, the goal is to hit and neutralize enemy actions. The moment we fired, and the enemy or terrorist was hit, and we are under the impression that he was neutralized, there is no room to shoot again – even if this is the most terrible and despicable terrorist. We shall never shoot him in cold blood. Only if... YNet http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2043445/posts#comment Thu, 10 Jul 2008 15:13:19 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2043344/posts Hi folks - I myself often battled innerly with how I stand in things religious. I studied the Bible in its entirety very carefully, and did a lot of other reading (e.g. about the ancient Greek and Roman view on religion). I do have respect for people who take the agnostic stance - if you don't have gone through religious experiences, and your conscience tells you so, then it is absolutely respectable to say: 'I don't know' (the great philosopher Imanuel Kant, himself a devout religious man, wrote this almost literally). My own view on this topic: I have great... http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2043344/posts#comment Thu, 10 Jul 2008 11:42:12 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2040936/posts Last week I was asked how to advise a twelve-year-old girl who has been asked to babysit for neighbors. The problem was that the neighbors are a lesbian couple who have had a child by artificial insemination. The girl was uncertain what to do, and uncomfortable at the prospect. The previous weekend, we were having dinner with a wonderful Catholic family out in the country, and the father said that down the road lives a homosexual couple that gives pool parties in the summer. When welcoming the family, another neighbor said, "You have to get to know Randy and Bob.... Inside Catholic (via Catholic Culture) http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2040936/posts#comment Sat, 5 Jul 2008 02:06:38 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2037890/posts Marie Jon' writes about James Dobson's commentary on Barack Obama, and other issues surrounding Obama's corrupt belief system. "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away." (Matthew 24:35) You can call yourself a Christian, but if your life does not reflect the teachings of the Bible and the Savior you proclaim to serve, the chances are you've not experienced a true conversion. Scripture exhorts Christians not to remain babies and drink only milk. It is the full substance of God's Word which matures our faith. We are transformed by the renewal of our mind, which... Right Side News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2037890/posts#comment Sat, 28 Jun 2008 21:03:21 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2032128/posts The great celebration that has been going on today in the media over the impending commencement of gay marriages in California has left me fearful for this beloved country. Every time I heard the news or clicked on main news items, there it was: "At five o'clock, Pacific time, the State of California will permit gay marriages, etc..." Each time I saw it or heard it was like the tolling of a bell, which reverberated deep in my heart setting off a slight quiver of fear. My fear is, in large part, based on my religious beliefs. I am an... Self http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2032128/posts#comment Tue, 17 Jun 2008 04:21:31 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2029672/posts Who Shalt Not Kill? Brain Power Leads To Level-headedness When Faced With Moral Dilemmas ScienceDaily (Jun. 11, 2008) — Should a sergeant sacrifice a wounded private on the battlefield in order to save the rest of his troops? Is euthanasia acceptable if it prevents needless suffering? Many of us will have to face some sort of extreme moral choice such as these at least once in our life. And we are also surrounded by less dramatic moral choices everyday: Do I buy the hybrid? Do I vote for a particular presidential candidate? Unfortunately, very little is known beyond philosophical speculation... Science Daily http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2029672/posts#comment Wed, 11 Jun 2008 21:56:58 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2018800/posts Recently, I reviewed a new American history anthology. I was amused to find included in the book a generous selection of 1960s protest songs. Apparently, lyrics by Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger, Buffy Sainte-Marie and Country Joe MacDonald are making their way into the academic canon, and at least some professors seem to think these are “must-read” documents for our students. Well, maybe so. But if one really wants song lyrics that reflect the 1960s, I'd point my students instead to some of the songs from math professor and musical satirist Tom Lehrer. In terms of insight into America, Lehrer's “National... Aberdeen American News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2018800/posts#comment Tue, 20 May 2008 19:54:02 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2007297/posts Divorce and unwed childbearing cost taxpayers at least $112 billion each year or more than $1 trillion over the last decade. This estimate from the Institute for American Values is, as the authors suggest, likely to be an underestimate. This staggering but plausible tally of the economic costs of family dissolution follows what we have long known about the social costs. All our major social ills -- poverty, violent crime, substance abuse, truancy and more -- are more closely linked to family breakdown and single-parent homes than to any other factor. A poor black child from an intact home is... WorldNetDaily http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2007297/posts#comment Sat, 26 Apr 2008 13:58:06 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2001822/posts NEW YORK — Divorce and out-of-wedlock childbearing cost U.S. taxpayers more than $112 billion a year, according to a study commissioned by four groups advocating more government action to bolster marriages. Sponsors say the study is the first of its kind and hope it will prompt lawmakers to invest more money in programs aimed at strengthening marriages. Two experts not connected to the study said such programs are of dubious merit and suggested that other investments — notably job creation — would be more effective in aiding all types of needy families. There have been previous attempts to calculate the... Fox News Website http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2001822/posts#comment Tue, 15 Apr 2008 13:36:59 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2006934/posts The battle over same-sex marriage in California heated up Thursday, when supporters of an initiative to ban it in the state's Constitution submitted more than 1.1 million signatures in an effort to qualify the measure for the November ballot. SF Gate.Com/SF Chronicle http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2006934/posts#comment Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:54:51 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2005534/posts The earliest American definition of liberty—stated frequently by the Founding Fathers—is about constraints on personal actions: if I don’t hurt anybody else, I should be free to pursue my own will. As Thomas Jefferson put it in his first inaugural address, “A wise and frugal Government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned.” Despite more recent attempts to expand our understanding of freedom to include claims on one another or... City Journal http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2005534/posts#comment Wed, 23 Apr 2008 02:01:05 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2005441/posts Recently while wandering around the net in search of various game news I came across this reply to a post on Kotaku.com. The reply was in the form of a letter allegedly sent from Jack Thompson to the mother of Take-Two’s CEO Strauss Zelnick. Here is that letter: John B. Thompson, Attorney at Law 1172 S. Dixie Hwy., Suite 111 Coral Gables, Florida 33146 April 21, 2008 Mrs. Zelnick Strauss Zelnick, Take-Two Chairman’s Mother New York, New York Via e-mails to intermediaries Re: Your Son, Strauss Zelnick Dear Mrs. Zelnick: Your son, as you may know (or maybe you don’t... diehardgamefan http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2005441/posts#comment Tue, 22 Apr 2008 22:35:08 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2005177/posts The world has seen many cultures rise and fall. The common thread among all, from the Ancient Romans and Greeks to others, is that prior to their fall they became selfish, gluttonous and apathetic. They adopted the feel good and do it now mentality that today’s secularists feel is an invention of their own. Anyone who studies human nature should find it apparent that our Creator set up a system whereby gluttonous selfishness leads to apathy. It is therefore of no surprise that those who embody the “feel good, do it now” movement are so out of touch with the... Canada Free Press http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2005177/posts#comment Tue, 22 Apr 2008 13:24:10 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2004309/posts According to the sages of the Talmud, there are 70 families with 70 paths within the great Family of Man. And each individual has his or her path within a path. Yet, there is one universal basis for us all. At the dawn of human history, G-d gave man seven rules to follow in order that His world be sustained. So it is recounted in the Book of Genesis as interpreted by our tradition in the Talmud. There will come a time, our sages told us, that the children of Noah will be prepared to return to this path. That... Chabad-Lubavitch Media Center http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2004309/posts#comment Sun, 20 Apr 2008 13:45:39 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1956859/posts In the digital age, having an affair has never been easier. Author Angela Levin spent five months interviewing middle-class professionals for an extensive study that charts the rise of the no-strings-attached* relationship. In the first of a three-part investigation, she reveals why the UK is in the grip of an infidelity epidemic. 'Been left parked in the garage of marriage too long, battery getting flat and needs somebody to give it a spark of life, full tank and ready to go. "Present owner does not like going for a ride any more but am not up for sale. Seeking discreet... London Telegraph http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1956859/posts#comment Mon, 21 Jan 2008 00:48:41 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1997116/posts Redefining Morality: Why a Torrent of Trouble Threatens to Engulf Us Today the major English-speaking nations watch as a storm of problems draws ever nearer, a storm created by hostile forces that blurred and weakened their sense of morality. Does the Bible indicate where we will go from here? by John Ross Schroeder A recent article in USA Today captures the essence of present discontent in the United States. It laments: "In poll after poll, two-thirds or more of Americans say the country is on the wrong track. Oil prices are near an all-time high. The president's popularity hovers near... Good News Magazine http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1997116/posts#comment Sat, 5 Apr 2008 12:53:38 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1991053/posts Elizabeth Pisani, an epidemiologist and blogger (at The Wisdom of Whores), has just published an article in the Guardian entitled “Spitzer’s true folly: A governor who pays for sex should know to mould social policies on reality, not morality.” Noting that the departing New York governor had championed a tough anti-prostitution law, Pisani writes that “the collective gloating [over his embarrassment] obscures an important truth: policies based on morality, not reality, don’t work.” Further on, she claims: “Morality, which is hard to define let alone to measure, is not a good basis for public policy. Science is a good basis... City Journal http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1991053/posts#comment Tue, 25 Mar 2008 02:13:19 GMT