Sunday, December 07, 2008 "American Ethics"

Sunday, December 07, 2008

"American Ethics"

In last week's post, I mentioned Superman, you know, truth, justice, and the American way. Yea, truth and Justice are equated to the American way.

A new study shows that America has become indifferent to the American way. Surveying almost 30,000 students, the Josephson Institute found that the nation is raising a throng of lawbreakers. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of teens said they cheated on tests; another 30% admitted to stealing from a store; and 42% said they sometimes lie to save money. Despite this, 93% of those said they are "satisfied" with their level of integrity.

I suppose with the recent problems we’ve had in our businesses and government this shouldn’t surprise us, but then again, it should! This is America, you know, America! The place the oppressed look to for reprieve, the place where untold numbers risk everything just to make it to her shores.

Are they trying to escape to a nation inhabited by cheaters, thieves, and liars? Is that now our American ethics? Could a group of cheaters, thieves, and liars have built a great nation of freedom? If not, can a nation of cheaters, thieves, and liars maintain one?

Founder Elias Boudinot said, “If the moral character of a people once degenerates, their political character must soon follow.”

President George Washington said, “A good moral character is the first essential. It is highly important not only to be learned but to be virtuous.”

The third President of the United States Thomas Jefferson said, “Give up money, give up fame, give up science, give the earth itself and all it contains rather than do an immoral act. And never suppose that in any possible situation, or under any circumstances, it is best for you to do a dishonorable thing, however slightly so it may appear to you.

Whenever you are to do a thing, though it can never be known but to yourself, ask yourself how you would act were all the world looking at you, and act accordingly. Encourage all your virtuous dispositions, and exercise them whenever an opportunity arises, being assured that they will gain strength by exercise, as a limb of the body does, and that exercise will make them habitual. From the practice of the purest virtue, you may be assured you will derive the most sublime comforts in every moment of life, and in the moment of death.”

In a Primer of Ethics taught in our public schools published in 1890, you find this story in the lesson on truth. A story of a boy who borrows his Dad’s axe to cut a hole in the ice on their pond to go fishing. Having done so without his father's knowledge he accidentally drops the axe through the hole into the water.

Shortly after, his Dad is in need of the axe, here we find the test of truth. He is told by his Dad to go look for the axe, so the son pretends to go to the shed, to the barn, and to the shop. He then tells his Dad it is nowhere to be found, thinking he has not yet told a lie, yet his deception is leading him to a place he rather not go.

His Dad then asks him directly, have you seen it lately? He only had an instant to reflect and he hastily answered, “No.” He reasoned it had been longer than lately since he dropped it in the fishing hole, this gave his conscience some relief.

The next moment, his Dad asked him if he had seen it since they were splitting wood in the shed; and he answered, “No sir.” an absolute lie.

His Dad then goes away; and the son sits down on a log before the woodpile and covered his face with his hands, overwhelmed with the bitter reflection that he had been gradually led to tell his father an absolute lie. His peace of mind was destroyed. All that afternoon and evening he was afraid to meet his Dad, for fear he would say something about the axe.

The sight of the shed, the wood pile, the ice, and even of the wood burning in the fire-place, seemed to recall to his mind the thoughts of his sin; and he was afraid all the time, that his Dad would go down to the pond, and see the hole cut in the ice, and so would discover his guilt.

At first, he thought that the hole would soon freeze over again, but then he reflected that it would leave a sort of scar upon the spot, which would, perhaps, remain all winter to reproach him and betray him. At night he could not sleep; and at last, he was so miserable that he got up, went to his Dad, and confessed his sin.

Now, 93% of our teens who were asked, said they were satisfied with cheating, stealing, and lying. I wonder what the difference is now?

I think we may have lost something in our teachings on ethics, this lesson began with this story on truth, the last lesson being our duty to God.

Yes, we us to teach in our schools about our duty to God. This duty was not to some abstract god of religion, but the God of the Bible.

If you mention the name of God in public now, people run from you like you have a strange disorder or something.

It seems we have forgotten, I wonder if the rest of the world remembers the American way?

May God bless each of you,

David