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a sorely perplexed generation. Dog–
matic slogans are strident and yet
our uncertainties are greater than
ever."
The situation has not improved
in the decade since this was writ–
ten. The day when morality meant
obedience to and acceptance of the
existing social order has long since
gone.
In a report entitled "Progress
and Problems in Moral Educa–
tion," the National Foundation of
Educational Research (NFER) in
England and Wales addressed the
increasing concern felt by British
teachers about what parents
expect of them as cultural trans–
mitters. The report agreed that
schools provide the initial link
between the morality of the borne
and that of the world at large. But
public morality is of a less fixed
and certain nature than that
taught in the borne. The duty of
the teacher is therefore problem–
atical. They, too often, feel they
must teach the pupil not a fixed
code of morality, but how to adapt
to expediency, situation ethics and
a flexible approach to morality.
We live in the age of the sophis–
ticated double standard!
lt All Beglns In the Home
Today's morality is based on no
more than personal convictions
tempered by time and circum–
stance. The old moral codes based
, on rather fixed religious standards
have virtually been abandoned as
"founded on untenable assumptions
and as educationally unjustifiable"
(NFER report, page 57.)
Morality, then, has been largely
dismissed as not the job of the
teacher but of the parent. So if you
want your child to grow up with
certain moral standards,
you'/1
have to educate him morally and
spiritually yourself. And, in addi–
tion, exercise control over visual
and written material penetrating
the borne on television, in maga–
zines and newspapers. Add to that
the need to supervise the quality of
movies and the choice of friends in
and out of school.
Teaching morality at borne pre–
sents none of the many philosophi–
cal problems teachers face. After
30
all, rrtorality is really not an
abstract philosophy, but a way of
life. And if a parent really exem–
plifies the way of life he wants to
impart to bis child, the youngster
learns not by sorne abstract, philo–
sophical argument, but by
the right
examp/e!
Today's teachers often feel they
are only there to impart informa–
tion and the pupil must do bis own
evaluating. But the parent should
feel no such constraint.
Stages In Morallty
Initially a young child accepts as
truth whatever he is told. Tell him
that Santa Claus comes down the
chimney, and he'll at first accept it
as fact. The danger comes in think–
ing that the child will always
remain that way. The older he
becomes the more a child will
weigh up what he can currently
observe against past childhood
teachings.
Parents need to realize that
children go through various stages
in developing moral standards.
U .S. psychologist Lawrence Kohl–
berg found evidence that in the
earliest stages of training, reward
and punishment play an important
part in making wise moral judg–
ments. He concluded that the
child should be punished or
rewarded according to the
moral
implications.
In the next stage the primary
consideration is whether an action
meets the approval of others. At
the higher stages (Kohlberg con–
cluded that many adults never
reach this stage) moral decision–
making is guided by a reciprocal
sense of responsibility toward
others. A child, for example, will
learn in time to wait in line for bis
ice cream because he expects others
to do the same.
The highest stage of moral <tevel–
opment (as identified by Kohlberg)
is where relatively abstract princi–
pies, such as justice, merey and tol–
eration, are paramount in govern–
ing both thought and action.
But, today's morality is largely
based on the slippery slopes of situ–
ation ethics-not fixed transcen–
dental codes. Tne result? Shifting
moral codes are catching up with
society in the form of increased
crime, greater violence to the per–
son and much less natural affec–
tion.
Today, morality has been di–
vorced from religion. People want
to be free to do as they wish, with–
out any deference to revealed spiri–
tual considerations. A humanist
moral code instead of the Bible is
usually advocated, based on a uni–
versal but undefined human "law
of love." But it is not God's defini–
tion of love--outgoing concern for
others.
But no matter how appealing this
approach may appear, .it just
doesn't tell man
how to /ove.
Mod–
ero morality is without specific
guidelines and erroneously leaves it
up to each individual to judge right
and wrong for himself. lt is God
who determines what is right and
what is wrong. It is ironic that in
adopting this empty, futile human–
ist approach, society has abandoned
the one and only divine "law of
love" that really works.
This true law of love is expressed
in Chrisfs two great commarid–
ments: love of God and love of
neighbor. These two great princi–
pies are then broken down into spe–
cific guidelines by the Ten Com–
mandme;nts and further expounded
on throughout the Bible.
Man can work out no better
moral code for himself or bis chil–
dren.
If
properly applied it is most
certainly
not
a negative law that
places us in a straitjacket of dos and
don'ts. On the contrary it is a con–
structive code of law that forms the
basis for building both happy lives ·
and safe societies.
Above all , it provides parents
with a truly sound basis for the
positive moral education of their
children. And parents who live
their lives according to these prin–
cipies will not be setting double
standards. They will live a way of
life that stands up to scrutiny–
particularly the scrutiny of their
own children as they reach their
teens.
Teach your children the Ten
Commandments and explain to
them the meaning of this great
spiritual law. Yoú'll never regret
it! o
The
PLAIN TRUTH