Should We Act Morally Soley Because Of Divine?

By Brian W. Bearden <bbearden@student.lander.edu>

If a person is acting moraly, by definition one would say they have the character of being in accord with the principles or standards of right conduct. By establishing principles of right conduct we are defining what acts are right & wrong and coming to some kind of agreement. Therefore, if a person decides to act moraly society would say he/she is a good person and doing the right things.
Should we then act moraly soley based on divine will? Divine will is a very broad term which covers everything from the Christian God, to the greek mythological gods, to any kind of "so called" divine intervention. The rituals, acts, or views that many religions observe may not be what the mainstream public defines to be moral ideas. Acting moraly then may have nothing to do with divine will, except for the Christian God ("the good God") in which many of our morals are so deeply based upon, even though many people may dismiss the idea. A person first must decide, in their own mind, whether or not acting moraly has anything to do with or is even connected to divine will. Personally, because of my own beliefs in the Christian God, I believe that morality is intertwined with divine will and what is truly right/wrong in our own minds has been established by God. So, we shouldn't act moraly soley because of divine will, but because it is the right thing to do. Acting moraly is for the good of society. Also, in agreement with Plato's, I beleive that acting moraly is necessary for a person's own happiness.

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Anna C. Nance <eirendel@yahoo.com>

Short and to the point. Give very difinate arguement.


Nichole Sanders <snk79@hotmail.com>

I agree. Morality shouldn't be based solely on divine will because not all belief are the same. Until the entire world agree on one God or Belief then morality is thought of by each individual.


Leah Patterson <coco_c_007@hotmail.com>

I agree with what you're saying. As the daughter of a Methodist minister, I feel, as well, that morality and religion are somewhat intertwined. The only thing that I found somewhat odd in your paper is that you make it sound as though God reaches out and touches each person individuality and gives him or her the laws He wants the person to measure life by. I think it's important to note that those who take morality and divine will together base their code of conduct on a group of ideals -- either written or oral -- that a specific group of people has put together based on their interpretation of divine will. The statement you made almost made it sound like each person might have a different code of ethics from the next person.


Amy Young <bbfhyoung@yahoo.com>

In the beginning of your paper you said that society determines a person’s morality. Than you said that people can choose whether to base their behavior on divine will. I think that you make the assumption that morality must be associated in some way with religion. For the most part I think that many moral doctrines may have had their roots in religion, however, I tend to believe that religion stems from thousands, if nor millions, of years of human observation of themselves and the environment. Therefore I think morality is entirely of our creation and enforcement.


Gina Baker <daphine10@hotmail.com>

I thought your paper was organized well, but in my own opinion I don't think that you have to act in a moral way to be happy.


Tom Lundis <Kman26@hotmail.com>

This problem of divine will becomes further complicted when that will conflicts with the will of society. What does one do when divine will, and society's differ? In many instances morality comes to people from the inside. But is what is inside your own beliefs, or were they placed there by God?


jennifer lester <lesterjennifer>

how would you act morally based on anything divine if you were a nihilist? you wouldn't. since religion or "the divine" can not be proven, it can not be a basis for acting morally. it sure helps to keep people in line though. ;)


Michelle Komski <michellekomski@hotmail.com>

I agree that we should not act morally based solely on divine will. I also agree that acting morally is the right thing to do and good for society. I have to disagree about God establishing what is right/wrong. I believe this comes from our family and the society where we grew up. There are numerous examples of God saying something is wrong but our family or society says it's not. One example I can thing of is all people being created equally. "Mary's" family could say it is okay to treat lower class people like they don't exist but God says all people should be treated equally. In "Mary's" opinion, she is acting morally.


Michael T Tucker <tuckerm@greenwood.net>

I have to disagree with one part of your paper. I don't believe "God" establishes R/W in our own mind. I believe R/W is a learned product of our society, not god.


Chun Yeung <jane1227@yahoo.com>

I guess I am not a very religious person, that's why I don't agree with you for that part of your paper, "what is truly right/wrong in our own minds has been established by God." I think right/wrong in our minds are established by our individual values, such as the way we raise, and the environment we live.


Chun Yeung <jane1227@yahoo.com>

I guess I am not a very religious person, that's why I don't agree with you for that part of your paper, "what is truly right/wrong in our own minds has been established by God." I think right/wrong in our minds are established by our individual values, such as the way we raise, and the environment we live.


D. Andrews <dandrews92@hotmail.com>

Morality can exist without religion, but religion can be used to teach morals.


Rachel Crowe <rcrowe@usa.net>

I don't agree with the statement that right and wrong is established in an individual's mind by God. If that was the case, then every individual would know right from wrong without question. I do believe that people are influenced to act morally based on their religious beliefs. I agree that people don't act morally solely becuase of divine will, though, because some people do not have religious beliefs.


Tim Andrews <tandrews@emeraldis.com>

When you say acting morally is the right thing to do, do you mean that it is the right thing for society or the right thing by God's standards?


Jamie Meadows <riojeepgrl@yahoo.com>

Your paper is very well thought out and researched. You answered the question thouroughly and I like how you understand that there are people who have different Gods or no God and can still act morally.


Jamie Meadows <riojeepgrl@yahoo.com>

Your paper is very well thought out and researched. You answered the question thouroughly and I like how you understand that there are people who have different Gods or no God and can still act morally.


Matthew Knight <mknight_dsb@hotmail.com>

I agree with what your arguement that "right" has been established by a higher power than mankind.


Russell L. Martin <rangjung21@hotmail.com>

I too think that being moral has a positive effect on others. Anything that eases the suffering in the world is interesting to me.


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daniel <hollytreeds@hotmail.com>

i agree with your paper in many ways but i don't think you have to act morally to be happy. i also think that people have different morals and everyone may have different views on different points or subjects.


Shew <Ashmo28@hotmail.com>

One should not base his morality upon any "God." When one is moral just due to a supposed god, he acts in a selfish way. One is moral simply to please a god then, and not acting morally. One is simply preoccupied with the supposed afterlife. Morality is totally separate from religion and must be to be truly moral.


Due Date <2/21/2000>

Formal comments completed