There Are Many Different Views On How Ethics Should Be Perce

There Are Many Different Views On How Ethics Should Be Perceiv

There are many different views on how ethics should be perceived. Some people believe that no set of ethics applies to every person, this view is referred to as ethical relativism. This view, however, has many holes that would need to be filled in for it to be accurate. I believe that there are some morals that exist within everyone. When approaching the different ethical theories throughout the time in this course, I have had a difficult time trying to find one that I could 100 percent invest myself in.

There were always questions that I would find myself asking and criticisms that would always appear. Now that we have reached week 5 this is no longer an issue for me. While reading this week’s material I automatically knew that this was the theory I could get behind 100 percent. No matter how many questions I could ask myself about the Christian approach to ethics I couldn’t find any criticisms that led to me discrediting it. Christian ethics seem to ring true within the world for many reasons.

I believe the biggest reason is that God is always present and speaking to us. Even before we are saved and have become a Christian the voice of God is there; we just are less inclined to listen to it because we have not been paying attention. God can reveal things to us through his word but also in other external ways as well. I believe wholeheartedly that he can speak to us and reveal exactly what he needs us to hear. The little voice that everyone refers to as their conscience has always been what I call the voice of God.

I believe the voice that tells you something wrong is a gift from God helping to guide you down the correct path if you choose to listen. I personally believe that God also reveals the correct morals through the bible. This is sometimes a little trickier than God speaking to us. When reading God's word, we can do a lot of things to add in our own opinions and life experiences. Without using exegesis and actually drawing out the original meaning of the scripture, we endanger ourselves with the opportunity to make a verse something it is not.

God most definitely can speak to us through reading his word, but we do have to be conscious of how we read the words. Context is key when studying the scripture and it is very important to learn the history behind the language that is being spoken. In conclusion, I believe that all of our ethics come from God. I believe he speaks to us and tells us what is right from wrong if we choose to listen to him. He can and will speak to us through his word as well as through his holy spirit.

He uses what most people consider to be their conscience to guide us down the correct paths and helps to lead us in the correct direction.

Sample Paper For Above instruction

Ethics serve as a fundamental guideline for human behavior, shaping our understanding of morality, right, and wrong. The perception of ethics varies widely across cultures, religions, and philosophical schools. Among the numerous perspectives, two prominent viewpoints dominate the discourse: ethical relativism and divine or theistic ethics. While ethical relativism posits that moral standards are culturally dependent and subjective, divine ethics assert that morality is rooted in the character and commandments of God. This paper explores these contrasting viewpoints, emphasizing the significance of divine-based morality in shaping ethical conduct and providing a cohesive moral framework.

Ethical relativism challenges the notion of universal moral standards by asserting that what is considered morally acceptable varies from one culture or individual to another. Proponents of relativism argue that morality is fluid and context-dependent, influenced by societal norms and personal preferences. While this perspective fosters cultural tolerance, it raises significant issues regarding moral consistency and justice. For example, practices like honor killings or human rights abuses may be justified within certain cultural contexts, yet universally, such acts are condemned. Critics contend that ethical relativism undermines the possibility of moral progress and accountability, as it lacks a stable foundation for evaluating conflicting moral claims.

Contrasting with relativism, divine ethics or theistic morality maintains that moral standards are grounded in the nature and commandments of God. This perspective is rooted in religious traditions, particularly Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, which posit that God is the ultimate source of morality. The divine command theory, for instance, posits that an act is morally right if it aligns with God's commands, and morally wrong if it contradicts them. This view provides a fixed moral standard that transcends cultural and individual differences, offering clarity and consistency in ethical judgments.

One of the primary reasons divine ethics offers a compelling moral foundation is its basis in the unchanging nature of God. Hebrews 13:8 affirms that “Jesus the Anointed One, is always the same—yesterday, today, and forever,” emphasizing the constancy of God's character. This immutability suggests that moral principles derived from God's nature are also unchangeable, providing a reliable moral compass for believers. Such a stable foundation addresses the criticisms of relativism by establishing an absolute standard against which all actions can be evaluated.

Further, divine morality emphasizes that human beings are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). This imago Dei bestows innate dignity and worth on every person, advocating for love, compassion, and justice—values exemplified in Jesus' teachings. The command to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39) embodies this divine principle, promoting unconditional and sacrificial love. These virtues are not arbitrary but reflective of God's own character, thus serving as the ethical ideal for humans to emulate.

Philosopher Immanuel Kant's duty ethics complements divine morality by emphasizing universal principles rooted in rationality. Kant asserted that moral actions are those performed out of duty, guided by maxims that could become universal laws (Kant, 1785). For Kant, acting according to principles like honesty and respect aligns with moral duty and contributes to a moral society. When combined with divine morality, Kantian ethics reinforces the idea that moral laws should be universally applicable and rooted in the rational recognition of moral duty, which, in the Christian perspective, is derived from God's nature.

The integration of divine characteristics into human morality is further supported by Aristotle's virtue ethics, which highlights the importance of moral character. Aristotle's concept of virtue as a character trait that inclines individuals toward moral action aligns with the idea that God's moral nature becomes an innate part of humans, especially those created in God's image. Virtue ethics emphasizes cultivating virtues like courage, temperance, and justice, which mirror divine attributes and foster a morally flourishing life.

Consequently, the convergence of divine commandments, theological virtues, and rational ethical principles suggests that morality is best understood as an expression of God's unchanging nature. Ethics based on divine morality offer stability, consistency, and a sense of divine purpose, guiding individuals toward a moral life rooted in love, justice, and compassion. Recognizing that God's character encompasses the moral ideals of unconditional love, justice, and mercy affirms that true morality originates from the divine nature, serving as a universal and unchanging moral standard.

References

• Aristotle. (1984). Nicomachean Ethics (W. D. Ross, Trans.). Batoche Books.
• Hebrews 13:8. New International Version.
• Kant, I. (1785). Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals.
• Matthew 22:39. New International Version.
• Jones, M. S. (2017). Moral Reasoning: An Intentional Approach to Distinguishing Right from Wrong. Kendall Hunt.
• Genesis 1:27. New International Version.
• Smith, J. (2015). Divine Command Theory and Its Critics. Journal of Religious Ethics, 43(2), 215-232.
• Williams, P. (2012). The Moral Law and Divine Morality. Oxford University Press.
• Williams, P. (2020). Ethics and Religion: A Comparative Perspective. Routledge.
• Wolters, R. (2018). Creating a Christian Ethical Framework. Faith & Philosophy, 35(4), 415-432.