I've had a similar exchange with Statler on the subject of morality where he also got the impression that my ideas of morality let people off the hook if they don't get caught. I'm not sure how that follows. Attempting to harm or recklessly running the risk of causing harm is also wrongdoing, even if by good fortune harm is not done.
If I were to attempt to shoot someone with a gun and I miss, the courts would NOT let me walk simply because I failed to do any harm. I'd still be rightly prosecuted for the attempted crime. While morality and legality don't always agree, we still should be able to understand that attempted wrongdoing is still wrongdoing.
In the case you mention of a hypothetical affair that isn't caught, I'd still be violating my wife's trust and our agreement when we were married. I did mention "integrity" as one of the criteria of moral behavior. Wronging someone is still wronging them even if you're not caught.
I live by three commandments that apply in the bedroom as well as outside of it:
1. Act with integrity
2. Respect the rights of others
3. Take responsibility for your actions
Now, let's suppose the existence of a married couple that had an "open" marriage. This is not my cup of tea, since I'm very monogamous and haven't ever felt the need for more than one relationship at a time, but for someone else, if that's what they both agree to, it would not be immoral.
Another example of what you may as a Christian regard as "immoral" that I don't is love when the body parts are similar. Let's suppose for the sake of argument, that the power of God were to one day transform my wife into a man. My feelings for her (him) would be no different and we'd stay married. As one who's bisexual, I don't think body parts are a serious concern and love feels the same regardless.
Now on to the topic of whether we're becoming more moral or less...
As a business owner and one educated in business school, I can tell you that the culture has indeed changed. Having a relationship with someone who works for you is now seen as unethical where it wasn't before. There is more awareness now of sexually predatory behavior where there wasn't before. What society once tolerated is now viewed with disgust.
This is also true in other areas. Yes, slavery still exists in the world but not openly. Just a few hundred years ago, it was openly defended as if it were a proper institution. Abolition was a political controversy. Now we know better.
During that same time period, wars of aggression were part of political life. Britain, France, Germany and other powers of Europe colonized parts of the world. America also indulged in empire building. War was a political tool to take territory and resources. Today, wars of aggression are seen rightly as a crime. The kind of empire building of times even as recent as the 19th century would be unacceptable today. Now, wars of aggression still happen (see our recent invasion of Iraq) but they're prosecuted as crimes against the world when we are able to.
Studying ancient history reveals the kinds of crimes against humanity that would horrify us today were common practice. It wasn't just barbarian hoards let by such infamous characters like Attila that massacred and enslaved conquered towns. Even lauded conquerors of so-called "civilization", like "Alexander the Great", massacred entire towns for daring to resist his invasion. The Iliad alleges the Greeks leveled Troy, put all the men to the sword, took women as sex slaves and children as slaves. When Carthage fell to Rome, a similar fate awaited her citizens. Rome did the same to Jerusalem as a grim "lesson" for the Jews in an attempt to break their spirit. Such tactics now horrify us today and would be prosecuted in a world court.
So yes, I think the world is getting more moral, not less.
If I were to attempt to shoot someone with a gun and I miss, the courts would NOT let me walk simply because I failed to do any harm. I'd still be rightly prosecuted for the attempted crime. While morality and legality don't always agree, we still should be able to understand that attempted wrongdoing is still wrongdoing.
In the case you mention of a hypothetical affair that isn't caught, I'd still be violating my wife's trust and our agreement when we were married. I did mention "integrity" as one of the criteria of moral behavior. Wronging someone is still wronging them even if you're not caught.
I live by three commandments that apply in the bedroom as well as outside of it:
1. Act with integrity
2. Respect the rights of others
3. Take responsibility for your actions
Now, let's suppose the existence of a married couple that had an "open" marriage. This is not my cup of tea, since I'm very monogamous and haven't ever felt the need for more than one relationship at a time, but for someone else, if that's what they both agree to, it would not be immoral.
Another example of what you may as a Christian regard as "immoral" that I don't is love when the body parts are similar. Let's suppose for the sake of argument, that the power of God were to one day transform my wife into a man. My feelings for her (him) would be no different and we'd stay married. As one who's bisexual, I don't think body parts are a serious concern and love feels the same regardless.
Now on to the topic of whether we're becoming more moral or less...
As a business owner and one educated in business school, I can tell you that the culture has indeed changed. Having a relationship with someone who works for you is now seen as unethical where it wasn't before. There is more awareness now of sexually predatory behavior where there wasn't before. What society once tolerated is now viewed with disgust.
This is also true in other areas. Yes, slavery still exists in the world but not openly. Just a few hundred years ago, it was openly defended as if it were a proper institution. Abolition was a political controversy. Now we know better.
During that same time period, wars of aggression were part of political life. Britain, France, Germany and other powers of Europe colonized parts of the world. America also indulged in empire building. War was a political tool to take territory and resources. Today, wars of aggression are seen rightly as a crime. The kind of empire building of times even as recent as the 19th century would be unacceptable today. Now, wars of aggression still happen (see our recent invasion of Iraq) but they're prosecuted as crimes against the world when we are able to.
Studying ancient history reveals the kinds of crimes against humanity that would horrify us today were common practice. It wasn't just barbarian hoards let by such infamous characters like Attila that massacred and enslaved conquered towns. Even lauded conquerors of so-called "civilization", like "Alexander the Great", massacred entire towns for daring to resist his invasion. The Iliad alleges the Greeks leveled Troy, put all the men to the sword, took women as sex slaves and children as slaves. When Carthage fell to Rome, a similar fate awaited her citizens. Rome did the same to Jerusalem as a grim "lesson" for the Jews in an attempt to break their spirit. Such tactics now horrify us today and would be prosecuted in a world court.
So yes, I think the world is getting more moral, not less.
Atheist Forums Hall of Shame:
"The trinity can be equated to having your cake and eating it too."
... -Lucent, trying to defend the Trinity concept
"(Yahweh's) actions are good because (Yahweh) is the ultimate standard of goodness. That’s not begging the question"
... -Statler Waldorf, Christian apologist
"The trinity can be equated to having your cake and eating it too."
... -Lucent, trying to defend the Trinity concept
"(Yahweh's) actions are good because (Yahweh) is the ultimate standard of goodness. That’s not begging the question"
... -Statler Waldorf, Christian apologist
