Medical And Other Ethics From A Christian Perspective
St George and the Dragon
St. George and the Dragon from 1800's lithograph: Symbolic of the Christian fight against immorality and the ethical values of this current age that are in conflict with God's principles. There is, at present, a sustained attack upon the integrity and Godly design for the family unit. This is reflected in the conduct of certain practices regarding medical care and views of the family unit. For example: 1) The Christian scriptures clearly teach protection of the conceived but yet unborn child. Jeremiah 1:4 states, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you..." How can mankind violate God's plan by aborting human beings? 2) The scriptures teach of the Holy consecration between a man and a woman. Genesis 2:24 says, "For this cause a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and they shall become one flesh." Yet, we as a nation are ignoring this directive. Why? 3) We have chosen leaders that do not fear God. What is the consequence of this? Isaiah 66:3 comments regarding Israel, in their rebellion against God, "As they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations, so I will choose their punishments, and I will bring upon them what they dread. Because I called, but no one answered; I spoke but they did not listen. And they did evil in my sight..."
Given this situation, what do the scriptures say Christian conduct should be in days such as these? 1 Peter 4:7 states, "The end of all things is at hand; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins...." Scriptures from NASB with permit. Below are a number of letters to the editor and articles relating to medical ethics and and other ethical issues related to the preservation of the family-the building block of any society.
Given this situation, what do the scriptures say Christian conduct should be in days such as these? 1 Peter 4:7 states, "The end of all things is at hand; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins...." Scriptures from NASB with permit. Below are a number of letters to the editor and articles relating to medical ethics and and other ethical issues related to the preservation of the family-the building block of any society.
Christian Ethics As the Foundation for Society
Ethics, or the rules of conduct of a society, are profoundly affected by the religious views of the groups that make up that society; secular/humanist/Christian-Jewish or others. Throughout written history the belief of a single Righteous Holy God who has set the standards of behavior has been present. Yet, in contrast to Him has been that of many gods with various personalities-some good and some evil. But for the concepts of Righteousness and Holiness vs unrighteousness and unholiness, and Good vs evil to exist requires that there is One who is the character of Righteous, Holy, and Good-without variation. He can not be otherwise or Righteous, Holy, and Good would be, by definition and experiential, non existent. The God of the Holy Bible is that Being.
Thus, as there is a Righteous, Holy, and Good God-what does He expect from mankind. What are to be the ethical values we are to live by? Below, are a few articles written in response to current and recent ethical/moral conflicts.
Thus, as there is a Righteous, Holy, and Good God-what does He expect from mankind. What are to be the ethical values we are to live by? Below, are a few articles written in response to current and recent ethical/moral conflicts.
Godly vs Ungodly Leaders
We live in a time in which the general philosophy prevalent in many sectors of our society has been "eat,drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die; and let someone else pay for it." When the individuals of a society chose to be irresponsible, the nature of government, as a restrainer of lawlessness, is to increase in its control over the people of that society. Our government has increased its control over the individuals of this nation because they, the people, have abdicated from their responsibilities, and rejected God's principles.The rulers that come into place in this context are usually not sensitive to the principles of God because they are being sent by Him to judge the people. Our society is reaping the leaders we have been given for the seeds (attitudes and life styles) we have sown. The following letter addresses: do we want Machiavellian or Christian leaders?
| machiavellian_or_christian_leaders__cc.pdf |
Family-the Foundational Social Structure of All Societies
Genesis 2:24 says, "For this cause a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and they shall become one flesh."
Probably the most apparent social cause for the decline in all the various indicators of social health in the United States has been the successful attacks on the foundational structure of society-the family unit. Throughout the ages the stability of the family unit has been a strong indicator of the strength of that society in general. As our society has rejected the principles of God, so they have rejected God's concepts of family redefining it in a number of terms. The Family Research Council has documented much of this decline. The letter below was written in 1995 regarding these issues, and yet the situation has only worsened (see Townhall.com by Laura Hollis comments after the letter).
Probably the most apparent social cause for the decline in all the various indicators of social health in the United States has been the successful attacks on the foundational structure of society-the family unit. Throughout the ages the stability of the family unit has been a strong indicator of the strength of that society in general. As our society has rejected the principles of God, so they have rejected God's concepts of family redefining it in a number of terms. The Family Research Council has documented much of this decline. The letter below was written in 1995 regarding these issues, and yet the situation has only worsened (see Townhall.com by Laura Hollis comments after the letter).
| family_structure_under_attack_1995.pdf |
"The Cost of the 'Collective' Message to 'Our Children'" by Laura Hollis
This author after noting that there has been a dramatic increase in the divorce rate, single parent homes, out-of-wedlock births, diminishment of fatherhood, increased gangs/incarceration, and decline in the school system; attributes it to attitudes such as "This country has spent literally hundreds of billions of dollars on problems that have been created largely because we no longer say, as a societal norm, that people should wait to have sex, should get married before they have children, and should raise them in two-parent homes...we have removed the stigmas...and replaced them with rewards...This same ignorance is absolutely reflected in the decision to offer Plan B to children....This ignores the fact that teenagers are not emotionally ready for either sex or the consequences of sex." She also earlier in her article quotes Professor Melissa Harris-Perry as having said, "We have never invested as much in public education as we should have because we've always had kind of a private notion of children. Your kid is yours and totally your responsibility, We haven't had a very collective notion of these are our children...We have to break through our kind of private idea that kids belong to their parents...and recognize that kids belong to whole communities." As Hollis notes, this is tragically wrong. See Townhall.com 4/17/13, link below.