i.e. Is there a set of rules that describe right from wrong, which is independant of ourselves?
210885
Morality is very subjective.  It's something we learn, and something we develop.   There are somethings that MOST people with agree with, like murder is wrong.  But there are many issues where people differ on it.  \nMorality is not set in stone.  It's a belief system that stems from who we are, and the society we are a part of.
418100
There isn't any law for this kind of an arrangement... it's a matter which is decided by ones moral code.  "To each his own" is what's ringing true in my mind, but I'm guessing you won't quite agree with me on this point.  Am I correct?\n\n{}{}{} r u randy? {}{}{}\n.
672575
That is an excellent question and a very good point. I totally agree with you. What makes anyone think they are good enough to judge others, and what right have they to set the standards for other people. As long as people are doing their very best within their means, people should live and let live within reason, providing they are not causing a danger to themselves or others.
80806
age old question my friend =)\n\ni beleive  each of us has a destiny relative to perception.\nwhat we see as right/wrong is based on past experiences and relationships\n\nto go forward..we must go back
341069
1) Do the right thing.\n2) Convince others that it is right.
519987
Ummmm.... I'm kinda confused. The rights that stress takes away?\n\nThe right to think logically, clearly, and unemotionally. To make rational decisions.... \n\nyou can declare independace from stress by refusing to stress over little things......
368999
God is a mentalistic representation of rules.\nOur behavior is rule-governed.  People who believe in God are told that you should be good so you can go to heaven (another mentalistic notation).  If you are not good, you will go to hell (also a mentalistic notation).  We follow rules because if we don't there are consequences.  The long-term consequence of following rules are related to health, relationship, reproduction, and resources.\nPeople who believe in God, follow the rules, so they will be accepted by others (the relationship aspect).  They also receive resources from the church.\n\nOur behavior can also be contingency shaped.  For example, if the rule is to treat others as you would like to be treated.  One day you were bad, and you got beat up, your bike was stolen, and you were dumped by your girlfriend.  You may attribute these consequences to your behavior of being bad.  You came in contact with the consequences of your "rule-breaking" so you now have learned that following the rules is a good idea.  You learn from your history.
69373
The answer is based in ones cultural boundaries, societal values, behavioral (learned) expectations, and socio-economical in nature.\n\nSo complex.  \n\nCommon denominator:  Each society dictates what is acceptable.  Most behaviorists would answer your question by saying that we are conditioned to a response.  The good news is that faulty thinking can be unlearned, as well as learned stereotypical responses.
148656
I don't think its wrong at all. Hell, we've all been there or will be there at one point. The cool thing is that each person can have thier own philosophy on life and it can change later on and its right if you think its right. Free Will and thought. Too cool.
298570
I don't think so.  I think each house should have its own individual rules, so you can make that rule in your house.  There are probably some people who don't feel the same way, like me.
178272
Not all laws are correct. Our own independence came from breaking Britain's laws, and so did India's. These people that come across our borders are coming because they are in desparate need of the basic necessities of life, and they can find them here. Take any one of your loved ones, and let's say they were bleeding to death in your car and you were driving to the hospital. Now, if you were to follow the speed limit and all of the rules of the road on your way to get to the hospital, then your loved one would die. If you were to speed, and "break the law", then your loved one would live. Now, that actually happened to my best friend. He was bleeding to death and I broke the law by going 90 in a 55 zone. After I got to the hospital, I actually got a ticket for speeding even though, if I were to arrive two minutes afterwards, my friend would have been dead. There are times when breaking the law is necessary, and in those times it is ethics that guide us.
316186
Wrong\nWrestling\nExistence
289958
You have the right to have your own beliefs and thinking, but you have to go along with the rules of the society you're living in. You have to abide by the rules or you'll get yourself into trouble, if you can't then look for somewhere else to live, which will have social rules that are a closer match to your way of thinking.
542944
we have to obligation to judge behavior, because we have to determine if it is right or wrong, and whether we will be part of the behavior.   \n\nWe do not judge the motive behind the behavior, or the eternal destiny of the individual soul.
358143
Not that i can really claim that i speak for God but one of the functions of having a set of laws could very well be to create a necesity for reconcilation. Until there are rules to be broken its hard to really know one is screwing things up isnt it?. Until people realize they are flawed and that they fall short it is a little bit more difficult to understand why exactly we need to change from the course we are on. Also its hard to realize that there may be something different (better?) out there for us. Its hard to understand that there is a God humanity may fall short of and thusly need in their lives without a set of Laws.
660495
As an undergrad student that focused on neurophysiology, I decided that science will probably never fully understand the brain- because we are using the very organ we are studying to attempt to gain enlightenment. I say this in reference to this question so thoughtfully posed before us because we are even more skewed on this subject because we as imperfect mere mortals are attempting to comprehend the full meaning of a perfect God. \n\nFirst it must be determined what "perfect" means? Should perfect be defined as always being "good"? I don't think that infallibility means always doing what is "happy." In our justice system, is imprisoning bad people bad? If we say that it's not bad, than how can a flood that wiped out the bad and corrupt be considered evil- could it not be justified as being considered good? Some things just "Are" no matter how bumming they may seem to us. God has choices just as we do, there are many ways up the mountain- none of them are wrong or right- easier and harder maybe- but not wrong or right. I couldn't begin to comprehend what it would be like to be the "original Father" and have to wipe out your creation because they were so consumed with sin. It couldn't have been an easy decision to make and carry out. Even in the old testament- Sodom and Gomorrah- he gave ample opportunity for people to cast out "evil" and kept lowering the needed number of good people before he punished his children. It’s not a fair comparison to put God up against Hitler or Stalin…they killed because of characteristics that aren’t sinful and their purpose for killing was sinful.\n\nSomething else that should be taken into consideration when thinking of perfection, all knowing, and the creation of Satan…take the Far Eastern philosophy of balance- yin and yang for instance. If, for perfection to exist, there must be balance- then wouldn’t there have to be an evil to balance out the good? As depressing a concept as it is, for us to know good we must also know evil. Parents teach us right from wrong by applauding our good behavior and punishing/ correcting our bad behavior- why should this lesson not also be taught by a spiritual parent?  It’s from the very contrasts that we become capable of reasoning. To truly have free will, we must be given all options- not just those that are “happy” or “right.”\n\nAs far as “omnipotent” is concerned, that- like everything else- is subject to interpretation. I agree that if you already know the beginning, middle and end of something- there would be no purpose for the experiment that is humanity. Maybe it is instead knowing all the choices and resulting consequences that could happen with each decision we make but allowing us to make them with our own reasoning. By giving us free will, the Supreme Being has allowed us to write the story instead of it being dictated for us. Maybe humanity is like an ant farm- you decide if and when you put in food, water, and something to make an anthill out of- you know that the healthy will eat and drink to survive and create shelter – but instead of doing it for them, you watch to see the how they do it. Humanity, and not just the women, reserves the right to change our minds with each decision we make- maybe God likes surprises .\n\nYou are not an evil person for questioning faith and religion- don’t let anyone make you feel that way. To question is to grow- both mentally and spiritually. My advice to everyone is to not judge others by their beliefs because those can be most easily misunderstood- instead form opinions of them by their actions for and against humanity. A person doesn’t have to be a Christian to love thy neighbor- they just have to be a person that puts the greater good above their own wants. But especially to those who are Christians, strive to remember Compassion, Understanding and Tolerance- they aren’t just lessons to be taught
564237
because it's human nature....how would we know the wrong from right if there were no evil?