Do you get the idea that our Christian youth are taking their cues about sexual behavior from the self-centered culture in which they live? Dr. Fletcher reports: [Our students] are still under the influence of religious values but appear willing to compromise their values if an acceptable excuse can be found…
“If you are in love, sex is a natural, meaningful way to express your feeling for your partner.” They reconcile this notion with biblical teachings about love, sex, and marriage by equating love with marriage. If you love someone and are committed to them, it is the same as being married—it is just not official. To them, therefore, a loving relationship and commitment to each other are the necessary preconditions for a sexual relationship…
I ask the students, “How does one make a moral decision?” Their first responses are always quite predictable. First, they say, “Everyone must make his or her own decision.” When prompted to continue, they say, “What is right for one person may not be right for another.” It is my impression that this is the extent of their thinking on moral decision-making. After some discussion to clarify this ethical position, I then ask, “Are there no moral absolutes?” Almost always they say, “No, there are no moral absolutes.”
The post-modern culture is a “me-ism culture”— a preoccupation with self. Today’s adolescents are getting into premarital sex because the culture encourages them to satisfy themselves even when their “me-ism” conflicts with morals.
2 comments:
Whats the best way to instill absolute morals in this culture? I grew up as a non-christian believer. Meaning I knew of God but only in a distant non-personal way. I have since grown to know Christ as my personal saviour and know God is the only judge of right and wrong. I want to instill in my children that they are not their feelings should not determin their actions but Gods design should. Christian society is so stuck on not judging others actions and forgiviness of sins that it forgets that if we are to hold one-another accountable to Gods absolutes that we wouldn't have to worry as much about judgement and forgiveness. I want to be judged by those who can hold me to Gods standard. In this world its easy to get stuck in the Me-isms. We need others. Well I've begun to stray unto another subject. Thanks for doing what you do. <>< Nick
Nick, thank you for your comment to Josh's blog. I believe the best way to instill absolute morals in this culture is for children to be taught from a young age by their parents and to be a living example of a moral and godly person.
You may have heard it said that morals and values are caught more than taught. Parents need to do both--teach it and live it.
Josh set out a great example through the Precept, Principle,Person approach he introduced in his book, Right From Wrong--What You Need to Know to Help Youth Make Right Choices.
Thanks again for leaving a comment on Josh's blog.
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