"Most violence is caused by mental illness"

@fmf said
So, anyone who thinks mental illness is a cause of violence - and not necessarily moral decline - should, according to you, have mental illness "assigned" to them?

Of course not.

It would be the result of moral decline to presume that "most violence" was a result of mental illness.

One might ask whether moral decline was the result of mental illness, or that mental illness was the result of moral decline.

A daunting task to quantify that don't you think?

@josephw said
It would be the result of moral decline to presume that "most violence" was a result of mental illness.

Would it?

@josephw said
One might ask whether moral decline was the result of mental illness, or that mental illness was the result of moral decline.

And what do you think about this?

@fmf said
Do you think, then, that morality has been more or less constant and that variations in levels of violent crime are explained by factors related to law enforcement?

Good question.

I think "morality" is a constant. By that I mean that what is moral or immoral is measured off of an unchanging and holy creator God.

There will always be violent crime, or crime in general, and it's increase or decline can be linked to both law enforcement and the rise and fall of morality at all levels of society and culture.

How it is all parsed out is beyond me and above my pay grade.

@josephw said
I think "morality" is a constant. By that I mean that what is moral or immoral is measured off of an unchanging and holy creator God.

As an aside, this isn't true. It used to be morally sound, for example, to own slaves and to execute homosexuals. Those things are not morally sound anymore.

@fmf said
Explain your theory if you want.

Sixty years ago when I was in grade school "the moral of the story" was part of education, as was lessons in virtue and character.

For some of us it sank in. For others it didn't. Since then I've personally witnessed the gradual decline in all things relative to personal conduct and behavior in America and the world.

Somewhere in there, there is a direct correlation between what was modeled by morally sound men and women and the rise and increase of the numbers of people compelled to dismiss moral constraints and embrace their carnal nature and do as they pleased without regard for the consequences for both themselves and their children and society at large.

We sowed to the wind, and now we're reaping the whirlwind, and in more ways than in criminal behavior only.

@fmf said
You object to a few stats being provided?

Not at all. Statistics can be quite useful if not massaged to fit preconceived results.

Then is it the stuff of politicians. 🙂

@fmf said
Would it?

Not necessarily.

Mental illness is real. But so is moral decline.

Like I said, parsing it out is above my pay grade.

@fmf said
And what do you think about this?

I think it's both, but like I said, parsing it out is above my pay grade.

@fmf said
As an aside, this isn't true. It used to be morally sound, for example, to own slaves and to execute homosexuals. Those things are not morally sound anymore.

Morally sound in the minds of the deceived. Especially in the "church age".

@josephw said
Morally sound in the minds of the deceived. Especially in the "church age".

So you disagree with that particular scripture then?

@divegeester said
So you disagree with that particular scripture then?

I don't "disagree" with any of the scriptures. That would be folly.

@josephw said
I don't "disagree" with any of the scriptures. That would be folly.

So you do think it’s right to execute homosexuals?


I’m getting a running away vibe from you again 😂

@josephw said
Yes, really. Moral decline is at the root of why people violate their conscience and excuse their sin.

Moral "decline" implies people were more moral at one time. When exactly was that? How much more moral were we?

@vivify said
Moral "decline" implies people were more moral at one time. When exactly was that? How much more moral were we?

It waxes and wanes. Go figure.