Why your moral compass is important

If a person adheres to any ideology (but typically in this forum religious ideologies) without permitting their moral compass to sense check all of it, then that is when there is a risk of religious atrocities, corporate religious bullying and personal attacks being committed.

Examples
- religious extremists committing acts of terrorism
- religious executions for heresy or blasphemy
- corporate church bullying through disfellowshipping and ostracisation
- child sacrifice by parents denying blood transfusions to appease their God
- homophobic attacks and discriminations
- religious wars

When I hear Christians ignoring their moral compass and saying that they have to “accept” the (supposed) Biblical atrocities of eternal torture as being God’s righteousness, I see someone on the first steps to potentially being able to commit similar atrocities in the name of or on behalf of, their God.

Thoughts?

@divegeester said
If a person adheres to any ideology (but typically in this forum religious ideologies) without permitting their moral compass to sense check all of it, then that is when there is a risk of religious atrocities, corporate religious bullying and personal attacks being committed.

Examples
- religious extremists committing acts of terrorism
- religious executions for ...[text shortened]... lly being able to commit similar atrocities in the name of or on behalf of, their God.

Thoughts?

A compass is supposed to point in a single direction, if all compasses pointed every
way without consistency they would not be useful, you may as well use the second
hand on a watch for directions.

Jeremiah 17:9
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?

@divegeester said
When I hear Christians ignoring their moral compass and saying that they have to “accept” the (supposed) Biblical atrocities of eternal torture as being God’s righteousness, I see someone on the first steps to potentially being able to commit similar atrocities in the name of or on behalf of, their God.

One's unique moral compass is a core part of one's personhood and character. If a moral compass is influenced by an internalized rigid ideology [if that forms part of the "nurture" component], then so be it.

This is how character, individuality and personality are formed.

As long as moral compasses are governing action and interaction, I think it's OK. I am resistant to the notion of thought crimes or moral compasses being used to preempt people "potentially being able to commit similar atrocities" because of the ideologies they have internalized.

@kellyjay said
A compass is supposed to point in a single direction, if all compasses pointed every
way without consistency they would not be useful, you may as well use the second
hand on a watch for directions.

A magnetic compass points to magnetic north. You are torturing the analogy. A compass is also a navigation aid. Morals are not affected by magnetic waves.

If you know somebody whose moral compass is ~ blimey ~ like "the second hand on a watch" - I don't think I have [you mean a sociopath or psychopath?] - ask them to come here to this thread to defend the way they navigate their way through a moral landscape.

Otherwise, enough with your ludicrous strawman.

@fmf said
A magnetic compass points to magnetic north. You are torturing the analogy. A compass is also a navigation aid. Morals are not affected by magnetic waves.

If you know somebody whose moral compass is ~ blimey ~ like "the second hand on a watch" - I don't think I have [you mean a sociopath or psychopath?] - ask them to come here to this thread to defend the way they navigate their way through a moral landscape.

Otherwise, enough with your ludicrous strawman.

What would you say a moral compass is supposed to do, point to our desires or
point to something moral? If all compasses point in every direction is that because
there is no such thing as moral right and wrongs, or our compasses are broken?

@kellyjay said
What would you say a moral compass is supposed to do, point to our desires orpoint to something moral?

Our moral codes come from our parents, families, neighbours, workplaces, places of worship, schools and colleges, from our culture, from history and literature, and from the system of laws under which we live.

Our moral compasses synthesize all this and then interact with our personal unique narratives in order to make moral evaluations and decisions about our actions.

If someone's conscience "points to their desires" and they harm, deceive or coerce others, then those around them can use their moral compasses to evaluate that person's actions and decide what to do.

@kellyjay said
If all compasses point in every direction is that because
there is no such thing as moral right and wrongs, or our compasses are broken?

I believe there are "moral right and wrongs", yes. The only way I can perceive such things is by using my moral compass. Isn't that how you do it too?

@KellyJay
Am I expressing myself "too confidently"?

@fmf said
@KellyJay
Am I expressing myself "too confidently"?

Who cares, its just your opinion.

@kellyjay said
Who cares, its just your opinion.

Well, the other day, you were moaning about how I was expressing myself "so confidently" it made you think I was being "objective".

@kellyjay said
Jeremiah 17:9
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?

Jeremiah does not speak for me. I think he is very misanthropic. I am more positive and optimistic about my fellow human beings. "Desperately sick", eh? The Abrahamic religions seem overly misanthropic to me.

@fmf said
Well, the other day, you were moaning about how I was expressing myself "so confidently" it made you think I was being "objective".

You convinced me all you have is an opinion.

@kellyjay said
You convinced me all you have is an opinion.

My opinions on these matters, like yours, and no matter how certain we are, they are subjective perspectives.

Good people would do good things and bad people would do bad things. It takes religion to make good people do bad things.

@the-gravedigger said
Good people would do good things and bad people would do bad things. It takes religion to make good people do bad things.

Great insight from a couch potato. Get up move around, lose some weight get the blood moving it might help.