ghosthorse

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overload

Well my answer to the first question is simple to understand, I aquired my moral values through my parents. morals are passed from parent to child just as genes are passed down the line.
have being brought up in the 80's (yes I know I am old to some of you).
I can say that I was brought up to respect my elders and to take heed to what they say.

ghosthorse

Thank you, overload, for your response!
This was MY response to the first question:

My opinions, moral values, and views started out from my parents and my older sister, as she grew and went to school. These people expressed their ideas and such, and I assumed they were the norm. But as I got older, my views changed as I saw the world outside of the boundaries of my own little world.

People are so different, so it makes sense that they have differing opinions and views on topics. But though it’s not bad to keep the opinions of your parents, it’s healthier to have your own opinions, those that are yours. So that you know your own reasoning, and don’t quote what you parents always say.

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Meji Imaru

Hmm, I don't know. I'd have to say, that is if I thought about it. It probably came from a combination of anime and being able to relate to the underdog figure, being someone whom can do something but was often put down so much that he doesnt. Deciding that the feeling was annoying and becoming hazardous to my mental health I decided to never give up on something because I was told I couldnt and if I was told I couldnt I would try that much harder.

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Joe Mage

1) I acquired most of my moral values from, but not exclusively, my parents. My other morals, I've acquired from hard won experience and from others. I believe that morals come from a combination of different experiences, be they from a linage (i.e. relatives), other people, instinct, or personal experience. They can grow over time, like flowers inna flower garden and that they can change also. Case in point, many of the morals we hold dear today were not shared by those of the Roman Empire of the past. Many of our moral beliefs stem from the Victorian age of the 1800s and we can even trace those beliefs even further back.

2) Yes there is. Example; the takin' of another person's life. We read of stories that have been written though out history 'bout murderers and the lives that they have taken. And also 'bout the comeuppance, or redemption, that they recieve for their crimes. For example, the story of Caine, or the 12 Labors of Heracles, or the Assassination of Cesar jus' ta name a few. I feel that this shows that many morals aren' jus' ingrained in our societies, but also r apart of our instincts, that some aren' jus' taught or learn; but jus' instinctively known.

3) No, morality isn' a religous subject, exclusively. Like I've said I believe that many of our moral beliefs r ingrained in our instincts, although religion does play an important role. For humans r social creatures who congregate together ta interact and religion, or more in peticular churches, fills that need. When we encounter other people, we instinctively desire ta interact with them, much like wolves inna wolf pack, and so thus we have, instinctively, come up wit a set of codes (i.e. morals) ta allow us ta interact wit those of our species inna manner that allows for continual interaction. Certain behaviors must b practiced and maintained in order for certain species ta have an interaction wit those of their species, and many of the creatures know these behaviors instinctively and humans r no different. Yet humans have attained a level of awareness and conciousness that has never before been seen on this planet in the billions of years of its existense, so thus our interactive behavior is much more acute than most species. Our morals r a guideline of behaviors which allow for our species' interaction.

This is what I believe anyway.

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"Believe in yourself, if in nothing else."
My myspace page: www.myspace.com/joemage

ghosthorse

But didja think about those cannibalistic societies? Or those in the past that ritualistically sacrificed humans to their gods? So killing isn't universally immoral. Or illegal, or whatever you were trying to explain about it.

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ska_lives

I would have to say that I think I acquired my moral values from seeing the things around me. For instance when young you mimic what you see and what others do, thus you learn subconsciously, and when taught outright what "right and wrong" are it further cements these subconsciously learned notions.

Myself believe that moral values only go so far as the person who is acting upon them. everyones idea of things is different regardless of how similar they may seem, due to factors affecting their own personal development. Thus it goes the same with cultures, whats local is what is regular and most predominant with a few recessives. Thus i could say that there is a somewhat universal constant but only if it is weighed with a group as a whole and not the individuals.
I think that religion isnt a base for morality but that it is more of a teaching assistant, such as it has views and things which may fit certain peoples ideals and not others, thus those who fit with this take the ideas and reinforce their ways with them, while the others do something else. myself have found things in religion which i believe are good points, so i have adopted them in some sort of way. but as i mentioned earlier it is all based on the persons personal ways and development.

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Yo, this beast was by Lowshuwa
my drawings

Joe Mage

Actually, yes I have. But ta clear up one thing, Killin' and Murder r two different things, now ta my point. In many societies that practice cannibalism, such an act isn' deemed as murder. In most of those societies, it is often a relative; who is dyin'; or an enemy (invader) who gets cannibalised. This is so that they can have some kind of connection wit the person and gain their wisdom or strength. These societies still have guidelines against murder. Same goes for societies that ritually sacrifice, often it's prisoners of war who r sacrificed. The Aztecs r a prime example, it was often a common practice ta ritually sacrifice enemy warriors as a religous practice. They felt that they were givin' back ta their gods that which was given ta them, life. Many of their sacrifices actually considered it an honor ta b sacrificed. Often such acts r practiced for spritual or survival reasons and fall outside of my answer to ur second question, 'cause in those societies, these acts r not considered murder.

__________________

"Believe in yourself, if in nothing else."
My myspace page: www.myspace.com/joemage

ghosthorse

But you DID say, "taking another person's life", and you can't get around it. Sacrifice and cannibalism IS, if fact, the taking of another person's life. I see what you mean, though, "In many societies...such an act isn' deemed as murder", as you so wonderfully put it. It's NOT murder, but it IS still killing. And thus killing humans is NOT universally immoral. MURDER is.

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Joe Mage

Mayb I should've clairified my view a little better, what I had meant by "takin' another person's life" was murder, not killin'. If my statement caused any confusion, I apologize. It was not my intention ta confuse anyone.

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"Believe in yourself, if in nothing else."
My myspace page: www.myspace.com/joemage