It is obvious to me that an absolute moral code has failed to materialize over the past umpteen thousands of years of civilized humanity. Today millions of Christians and Jews, who both study and interpret the Bible carefully, cannot agree on the more important moral issues. There is still heated debate over topics such as abortion, ordination of women, women's rights, gay rights, birth control, capital punishment, physician-assisted suicide, and war, to name a few. If there is such a thing as a divine moral code, we certainly don't know what it is and therefore it does us no good.
To me, morality is about being accountable to others. When I was a Christian, I believed I was accountable to God first and foremost and to people secondarily. People became less and less important to me as individuals and as groups over time. My religious group had the answer for the world while others didn't. Many years of this kind of thinking developed an attitude inside me which minimized others. I saw people as different and "lesser" rather than as human beings trying to make sense of life, like me. This was not a healthy disposition.
The arrogance of "being right" spreads readily amongst religious groups and at the same time isolates the group and the individual from the real world. The real world is the one we all live in. This physical planet is the only place we have to live our lives. What comes after this life, if anything, is not known and is a subject on which I am not qualified to speculate. Basing this life on an unknown future does not make rational sense to me. I've decided to give religion no further opportunity to diminish my here and now life.
One such diminishing is the message of "forgiveness of sins". I think it works against humans. Accountability is short circuited. A sense of morality is developed when we see our bacon on the line. If I receive a "get out of jail free" card and am mentally or emotionally challenged what is going to stop me from acting on whatever whim comes into my brain? Certainly there are already people doing whatever they feel like without religious input. Does religion give an extra push toward irresponsibility if they believe God will forgive them? I suppose it depends what we're talking about. But generally speaking, if I may say so, taking personal responsibility is better than laying it on God.
Absolute moral codes do not work. If you think your religion has one that works, take a second look. Perhaps your religion minimizes moral corruption inside its own ranks. Accountability to God is not enough. Accountability to humans inside a religious structure won't work 100% either because of the "get out of jail free" card. The card alone gives many permission to "sin" because they don't know how to deal with their own personal humanity. God is supposed to take care of that for you by making you a better person. Remember, the "new heart" idea? Sorry, I don't believe it. I am the one responsible for making me a better person. Waiting around for an outside metaphysical force to act may just be the ticket that gets me into real serious trouble. Therefore, taking personal responsibility for our own welfare can only make the world a safer, more livable planet.
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