Rob Artigo: Today we’re tackling a foundational but often avoided topic, morality. Specifically, what’s the difference between being moral and amoral and is morality actually deteriorating either in the United States or around the world? So Ray, let’s start with the definitions. Why does the distinction between these two matter?
Ray Zinn: Okay, so morality is based on the moral law, which comes from the 10 Commandments of the book of Moses. It refers to, “Love thy neighbor as thyself, thou shall not commit adultery, thou shall not steal. So that’s the moral law.” The moral law is the God-given law that most countries that follow the moral law have as part of their constitution and their legal system.
So that’s we call the moral law. Being moral, meaning following the 10 Commandments. Amoral is defined by law of the government. In other words, the government defines a law as opposed to it coming from the Mosaic law or from the Book of Moses, the Pentateuch, not based on the 10 Commandments such as speeding, such as tax law, other forms of laws, house construction. Those are referred to as amoral. Amoral simply means not necessarily associated with the moral law or the 10 Commandments.
So there’s lots of laws, we got laws for everything, gun carry with regard to certain construction requirements. So those laws are not based on the 10 Commandments.
Rob Artigo: Looking at the bigger picture, many people feel like morality is declining. Is it really deteriorating in the world or is it just a perspective that we have stronger here in the US?
Ray Zinn: Well, I think it’s deteriorating around the world. I don’t necessarily believe it’s just the US. And let’s talk about how do we measure it? How do we measure deterioration? And it has to do with religion, not having a religious aspect to your life. Fewer and fewer people are considering themselves religious. And so that’s a measure of morality as you would, is being non-religious. So without that religious contingency or that factor in your life, you tend to not concern yourself or follow what we refer to as the moral law. So that’s what I see as happening is the deterioration of people attending religious services or being involved in religious services. Back in the day, as you would in the ancient times, the social relationship between communities or within communities was church, was religion. In fact, the church building was the center of the town or of the community.
That hallmark or having that religious symbol was important in that day because that’s how people socialized. But now with the internet and with churches no longer being the center of a community, that has caused, I think, a morality issue in the communities, whether it be in our country or in the US or outside and other countries.
Rob Artigo: What advice would you give today’s leaders who want to strengthen morality in their teams and their organizations?
Ray Zinn: It’s to promote it. Promote morality rather than degradate it as you would. They need to promote morality. They need to promote the mosaic law. I remember it wasn’t a few years ago they weren’t even allowing to have the 10 Commandments in the classroom. We’re trying to eliminate all religious symbols in our daily lives, whether it be prayer, no longer can even have prayer anymore. The Pledge of Allegiance, “One nation under God”, they’re trying to eliminate that. That was put in back in Eisenhower’s time. “One nation under God” was put in and now we’re trying to take it out and on our coins, “In God we trust”, we’re trying to take that out. And so we’re trying to, as a country and our relationship with the rest of the world, we’re trying to eliminate God. And when you do, you degradate or deteriorate morality.
Rob Artigo: Yeah, it becomes moral relativism. That’s a big thing there that’s being pushed in schools right now. So the question I would have for you lastly here is, is there hope for reversing this trend?
Ray Zinn: It depends upon what our leaders do, what kind of examples we’re setting. Each of us is an example. Individually, we need to promote morality. I remember when I was visiting England and some of the cathedrals and some of the other religious architecture they had in England, I noticed that there were very few people attending those things. And I was asking one of the docents there, “Why is it hardly anybody is going to church?” And she says, “Well, that’s because religion’s considered for older people.” And I thought that was interesting. So it’s the older people, I guess because they feel more tenuous in their life that they’re being more religious. But it was interesting that that young person said, “Religion’s for older people.”
Rob Artigo: I have heard that some of that is starting to come back in the minds of young people.
Ray Zinn: Yes, yes.
Rob Artigo: I don’t know if that’s around the world, but I’ve heard that occurring and-
Ray Zinn: No.
Rob Artigo: … that’s a hope it’s-
Ray Zinn: It’s happening around the world. That’s true because the younger people are recognizing the deterioration of morality and that is causing them to want to reverse that. So I do think there is hope for that because the younger generation is seeing the impact of non-morality or amorality is having a major influence on their life.
Rob Artigo: Well, our listeners can take an honest look at the moral culture in their organization. So your team, even your home is a place for this sort of thing. Are you actively building a moral framework or allowing a morality to creep in? This week you can identify one area where you can raise the standard and do the tough things first by addressing it. Right, Ray?
Ray Zinn: Absolutely. Let’s go for it.
