"Values Based Decision Making"

A question worth pondering is this.  "What is the basis of making decisions?"  That question could be asked in terms of one's personal life, one's family life, one's employment/business life, and any and all other arenas of one's life.  In most cases the decisions we make or might we say the choices we choose are based upon our values.

The word, "value" or "values" has the following definition available at the site referenced.

Value (n)  c.1300, from O.Fr. value "worth, value" (13c.), noun use of fem. pp. of valoir "be worth," from L. valere "be strong, be well, be of value" (see valiant). The meaning "social principle" is attested from 1918, supposedly borrowed from the language of painting. Value judgment (1892) is a loan-translation of Ger. Werturteil.

 (definition available at http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?l=v&p=1&allowed_in_frame=0)

As you may now recognize the word gives rise to other words such a valuing, valuate, evaluate, etc., all having to do with the process of assigning importance.

Indeed, valuing is a process that begins with one's presuppositions, processes to opinions and attitudes, continues with one's perceptions (of people, institutions, and situations), and often leads to some kind of an action (either words or deeds).

Such processing is not without challenge.  For example, so very often the message sent is that one is to make decisions in terms of how it will impact a relationship or relationships.  The message goes something along the lines of, "...relationships are the most important thing we do and so you must at any and all cost maintain relationships with all who are in your pathway...."  While this may be so in many cases, there is at least one thing that should take precedents over relationships and that is the values by which one lives!

It is a poor relationship that is maintained based upon the violations of one's deeply held values or may we say convictions.  Such a view of relationships will not long endure the challenges of life and in fact will leave one at the mercy of life.  Such can only be described as chaotic and even enabling as relationships pull one in this direction and then in that. Enabling in that relationships without the responsibilities born of values allow for one to behave in less that profitable ways.

In another blog I wrote of love in terms of how one is to behave.  To understand love on the level of an emotional response is to make it fragile and at the mercy of many of the interactions, events, and circumstances of life. However to view love as humbly living out of closely held ethical values is to make it a durable love.  Thus we might see that the choice to live out of ethical values is the highest form of love for it never imposes but always chooses what is best no matter the cost, even at the cost of the relationship involved.

Then too, "What are one's closely held values?" is another question worth considering.  To not know is to leave one's self vulnerable to the winds and tides of the moment.  Attributed to Abraham Lincoln but found in many other places is the quote, "Following the path of least resistance is what causes men and rivers to run crooked."  Certainly when one does not know what one believes and that for which one is willing to suffer great loss, he is vulnerable and disadvantaged.

However, changing that same river picture a bit, we might note the following.  It is our values--our ethical convictions and our character (volitional capacity to live out those values) that provides the river banks that keep the steams of our lives flowing in the right direction.

One not accustomed to such things might counter with the impossibility of such a change.  The response to that is that all could use a "tune up" in these areas and for each of us, it is a matter of beginning with the small things as we live out the simple values and then, at least in my experience, the big issues will take care of themselves.  Then too keep clearly in mind that correct ethical values have their origin in the Divine and though opposed, one who is in right relationship with Jesus Christ is vested with the power, not to be perfect but to live out these things in greater measure.

"Contemporary Religious Pluralism" CT7

In today's culture, instead of religion in general and Christian religion in particular influencing the culture in which it is to serve, in reality, it is influenced by culture.  The whole notion of contemporary religious pluralism is an example of such influencing.

HISTORICAL RELIGIOUS PLURALISM

Looking back, historic religious pluralism could be roughly defined as "believe" and "cooperate."  Of course there have always been exceptions and those who did not want to "play."  The point was that no one was asked to violate their own belief system and so no common belief was exacted from its members.  Then too there was an emphasis upon cooperation.  Such lead many of the Mainline Denominations to participate in the Ecumenical Movements of the 50's and 60's.  

But there was a change forthcoming.  Just as notions like sensitivity, diversity, tolerance, etc. gained traction in the culture so too they gained traction in the church and there became a certain preoccupation with being non-offensive.  That non-offensive doctrine became so pronounced that it was no long "believe" and "cooperate" but now "what can we all believe together."  

The importance of Historical Religious Pluralism is that it allowed for one to maintain his belief system and even gave room to personal convictions, that is personal theological conviction.  There was no demand for universal truth and one might even embrace subjective truth.  One might sum up the position in the notion of unity not uniformity.

The unity of "believe" and "cooperate" was how historic or classic Religious Pluralism. However, there was a change and it now placed stress on the notion of "unity" but now it is based on "commonly held belief."  

CONTEMPORARY RELIGIOUS PLURALISM

It is a certain  pseudo-unity in that it can only come as one is completely tolerant of those with divergent doctrinal positions, thus Contemporary Religious Pluralism.  In many ways Contemporary Religious Pluralism is a reflection of the post modern mindset in that it dismisses all that might mitigate against difference and disagreement.

The primary doctrine of the position is contained in the question, "What are the things upon which there is no disagreement?"  Of course there is very little, even among those who claim the title, "Christian."  Add in those of other major religions and the list grows ever shorter with the greater the inclusion.

The outcome is that cardinal doctrinal differences compromised, set aside, negated, etc.It is a certain  pseudo-unity in that it can only come as one is completely tolerant of those with divergent doctrinal positions.
In extreme cases divergent religions are called upon to cooperate.

As with most any position that is largely indefensible, the arguments tendered are not based upon ethical principles but the mores of that particular religious sub-culture.  The likely arguments are

• Reactionary in that they react against those who have an exclusionary doctrine, e.g. the eternal outcomes of the saved differing from those of the unsaved.
• Generalizing in that they move from a specific example to a general belief.
• Discriminating in that it embraces all except those of deep conviction which would include those with ethical truth claims and those with exclusive truth claims, etc.
• Devaluing in that those who hold to ethical truth are often named as uneducated, without compassion, irrelevant, and intolerant.
• Universal in that all religions contain elements of truth
• Inconsistent in that tolerance is one of the mantras, however as already noted, such belief allows for "correct" discrimination.

THE TENSION

The culture including the sub-culture of religion is in a state of tension.  Such tension occasions the opportunity for the individual to choose.  One can choose the Contemporary Religious Pluralism track or one can choose the more traditional approach.  One is untenable unless one is willing to give up almost all of what one believes for the sake of "unity."  Then based upon that foundation of "unity" one's belief system is built back.  The problem is that the outcome of course is some kind of a "group think" theology.

The other choice in terms of religious pluralism is the more tradition approach.  Such says that each believes as he will, each allows the other to believe as he will, but we join together in what we can, accept our differences, and move forward in what we can jointly support.  In this kind of relationship there is no "Mush God" for each serves Him as they understand Him to be!

"Discrimination and Imposition" CT5

Overview:  In this section of material, consideration will be given to the background and processes which underpin Discrimination and Imposition.  Within the following there is a comparison / contrast of the influence of ethics and morals.  If you have not read the comparison in a previous blog, it would be well to do so at this time.

The material covered will be in terms of Background Word, Attitude Words, and Expression Words (the actions that one takes based upon background and attitude).

BACKGROUND WORDS

As in any behavior, be it words or actions, there are antecedent processes which precede and give foundation to those things.  It is not different with words and actions with improperly discriminate and/or impose upon another.  

We begin with a quick look at the very basic elements that begin to set the stage for these actions.  This first section on Background Words is further divided into Unchangeable and Changeable.  That is there are some things over which one has no control and thus one cannot change those things.  They are Unchangeable.  On the other hand, there are those things over which one had control and thus they are Changeable.  There is an additional category which is a combination of both.

The Unchangeable is the category that contains those elements which a person cannot control or change.

Included are such things as one is born with to include race, gender, genetic qualities, etc.  Then too there are those processes over which one has no control such as aging, illness, or injury.

The Combination category contains the Comprehendable which is the category that contains those thing of which one become aware of with aging.

The infant without a great deal of choice gradually becomes aware of the world beyond his mother.   Thus in the infant years there is a low realization and low control over what to do with that realization.  As the child progresses through the various stages to adulthood there is more and more realization and control.  

Though one may have a high "intuitive" and thus realize on a spiritual-intuitive, social-intuitive, rational-intuitive, or some other intuitive level, there yet remains the matter of one's choice.  That is with realization comes the responsibility for making choices as to what one accepts and incorporates into his paradigms of life.  At this point the question of whether one makes those choices based on ethics or morals enters the decision making processes.

The Changeable category contains a two section breakout.  Included is Ethnicity and Culture.

Another way of looking at Ethnicity is that of identity.  The ethnic situation into which one is born is by no means ever unchangeable.  It may so in the early years when one is dependent upon family and/or sub-culture but with maturity comes the power to choose one's ethnic proclivities.  So as life progresses one's ethnicity is a matter of choosing what particular religious, racial, social, or national group one chooses for their identity.  It may include customs, language, idioms, mores, racial views, social views, and other elements of a social group to which one belongs or with which one wishes to identify.

The other element in the changeable category is that of Culture.  Again this category is in the control of the individual as they in the course of life make choices as to which thoughts to think, words and word combinations to use in communication, what actions are acceptable, what customs to observe, what beliefs to hold, what values to embrace and live out, and what social institutions to enter.  

An overall principle to keep inmind is that as a person matures, is educated, and matures the awareness of these things becomes greater and with increasing awareness comes the opportunity to make choices and those choices are the basis of change.  Attendant to that point is that as one matriculates through those processes, one becomes more and more responsible for the choices made.  Thus the importance of an ethical framework.

THE CORRECT OR INCORRECT ATTITUDES, WHY?

Now return to the question, by what values does one judge an attitude and attendant action to be correct or incorrect?  Consider the following chart and look to the central column.  There are two types of correct attitudes.  One is correct positive attitudes, that correctness is then based upon a value.  

The choice one has to make is which item in the right column is foundational to the establishment of the value?  The second question one must ask is how durable is that foundation?  As you by now, assuming you have at the very least perused previous submissions that the only durable foundation for a value is found in ethics.

ATTITUDE WORDS

It is at this level that we encounter words which indicate attitudes.  When those attitudes of the heart are based upon faulty information, less complete information, wrong information, and/or incorrect  values it leaves one in very precarious position as we shall later see.

What then are the attitudes of the heart which one must carefully keep consistent with right ethical values?  Remember, emotionally laden thoughts become emotionally laden attitudes.  Those attitudes then become expressed in the words one speaks and the actions one takes.  Those words spoken are not only heard by others if verbalized but also whether verbal or non-verbal act to keep one in those thought processes.  

It is therefore crucial that ethical standards be the banks within which those processes flow.  As well it is crucial that those same ethics function within those processes.  In other words, there must be an ethical underpinning, an ethical restraint, and an ethical content in the processes associated with attitudes.  

Remembering the question, What determines the standard for correct or incorrect? consider three words germane to the attitudes under study.  Also keep clearly in mind that these words are changeable and throughout one's life they do change!  Hopefully the change will always be guided by and toward an ethical foundation and process.

Conviction:  A firm belief held as proven.  Conviction can be rational but often there is emotion involved.


Ethical convictions are those convictions held based upon ethical truth.  Though they may be out of syn with the surrounding culture, sub-culture, and social situation, etc. they are those things that have stood the tests of universality, objectiveness, and transcendency and thus are considered to be durable.   These are those truths which are found to be revealed in the writings of Moses and elucidated throughout the remainder of Judeo-Christian Scriptures.

Moral convictions are those convictions held based upon one's understanding of the mores of the particular culture, sub-culture, and social situation, etc.  These are those things that may be but do not have to be held to be universal, objective, or transcendent.  This position holds that truth is not durable but ever in flux since social mores are always in flux.  It is the kind of truth that flexes with the addition of change.

What divides the two positions is found in the question, Just what assumptions or presuppositions does one bring to the discussion?  The implications of that question will be seen in some of the discussion that follows.  Another area of concern would be the validity of the information that one takes to be true.  As well there could be a question of the completeness of such information of which one is in possession.


Bias:  A bent or inclination to a direction of thinking.  Again there is a rational content but bias may contain more and greater emotional content.

The previous development of Ethical convictions versus Moral convictions would also apply here except that since this is a great deal less firm than a conviction, those things when applied to bias serve to guide as one processes and moves forward toward conviction.

Here again there is a dividing line.  Those beliefs and attitude--those biases that are being held and processed based upon ethics, would be more durable than those biases that are held and processed based upon morals.  Thus they would share some of the characteristics of and some of the durability of an ethical conviction.


Prejudice:  A premature and preconceived attitude or opinion usually negative based upon wrong assumptions, false information, or before all information is collected.  Since there tends to be less rational involvement, prejudices tend to possess a high emotional content.

Note that prejudice as is being discussed here is not possible if viewed from an ethical position.  That is to say that ethical truth deals a death blow to the whole notion of prejudice!  Not so moral truth.  Take for example the racial discrimination that was so prevalent in the 50s and 60s.  In particular take the South.  Such prejudice was correct according to the mores of that time and culture.  However, such was and continues to be ethically wrong and those of strong ethical character have always considered it to be so.

Should one have a prejudice that survives the ethical process it would then at the very least move that prejudice to being a bias.  As one processes bias based upon ethical truth then that which survives the process moves to become an ethical conviction.

EXPRESSION WORDS

While the outcome of unethical conviction, bias, and prejudice may be expressed in words, thus the title, the reality is that these things can be expressed in behaviors.  Consider the following.

Discrimination:  Any action that hinders equal access equal access to economic resources, educational systems, and/or leisure opportunities.

Each person every day makes decisions and those decisions call upon the decision-maker to make choices.  Most of those choices are rooted in some kind of discrimination.  The problem comes when such discrimination is based upon the unchangeable elements of one's life.  For example if one makes choices about another based upon that person's race, skin color, gender, or some other physical quality that is out of that person's span of control such discrimination is not acceptable.

On the other hand, if one makes choices that discriminate based upon an ethical position then, if you accept that ethical standards are durable and apply equally to all, such a decision though it discriminates and hardly be labeled, "discrimination."

That being the case discrimination founded upon universal objective ethical truth is a discrimination that is based upon truth and as long as it is applied equally and fairly in reality cannot be labelled discrimination.  However, should that same ethical truth be applied unfairly, applied based not upon behavior but according to race and gender, etc., such application would be discrimination.

The real problem for the moralist is using mores as the basis for discrimination.  This is so because of the non-universality of mores and thus the difficulty in objectivity.  Another problem in what has been termed reverse discrimination, that is making choices in favor of one person based upon that persons unchangeable elements, when such a choice excludes others.  Again, such may be morally correct but in fact is ethically wrong.

Imposition: Any word or action that thrusts one's will, opinion, etc. upon another without invitation to do so.

The question must be asked, what is the basis of one's assuming a right or even a responsibility to impose upon another.  For example, if one does so for ethical reason such as requiring honesty in the work place, such an imposition would be based upon durable truth.  However, that same imposition upon moral grounds could in fact create difficulties.

THE PROCESS

To this point consideration has been given to the basis and process that lead to discrimination and imposition.  From the diagram below, one can see that when the foundation and actions involved in these processes are based upon a foundation of ethical truth, there is a validity of such actions as result.  At times the term durable truth has been included in the discussion.

Also included in the discussion has been those trues which are based upon cultural or societal mores.  Since such can be unique to the social situation and has not stood the test of time, these values are much less likely to survive over the long-term.  As well, since ethical truth transcends the uncertainties of man's existence, such truth if properly understood, embraced, and practiced can provide a certain sense of confidence and hope in the uncertain moral environment of today's moral confusion.