Idea for a new religion - Chapter 15 - Morality and Crime - Part 1

MORALITY AND CRIME A 1) An immoral action is any action which causes harm, directly or indirectly, that is either unnecessary or needlessly extreme. 2) Harm is only necessary when it prevents harm to ourselves or to others. 3) Harm is needlessly extreme when it exceeds what is necessary for the prevention of harm to ourselves or to others. 4) An immoral act may be a deliberate action with the intention of causing harm or it may be an act of willful neglect which leads to the harm of others. 5) Self harm and suicide, when they are committed by those with helpless dependents, are a form of neglect; however, society has a duty to help those who harm themselves or who are suicidal and faliure to attempt to do this is also a form of neglect. 6) Reckless and irresponsible behaviour, because it may lead to accidents which are harmful to others should be viewed as a form of neglect. 7)Harm may also be caused by neglect of our social responsibility; for example, when the rich have the power to help the poor but do nothing for them. A rich man who does nothing to help heal poverty is like a doctor who ignores the suffering of the sick and the injured or a policeman who ignores a crime. 8)Empathy - Empathy is essential for moral and altruistic behaviour. Empathy may develop naturally but, for the sake of society, empathy must be taught to all children. Those who feel that life has worn away their empathy; their feeling of love and kindness towards humanity or nature, must reconnect themselves with the world.

MORALITY AND CRIME B 9) Moral Education- It is not enough to tell a child that something is wrong. You must explain why it is wrong. A child must grow up learning that being cruel or selfish harms other people and that a world without love or kindness or mutual respect or principles would be a hellish chaos; an unbearable world to live in. 10) A child must grow up learning about the moral heroes and heroines of history; the people who stood up against injustice and inhumanity. A child must, most of all, grow up with a love of life and community and a friendship with nature and people of all types. They must understand the importance of cooperation and peace rather than violence and selfishness. 11) Forgiveness and understanding - Crime and immoral behaviour cause wounds between people and communities and the pain of these wounds is also felt by God. Forgiveness and understanding are a necessary part of healing these wounds. A wound that is not healed will only deepen and fester and cause greater harm and greater wounds. 12) The importance of Redemption - Redemption is hope. It is a belief that all people can be saved from evil. The redemption of the whole world begins with the redemption of a single soul. If we do not believe in the redemption of others then how can we believe, if we fall into trouble, that we shall be saved.