Submit a 250 word post on how you come to make ethical decisions. For example, my approach, based on John Wesley's is to first check out what the Bible says, if anything. Then I check what Church Tradition has said about it, again, if at all. Then I check it out with my reason,(not with how I feel about it, because feelings can be liars). Then finally I will check it with my experience of it. This, to me is like a wedding cake with a basic layer at the bottom, the Bible. Tradition comes next, then reason, then experience. These layers are not equal. As I said , it is like a layer cake. Notice how most decisions are made by how people feel about something?That is because we are in a post-modern world which thinks that everyone's ideas of what is right or wrong are just as good as anyone elses, and that everyone is basically good in their own mind.I'll be interested in seeing your responses, which I hope you will all take the time to read as part of the class assignment. God Bless AND ENJOY THE ASSIGNMENT! Dr Prosser
I rely heavily on reason when making a decision. I begin with scripture as a foundation, evaluate the facts, research data, seek options, give it time, pray, and execute a decision accordingly. I do not rely on feelings generally, because I find that feelings are fickle. I make a decision allowing for mistakes since I am not perfect :-)) Ethically, I think we have a duty to seek truth, know the facts, and THEN act (with knowledge). I agree with Dr. Prosser that the mainstream approach to decisions is based on feelings and I think it is unfortunate that many act according to how they feel. I think it is dangerous to make ethical decisions based on emotions since feelings tend toward self-centeredness. I find that common sense is absent in our society thereby aggravating the lack of reason found in our post-modern world. Feelings have their place in life, but not where ethics are concerned. Ethics let us know what is wrong and right, and I would be more apt to rely on sense than I would on feelings. Ethics also hold a liability clause for those of us who are in a position of authority (i.e. leadership). If we hold to know the "truth" then it only follows that we should be held accountable for what we preach/teach and how that affects the lives of those we lead. It has been my personal experience that accountability is not common in the church. This makes me wonder if we are practicing faith without reason?
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