Values And The Civil Society

I've spent a lot of time thinking about this, but won't spend a lot writing tonight.

We see so many people and groups seeking to force or enforce good or right behavior. There are laws passed and proposed that seek to discipline the thoughts of people. There are laws and rules that seek to regulate the actions of people.

When I think about it, there are far too many things that are good or bad. In fact, it would be impossible to catalog all the virtuous acts we should do and all the vicious acts we should avoid.

I think of Moses delivering the Ten Commandments to Israel. Is it to reasonably be expected that a list of ten items would regulate all the behaviors?

I remember an ancient king who imparted his wisdom in a farewell address to his people. He started to list the things he wanted them to do to be happy. Suddenly he caught himself and said, basically, "Look, I can't tell you all the things to do and to avoid. But I can tell you this much: If you want to be happy you have to govern yourselves. You have to discipline your thoughts and your words and your deeds. You have to do what you know is right."

The controversial, but immensely successful Mormon prophet Joseph Smith was asked how he controlled so many new converts to his religion in the early 1800s. His reply was simple, but striking. He said, "I teach them correct principles; and they govern themselves!"

A civil society, a society of well-behaved people who look out for each other, must be founded on individual morality. It must be protected from external destruction by the rule of law. It will be ultimately preserved from internal decay by the virtue of its citizens.

The "leaders" of our country seem to be afraid today to remind us of OUR OWN civic responsibility. They instead seek to substitute a state-enforced code of conduct for each citizen's own moral compass.