joe1776
Well-Known Member
As a Bible believer I think we are equipped with morality in a basic sense, but it is ultimately a social or cultural construct which evolves but is always founded upon the basic sense of morality we possess.
When we rationalize morality, through cultural, traditional, social or religious deviations of that natural possession of morality we tend to obfuscate it by intellectual or emotional influences.
Take homosexuality for example. When I was born in 1966 homosexuality was generally hated. Considered immoral. That gradually has changed in my lifetime due to the emotional and intellectual probings of a changing society. It gets more and more acceptable. This is seen as progressive, but in the ancient lands of the Bible it was much more practiced and accepted. Have we then really regressed rather than progressed?
Conversely, take pedophilia. It was also widely accepted at that time, but is universally rejected now. Joseph, at 32, married Mary, at 14 or 15 years old. The practicality of that in modern times is in stark contrast to the practicality or it in ancient times. Then, the man learned a trade, then established himself so he could take care of a family. Marrying a sexually mature female.
Things have changed so the moral view changes.
You bring up societal changes but what motivates those changes. I focus on the abolition of slavery because we know its history pretty well.
My position is that the abolition of legal slavery was conscience-driven. It began with the most sensitive consciences and spread from mind to mind globally over a few centuries. I think the same is happening with equal rights for women and homosexuals.
You say that homosexuality was once accepted but while that might be true in some societies, I doubt it was true globally. But, we can't be sure. However, the moral trend is toward equality.
At some point, though, half the world still accepted legal slavery while the other half did not. At that time, the morality of the issue might have seemed subjective. But, in fact, it had simply not yet run its course.