November Discussion: Individual and Community Morality

As Masons we need to be as concerned about society’s moral behavior as much as our own. Morality appropriate for the individual is the same for the community. Our Masonic obligations improve the moral standards for the community and include:

• To be aware of the divinity residing in every individual and to protect people from oppression and to accord them freedom and justice.
• To treasure each individual’s uniqueness and help them discover their special gifts.
• To treat each person as an equal.
• To translate brotherhood into social reality, fostering goodwill among people, and caring adequately for the unfortunate.
• To foster peace over violence and cooperation over competition.

As masons we also need to be concerned about the abuse of possessions. No one is entitled to withhold wealth from use, to destroy it by wastefulness or caprice or employ it against the collective interest of society. Our charitable efforts help with the rectification of this communal failure. However, I believe we could be more active in supporting the prevention of such abuses so the world’s goods are administered for the benefit of mankind.

October Discussion: The Importance of Freedom In Ethics

Earlier this year when I wrote about some of the things that lead to immoral behavior, I did not include one of the central issues in ethics: we cannot be held morally responsible for our actions if we are not free to choose what we do.
Greedy ambition, fanaticism, intolerance, persecution and ignorance interfere with human freedom. When our freedom of choice is limited by the choice of others, our moral responsibility is proportional to the degree our choice is significant. One can chose to aid and or abet an action started by others or do nothing to oppose the actions of others. If we have a choice to act and do nothing, it may be considered as contributory negligence.

In Morals and Dogma Albert Pike wrote, “to be free is to be pious, wise, temperate, just, frugal, magnanimous and brave.”

Then what makes something moral, immoral, amoral, or illegal?

If we are free to choose, our actions can be:
Moral- if they reflect societies and the person’s values.
Immoral- if they go against a person’s or societies values.
Amoral- if they do not reflect choices based on values or social norms.
Illegal- if they break the law.
Our actions can be immoral but legal (i.e. a Muslim’s choice to eat pork or the accidental killing of civilians in time of war) or moral but illegal (if we disregard an order to not resuscitate, and prolong the person’s life or if one steals a loaf of bread to save his or her starving child).

Thus our actions become the subject of moral debate only because of their results, or the intentions behind them, or the values of the individual or the society they reflect.

As Masons we take pride in our personal and social responsibility. We seek enlightenment to promote brotherly love, justice and generosity. We put our ethical convictions and principles into action to improve the common man, our community and mankind.

September Discussion: What Are Our Duties as Masons?

Sometimes I think mankind has regressed to what society must have been like during the Roman Empire.

There is loss of respect for the value of human life. The television news reports homicide and crimes of all types as well as drug and alcohol misuse and other pursuits of pleasure that are degrading men and women. Dictators are destroying nations. The world is being threatened by nuclear weapons. Corporations are often more interested in profits than treating employees fairly or protecting the environment.

As Masons, we can serve as a model for a better society.

Our duties demand a higher sense of respect, fairness and responsibility. We develop convictions, principles and standards of behavior, which no one can buy or touch. Even though we enjoy more leisure than previous generations, we are bound by our first-degree obligations to keep a balance in our life’s work, interests and concerns. We are not caught up in the fast tempo of life. We slow down enough to enjoy the rich values life offers and our interests, sympathies and concerns include our family, our Masonic brothers and their families and our community.

As individuals, we know our job of building is never complete, that no matter how long we live, life represents unfinished business and our true measure is the length of our shadow after we are gone.

April 2008 Discussion - What Can Lead Us to Unethical Behavior?

In April, I plan to continue our discussions about morality including what can lead us to unethical behavior. We usually know the difference between right and wrong, good and bad, and as Masons are obligated to do the right thing.

Some of the obstacles to ethical behavior I am aware of include:

• Self esteem or personality issues in which the persons ego or integrity is at stake
• Unreliable information prevents the correct decision
• Lack of enough or not knowing you don’t have enough knowledge about the issue. For example being raised in a prejudiced environment may keep a person from seeing the good qualities in a minority person.
• A bottom-line orientation or extremism in any religion that can make one less likely to pay attention to ethical issues.
• Time constraints- the need to make split second decisions or too heavy a workload.
• Being in a stressful environment or relationship problems and or intoxication.
• The base emotions such as greed, anger, fear, and envy.
• Imperialistic or National motivations such as in war.
• The thrill of getting away with something and being above the law.

Sometimes we are afraid to take an open ethical stance because of fear of:

• Stirring up ethical issues may upset others and be a threat to harmony.
• A threat to efficiency -sometimes cost efficient practices cut ethical corners.
• Calling your boss on ethical issues could be seen as a criticism and threat to their effectiveness and power or your job.
• Moral stress when we worry we are no longer thinking in moral terms.

We have discussed several factors necessary for ethical behavior and a society to function. These include compassion, honesty, fairness, and accountability.

Other things that can cause us to lose our moral compass are:

• A driving need to succeed or a belief life has no meaning or there is no salvation.
• The belief the only way to be competitive and win is to be selfish (to put our needs above others).
• The decision to be unethical because everyone else is and thinking that is the only way to deal with others.

Examples of unethical behavior in business are:

• Pollution
• Damage to the ozone layer
• Unfair wages
• Poor products or services.

What would you add to this list? Please add comments with your thoughts.