The importance of moral principles, in personal and public actions

We are living in troubling times. Lives are threatened in our schools and places of entertainment. World leaders threaten each other with nuclear war. We’re building walls rather than bridges and prisons rather than service centers. Solutions are required that reflect basic moral principles.

While people might agree about the importance of living from a moral center, there are major differences surrounding the specific values each individual chooses. Making decisions based on the values of power and wealth will lead a person in a particular direction while making the same decisions from the operating principles of kindness and compassion will have completely different results; the kind of world and community toward which most people aspire.

Seemingly, this would be obvious but I wonder how often it is discussed in private conversations or is mentioned in public mission statements. Words, however, are just the beginning; if they aren’t backed up with actions they are merely nice phrases — not moral principles.

This is clearly illustrated in the way we handle economic disparity and affordable housing. There are words about the inequities of the cost of living and the situation of the houseless but not enough action in controlling inflation.

Concerns regarding nuclear weapons and international relationships are more complex. Since kindness and compassion are rarely utilized in diplomacy we have no idea about their potential impact but we’ve witnessed the results of power and wealth. Policy decisions based on kindness and compassion will raise questions about vulnerability and the formidable power of evil but they also portray a culture of aloha while decisions dominated by power and wealth produce cultures of fear and hatred.

Many justice concerns are facilitated by other values: respect, fairness, honesty and responsibility. Without these moral principles, making progress with criminal justice, sexual harassment/ assault, immigration reform, freedom of speech, improving education, and end-of-life care (health reform) will be impossible.

America, unfortunately, is enmeshed in a culture of violence. Each of us could make a list of everyday personal concerns and larger community issues that need attention: from road rage to bullying to the use of guns, from respect for bikers to our treatment of animals, from basic table manners to being kind to strangers, from caring for the environment to meeting human need (without new prisons and fences and “sweeps”).

Just imagine the different results that are determined by the moral principles that are implemented. Imagine a community where people choose values that lead to healthy decisions, stable relationships and being good citizens.

With a vision of the community we’d like to live in and the people we’d like to live with, we can see which moral principles will create that reality. For safe, nonviolent communities with kind, caring citizens, we know that won’t happen if our operating principles are power and wealth — but it’s possible if we choose kindness and compassion. Life is best when we add the values or respect, fairness, honesty and responsibility.

The next step is to make certain these moral principles are modeled by our major institutions: family, government, education, religion and business. This must be a community project with everyone’s participation; especially those in leadership.

The Rev. John Heidel is an ordained minister of the United Church of Christ and a member of The Interfaith Alliance of Hawaii.