Categories: uncategorized
Date: 08 December 2007 13:08:59
I wrote a little post about ethics some time ago. My basic thought was that I don't know much about it, particularly on an academic front. But I've been thinking lately that my take on ethics is a bit different to many Christians.
I call my ethical system 'unconstipated ethics'. You know sometimes you see someone get really nit-picky about a fairly small thing? Well, that's being constipated. And I think it's important not to be. Let me give an example of the sort of thing I mean.
The best part of ten years ago, when fairly fresh out of university, I gave a little talk in our church's now disbanded men's fellowship on being a Christian at work. I guess they wanted the perspective of someone who really knew nothing about it as yet. And one of the things I said was that Christians shouldn't take over-long lunch breaks, because that's stealing the company's time.
What a load of b********. I cringe to think about it.
And there's a million and one things where Christians - particularly protestant evangelicals - are encouraged to apply their faith in such a way that renders many activities as sins. Witness the extreme nervousness of many Christians when debating whether they should order a second pint. Or how you 'should' go to this or that church event, and failure to do so is Wrong.
My point is this. A way of living based on rules, particularly the rules that you may have inherited about what constitutes 'good' and socially acceptable behaviour from parents and schoolteachers, is a pretty dreary sort of life. And I appeal to the example of the life and teachings of Christ to say that it's not an authentic Christian life. Paul also talks about the 'don't taste, don't touch' rules that can only bring an outward form of righteousness, but don't change people on the inside.
So the conclusion is that we should just enjoy life and all the gifts God graciously gives us, and live in a loving way. Love God and do as you please. And be a bit less anal retentive about the little things.