Old and New morality.

 

Old and New morality.

I am tempted to join the political discussion that heated up lately. What’s the use? In two months, we will consider other issues the most important. Presently, my son-in-law is upset about the NDP getting us into debt. They were in power when oil prices were the lowest for a while and Alberta had high unemployment. The fires in Fort McMurray drained their budget at the same time. The UCP came in when energy prices were rising and Putin was threatening Ukraine. Can we compare the two over that aspect? I think not. We should judge by what they each did with our money.

It is most interesting right now that the authorities have indicted a past President of the United States for crimes related to what seems to be sexual misconduct and cheating in business affairs. This is happening just at the time of Easter when many people are thinking about Christ being crucified for human sins. After all, the ex-president was married three times, which is forbidden in the Bible. Relationships with sex workers are also considered unfavorable. Will the American public reconsider their political choice? This remains to be seen.

Here in Canada, we are not as religious as our neighbors. Over three-quarters of Americans believe in creation and the rest in evolution. Here and in the UK, less than a quarter believe in creation, for example. Yet we have problems with sexual immorality issues. In the last year or so, we lost some of the most senior members of our military due to accusations of sexual abuse and or misconduct. Similarly, much of the clergy, often related to the infamous residential schools, have been accused. Many cases are in courts where they will be for a long time, and some individuals may be convicted. We should enforce the law on offenders, but the innocent suffer unimaginable pain and shame.

Laws can never cover all possibilities and fairly apply to all situations. Presently, the trend is to treat people as guilty until we prove them to be innocent, which often happens after a person’s name and career have been destroyed. We recently did it to a Chinese Canadian member of parliament and to high-ranking officers. In some cases, the alleged crimes took place long ago, and it’s hardly possible to remember the details. Politicians have no mercy if they smell danger to their power. The government removed the officers from prestigious positions, making them suspected criminals. That took place until they removed Major General Dany Fortin.

Mr. Fortin is a professional fighting man who knows what he is capable of. He didn’t go down easy and he is fighting back. He hired lawyers and demanded to have his old job back. It’s possible that he will take the government to court.

I lived through the period in which much of what is being fought about today was happening. It was a different world then. People were testing the laws and going around saying, “make love, not war.” Birth control pills became available and women could find jobs and live on their own. We made many technological advancements to suit women, like the automatic transmission, for example, and there was a new freedom in the air. We saw the first woman in parliament.

The new freedom mixed with the old customs. A sixteen-year-old girl was free to marry and have sex if she wished. It was almost the turn of the century when the government declared new rules about sex. Consequently, girls felt free to try their new freedoms, but guys could end up in jail for taking advantage of it.

A few years passed, and men with money or high positions became an endangered species. They lived in what was considered normal at the time, now not permitted.

I am the last one to protect abusers. I don’t feel sorry for an old ex-president displaying behavior that all Christians and Jews consider sinful. With an influential position comes responsibility. I object to people being punished for what used to be a joking matter and now is treated like a crime. We must take into consideration the fact that morality is forever changing like everything else.

Used to be that smoking marijuana was illegal, but smoking cigarettes on airplanes or in movie theaters was the norm. Now it’s different. God, according to the scriptures, created all things with a word. Our language is changing. Look at the words gay, black, trans, and thousands of others. It is immoral to punish people for not having followed the most recent meaning. We must revise the way we administer justice and take politics out of it.

It is wrong to deny girls schooling or force them to hide their hair. It should be just to lock up those who use power and money to abuse kids, break families and deny human rights to the unfortunate people who try to stay alive. A sin is hurting people unjustly. This is what Easter is about. Crucifying an innocent person for evil done by others.

An old friend called me and asked. Do I think that God is punishing humans? I look at the big world through my little computer screen and wonder. All sides are doing things that could bring the wrath of God upon us. I can’t just say, no.