Ethical Choices - Doing the Right Thing Because..

[Eamonn]

Making sure the right thing is done, can be hard work but is in most cases possible.

We can line our Scouts up and march them to the shower house and with a little luck the end result is something that might be acceptable as clean Scouts.

Not that hard.

We can impose a rule that states Scouts have to attend X amount of meetings or else they will not be allowed to participate in a certain activity, like going to an amusement park. (If they have missed the Training's for an event a different rule applies.) Or they will not be allowed to advance.

I suppose if there was enough paper in the world we could have a rule for just about everything.

Don't do this and Must do that.

Still at some stage even with all the rules there will be a time when something will come along which is the right thing to do because it's just the right thing to do.

Getting things done right is not the same as doing the right thing.

Fairness? Doesn't come into it. Is it fair that some people get away with not doing the right thing, while others go the extra mile to do things right?

Making sure things are done right eliminates choice.

If we think about feeding a Troop of Scouts we can make sure they are fed by having the adults cook all the food. Having the Patrols cook the food might not ensure the same quality of food, but the Scouts learn by doing it.

The same can be said for teaching making ethical choices. We can make sure that they do the right thing, but what are they really learning?

What happens when there isn't a rule or someone to answer too?

Eamonn.

[evmori]

Doing the right thing because ..........

 

......... it's the right thing to do.

 

If you see some drop a $50 bill & they don't notice it, the right thing to do is pick it up & return it to the person who dropped it. Why? Because it's the right thing to do.

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[packsaddle]

Ed, I agree. Ethics is a concept that is fundamentally about 'fairness'. We understand the many ways this translates to our actions and lives. But because you and I understand this in our own minds doesn't necessarily automatically communicate to someone else (the boys, for example). The found money is a good example. We know this is the right thing to do because we know someone who is the rightful owner will be harmed if we don't return it. It is good for us to return it because it will keep them from being harmed AND it is the only affirmation of our assumption and hope that should we lose the money, it will be returned to us. We understand that the only way we can be part of a community that really works is to make it work by thinking about the other guy. The golden rule.

 

The self-centered notion of 'finders keepers' (so often overheard in the boys) implies several things. It implies that we are not concerned with the other guy (or the community) and that we are more important than they are. It also implies that we are prepared to 'go it alone' in virtually every aspect of life, and this might even include marriage, kids, and family. But I think the boys actually do know the right thing to do. I think that most of them have good consciences. They sometimes just need for us to set that example or give them a nudge to go ahead and do that right thing. And then a pat on the back in recognition. Sometimes is good for us as well.

 

When we moved into our new home a couple of years ago, one day I was missing my organizer and checkbook. A couple of days later, one of my new neighbors down the street returned it, late he said, because it took some effort to track me down using the old address in it. It had blown off the back of my car where I had carelessly left it one morning and they found it on the side of the road. I've done the same for other people.

But I knew that we had moved to a community, not just a bunch of houses near each other. I'd like to think it is the same everywhere else.

[Eamonn]

Exactly my point.

How much better is it if a Scout returned it on his own, without having someone tell him he had to.

Eamonn.

[evmori]

If he doesn't know, then he needs to be told.

[Eamonn]

"If he doesn't know, then he needs to be told"

Told what?

I think we should explain why it should be returned, (The Scout Oath and Law are great guidelines) but the we need to step back and allow the Scout to do what he thinks is right.

Returning the money just because he has to is or because he was told to is not what we are trying pass on to the Scouts we serve.

Eamonn.

[evmori]

Let me rephrase -

 

If a Scout (or anyone) doesn't know the right thing to do they need to be told. Along with that telling should be a explanation as to why it is the right thing to do. But, we shouldn't expect a boy to always know the right thing to do if he has never been taught or told what that is. Just because we know doesn't mean a boy knows.

 

Thank you

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[Eamonn]

"The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law"

Sure telling anyone they have to do something will achieve the right thing.

"Along with that telling should be a explanation as to why it is the right thing to do"

If we are doing what we should. Surely it is better if we explain why we think it is the right thing and then leave the choice of what to do up to the Scout?

(Your Welcome)

Eamonn.

[evmori]

Tell ya what, Eamonn. You do it your way & I'll do it my way. Bet we both get the same results. Just different methods. Neither is wrong. Just different.

 

Have a nice day.

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[Fuzzy Bear]

When a rational individual is confronted with any choice, their decision is based on moral principle. Everyone will be confronted with thousands of choices throughout their lifetime. Their decisions will be based in part on what they have learned or decided on as a Moral Code for themselves. Moral Codes can be lists, commands, edicts, laws, descriptions of rights, etc. Problems arise when a person is given a problem with subtleties or gray areas. This is when the moral code is tested for its depth or strength. The value of their Code is weighed in direct proportion to the Codes ability to withstand these pressures. A person using such a Code can without flinching use their Moral Compass to determine their direction and find their way in life. Ambiguous of faulty Codes will not allow for the gray areas and the person will remain lost. FB

[scoutmom111]

Whenever I see my scouts needing a push towards their own moral compass, I will often saw "what's the scout law again?"

You can almost see the wheels turn in their head. Most of the time they will do the right thing. But this only works because they have watched the scout law being lived by those around them. They have been taught that it is a life plan. Sometimes they just need to be recalibrated.

[FireKat]

Sometimes we need to remind them to walk a mile in another person's moccasins to help set (or reset)their moral compass. With all the "me first" bombardment by the media, kids forget what the right thing is. Adults need to model the right thing and continue to teach ethics. Life is contant learning.

[SSScout]

And the moral compass that Mother Theresa uses is different from the one used by a car bomber how? They both are self sacreficing... How did they each learn their "ethics" so as to be so different?(This message has been edited by SSScout)

[Eamonn]

We all face choices everyday.

Most times most of us are aware if what we choose is right or wrong.

My Mother-in-law was in her car on a fairly busy highway when she got a flat tire.

Lots of people choose to drive by, but one nice man stopped and changed the tire for her. She offered him money, but he refused saying that he hoped if it had been his Mom someone would stop for her.

Some years back I was dealing with a large food-service company, buying big boxes of crab legs. One week the amount on the bill was wrong, when I looked closely I seen that they had placed the decimal point in the wrong place. I had ordered and received 500 pound of crab legs,but had only been charged for 50.00. I called the company and explained their mistake. The Lady was less then helpful telling me that their computers didn't make mistakes!! I thought she was being a real pain, so I told her that next week I'd order 1,000 pound and we'd see if her computer made a mistake or not.

The salesman came in( he stopped every week.)I explained that I owed him for 450 pound of crab legs and that I thought the Lady in their accounts payable was a real pain. He explained that he couldn't take my money without an invoice.

He called the accounts payable department and must have got my Lady. She informed him that the computer didn't make a mistake. He got upset and when he got off the phone told me to go ahead and order the 1,000 pound.

Sure enough for a month they kept sending me crab legs and only charging me for one tenth of what it should have been. Every week I called the accounts payable and gave them a running total of what I owed them.

I now owed them several thousand dollars. Every week I kind of jokingly told the salesman that they had done it again.

I wasn't happy so I called the company and spoke with a vice-president and gave him the entire story.

He got back to me and informed me that the company that supplied them with the crab legs were at fault, they packed and weighted the boxes at sea and had messed up and in fact the Lady in accounts payable was right their computer hadn't made a mistake. I said that was fine, but I still needed to pay for the crab legs. He said that he had talked with the crab leg company and they were grateful that someone had pointed out the mistake, not only did they not want the money back but they were sending me a 1,000 of crab legs at no charge.

I knew from the first delivery that something was wrong. I knew ordering them again and doubling the order was even more wrong. I was willing to put things right and pay the full amount for what I'd received.

I like to think that I tried to do the right thing.

We sold the crab legs at menu price, we made a heck of a lot of money. The Food-service company didn't lose any money, but the company that caught the crab legs were out. I know I wasn't the only person buying crab legs, I think I was the only person who complained and brought it to their attention. In the end the seafood company was pleased that someone had brought it to their attention.

It's a shame the Lady in accounts payable decided that it wasn't her job, but the fact is -It wasn't her job.

The person that is to blame is the guy who set the scales on board the ship.

Sometimes trying to do the right thing is hard.

Eamonn.

[Fuzzy Bear]

What makes a difference in the morals as seen from either a car bomber or Mother Teresa? I am supposing that the car bomber is a religious fanatic rather than an irrational and deranged individual.

 

Both have a deep faith in their own God and what their God has shown them to be true.

 

Both have a set of morals of what they believe to be right.

 

Both willingly give up their lives for moral rightness.

 

Both may well be given Sainthood by their respective religions.

 

The differences between the two sets of morals begin with identifying what works and what doesnt work.

 

Compare

 

I site one of the best examples of car bombing which has gone on since 1949 in Israel by the Palestinians. It is almost impossible to point to one gain achieved by the hundreds of sacrifices of car bombers in all of those years. The death toll both military and civilians of the entire conflict in 2000-2006 is estimated to be 3,651 Palestinians and 1007 Israelis. During the conflict from September 2000 to January 2004, 36.2% of Palestinians killed were non-combatants caught in crossfire, while 77.6% of Israelis killed were non-combatants who died in bombings or sniper fire. The death toll is basically it.

 

To

 

Mother Teresa of Calcutta founded the Missionaries of Charity in 1950. Her work among the poverty-stricken made her one of the world's most famous people, and she was beatified by Pope John Paul II in October 2003. Hence, she may be properly called Blessed Teresa by Catholics. Besides many awards she received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. When she received the award, she was asked, "What can we do to promote world peace?" Her answer was simple: "Go home and love your family."

 

She helped the sick, those suffereing and in distress, the dying, the poor, lepers, and the unwanted. She founded new homes all over the globe and by her death, there were 610 homes in 123 countries of her Order. There were 4, 000 sisters and over 100,000 lay volunteers to assist.

 

She began each day with the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi

 

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;

where there is hatred, let me sow love;

where there is injury, pardon;

where there is doubt, faith;

where there is despair, hope;

where there is darkness, light;

and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,

grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;

to be understood, as to understand;

to be loved, as to love;

for it is in giving that we receive,

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

Amen.

 

In 1982, Mother Teresa persuaded Israelis and Palestinians, who were in the midst of a skirmish, to cease fire long enough to rescue 37 mentally handicapped patients from a besieged hospital in Beirut.