Hello again, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to another episode of Freedom's Creed. Today I'm talking about something that shouldn't, but is often perceived by some people as being controversial. And that is what goes into making up a civilized society. And certainly we could say that there is a moral code that is the foundation of a civilized society, which from that springs laws that govern behavior in a civilized society. And the moral code that many of us subscribe to springs from and comes from religion. And that aspect of a civilized society has been around for thousands of years. Now, it is true that there have been numerous religious wars, wars fought over religion of all things. You would think it'd be the most peaceful thing on the earth that whatever the religion is, be it Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, etc., that that would be the one thing that we wouldn't fight wars over, but indeed it has taken place. Nevertheless, that does not negate the spiritual or the foundational principles of morality that have been the bedrock of most all religions from the beginning of time. But my objective today is not to necessarily debate the merits of religion or to try to tear down those aspects of religion that all of us might be able to poke some holes in. My concern is what can we do to become a more civilized society where we live with respect for one another and appreciation for the differences that we have and some of the similarities that we also share. And I'm going to talk about some of those things that I think we can do to better our society, to help us to become more civilized than, say, what we are right now. Like many of you, I too believe that we have witnessed a more coarsening of society. I think that it's happened in the last 20 to 30 years. And it's certainly not something I paid attention to when I was a youngster or even in my teenage years. Not even in my twenties, I don't think, but definitely from my 30s on, I think that it's become much worse. And I don't know if it's because life has become less valued than it once was, uh, sort of cheapened. I don't know if that's because of the information age and the advent of the internet, the creation of the gaming industry, and how that tends to sometimes deaden the sensibilities of those who participate in it. And I'm certainly not condemning those who are involved in the gaming industry. I'm just saying that that could be one of the reasons why life is oftentimes valued much less than it was 20 or 30 years ago. But in my mind, that shouldn't be an excuse for why we live a less civilized lifestyle than we once did. Here's the bottom line, as far as I'm concerned. Most of us accept laws that govern personal behavior. And beyond that, parents must teach their children the meaning of what's right and what's wrong. Of course, agency does factor into that. Ultimately, that governs personal behavior. And sometimes, in spite of our best efforts, people make poor choices. I'd like to read a quote from the late Walter Williams, who wrote an article about laws and that they're a poor substitute for common decency and moral values? He had this to say, quote, do high rates of illegitimacy make a positive contribution to a civilized society? If not, how would you propose that illegitimacy be controlled? In years past, it was controlled through social sanctions like disgrace and shunning. Is foul language to or in the presence of teachers conducive to an atmosphere of discipline and respect necessary for effective education? If not, how would you propose to be controlled? Years ago, simply sassing a teacher would have meant a trip to the vice principal's office for an attitude adjustment administered with a paddle. Years ago, the lowest of low down men would not say the kind of things often said to or in front of women today. Gentlemanly behavior protected women from coarse behavior. Today, we expect sexual harassment laws to restrain coarse behavior. End of quote. I realize that some people might look at the words that Walter Williams uses here in this situation as being old fashioned or he's a prude, or he's just not up with the times. But in my view, it's never out of date to have a moral compass. Mr. Williams makes another observation by saying this quote, policemen and laws can never replace customs, traditions, and moral values as a means for regulating human behavior. At best, the police and criminal justice system are the last desperate line of defense for a civilized society. Our increased reliance on laws to regulate behavior is a measure of how uncivilized we have become. So what can we do to make a difference, to make a change in our society? I have a few suggestions. We need to stand up for and teach courtesy and manners not as some antiquated experience, but as a practical way to be more civilized. We need to teach our children that there's a difference between something that is right and something that is wrong, especially when it comes to behavior that's acceptable and civilized. And equally important in teaching right from wrong, we need to hold our children accountable for the things that we teach them. We can't afford to be their best friends. We have to ensure that they are held accountable for their actions after we've taught them these principles and things that matter most in their lives to help them be good citizens even at a young age. Because the reality is this, ladies and gentlemen, we have a finite amount of time to teach our children about acceptable behavior. And if we don't do it and we rely on society or their teachers to do it, then we won't have much of a basis to complain later. And even after our children have left the home, we still have a responsibility to lead by example as parents. We have to practice what we preach. We can't just say one thing and do another. That usually doesn't work out very well. And finally, we need to find a moral basis for teaching our children. Whether that's a religion, some form of meditation, yoga, whatever. I really don't care, just so that it's something. And whatever that something is, we need to make sure that we ourselves are living it. Because if we are not living it, then all of those things that we're trying to do, all the things that we try to teach our children, the quote unquote lectures that we give to our children are going to be hollow. And the worst case scenario, ladies and gentlemen, is that they will completely rebel against us if we are not living the things that we are teaching them. It's not a do as I say, not as I do proposition. We have to live by the things that we are teaching them. If we're to have any credibility, we have to live the way we teach. I mean, come on. Our children are not stupid. They're extremely adept at observation, even when we think they may not be looking. So we should always be on our guard. My youngest child now is in her mid-20s. And the thing that I can tell you about raising children from a dad's perspective is that you don't get any do-overs. I remember there are lots of times in my kids' lives growing up where I made terrible judgments as a dad. And my only choice right now is to just live with that. As I mentioned earlier, when you're raising your children, you cannot be their best friend. That comes later, and I can tell you from my own experience, because my children are older, that there have been a lot of times where I've had conversations with all four of them at various times as adults, that it was almost like I forgot that I was their dad and that we were a couple of friends just talking and having a good conversation. Those experiences are priceless. And if you're in a situation where your children are younger right now, just have faith, keep fighting the good fight with respect to being a good parent and doing what it takes to be a good example to your children. And there will come a day when you'll have the great experience of communicating with your children on an adult level. And if you've had that experience, then I need to say no more because you know exactly what I'm talking about. Now, you may be wondering why I've spent so much time talking about the importance of teaching our children. Well, to me, the answer is obvious, and that is that they're the next generation, and they're the ones that are going to go out and have an impact on society, and we hope they'll be a good reflection of us and be civilized in society and figure out how to do things in a way that is more civilized, that is more respectful, and that shows greater courtesy than perhaps we ever have in our lives. I mean, that's the whole idea about raising the next generation to be better than you have been. And listen, I get it, I do understand. Each of us are painfully aware of our own inadequacies, our own inabilities to sometimes say and do the right things. We're human beings, we're fallible creatures, but the most important thing is to be real with our children and show them that we understand what they're going through. We actually have empathy for them because we've done it before ourselves. So that's why I say be real with them and let them know. Apologize to your children. Because when we do all these things with our children, ladies and gentlemen, then the hope is that they're going to take those things that they learn in our home under our roof out into society and make the world a better place. And to me, that is definitely what it's all about. So I want to encourage you to keep trying to never give up, keep plugging away, and day by day, week by week, month to month, year after year, in that small, finite window of opportunity that you have, you can do your best trying to teach your children. And you know what? If you're towards the end of that finite period, it's okay. If you feel like you haven't done the things that you've wanted to do and you haven't maybe been the best parent that you could be, then start today. Start today by doing those things that you know can help benefit your children and give it your best and most concerted effort to live by the principles that you are trying to teach them on a daily basis. And that's only going to produce, in my mind, positive and good things going forward. Again, I want to encourage you to do your best. And I feel like that's all any of us can expect from ourselves, that we put our best foot forward and we do the best that we can in all the circumstances that we're faced with. And perhaps one of the most important things, ladies and gentlemen, is that we not be too hard on ourselves. We can be our own worst critic. So what I'm doing now is to say to you, take it easy on yourself, give yourself some credit. Tomorrow's another day, and look forward to doing the best that you can with that day when it comes. I'd like to end this episode with the words of a gentleman by the name of D. Todd Christofferson. In his professional life he was a lawyer, but for the last several years he's a well known church leader. He had this to say. Who bears responsibility for what happens in our lives? When things turn bad, there is a tendency to blame others or even God. Sometimes a sense of entitlement arises, and individuals or groups try to shift responsibility for their welfare to other people or to governments. In spiritual matters, some suppose that men and women need not strive for personal righteousness because God loves and saves us just as we are. He continues by saying a God who makes no demands is the functional equivalent of a God who does not exist. A world without God is also a world without ultimate truth or justice. It is a world where moral relativism reigns supreme. Relativism means each person is his or her own highest authority. Of course, it is not just those who deny God that subscribe to this philosophy. Some who believe in God still believe that they themselves, individually, decide what is right and wrong. To those who believe anything or everything could be true, the declaration of objective, fixed, and universal truths feels like coercion. I shouldn't be forced to believe something is true that I don't like, but that does not change reality. Resenting the law of gravity won't keep a person from falling if he steps off a cliff. The same is true for eternal law and justice. Freedom comes not from resisting it, but from applying it.