Our understanding of morality will be significantly impacted by the Supreme Court's acceptance of nationalized health care.  Every behavior directly and indirectly affecting our health will eventually come under scrutiny.  

Morality is those actions and behaviors that lead to the good health and well-being of individuals and communities.  Behaviors that cause obesity are already being targeted by the Whitehouse.  Smoking and drinking behaviors have been a perennial concern of lawmakers for more than one hundred years.  But now all behaviors including the type of sex we have, the risks we take in outdoor activities, the foods we eat, and how often we bathe will be viewed for their moral value in ways not previously seen in human civilization.

Instead of each person for themselves, we are now essentially a socialist society.  What other people do in their private life will have definite and quantifiable financial impact on all other people, and therefore it is now under consideration to regulate private lives.  And since it is the purpose of government to regulate, it is only a matter of time before the government is watching and criticizing our every move.

The medical establishment will be turned on its head.  No longer will doctors be allowed to let their patients get sick so they can milk the system for lots of money for expensive treatments.  In the name of reducing health insurance costs, programs will be legislated that focus on preventative health care.  Gone will be questionable commercial ingredients and foods prepared in a chemistry lab.  Gone will be life extending surgeries for those who do not make an effort to watch their diet and exercise sufficiently.  Gone will be the option to keep fetuses who will present a health burden to society.

These changes will not occur overnight, but they will occur over the coming decades.  They will occur as new generations are faced with the health liabilities of their predecessors and are required to cover their costs.  A new class warfare will arise between those who take care of their health and those who carelessly burden society with poor moral choices.  

It is highly unlikely that the new health care laws will ever be repealed unless their is a total collapse of the present system of government.  In some ways the new health care laws will be good for humanity as a whole, and in other ways it will be the end of the world for those who refuse to change their morality.  As moved as many people are by this radical change, hardly anyone can yet perceive the full consequences of this decision.

The next few years will see new battle lines drawn.  Groups of people who supported these laws because they wanted change will realize they made a great mistake.  Groups who opposed these laws will realize benefits from the laws they were not expecting.  If we can keep our passions under control, we will all likely experience one of the most important revolutions in the advancement of the human species, and which officially started today, June 28, 2012.

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Written by: David W. Thomson III

The concept of moral relativism has attracted attention to those looking to justify behaviors considered immoral by others.  The argument states that morality is relative to each individual and no absolute authority exists.  The primary argument against moral relativism is that a sacred doctrine, depending upon the religion, provides absolute authority on moral matters.

The truth is that morality has always been based on health concerns.  Abraham got circumcised when he was 100 years old, and apparently that enabled him to have a son.  So circumcision became a foundation moral practice in Judaism.   Various foods would cause illness if eaten at certain times of the year, and so the basis of various morals concerning diet were established.

It goes without saying that killing people is generally unhealthy.  The health concerns of the elderly inspired the morals of honoring one's parents.  Sexual promiscuity eventually results in hard-to-cure genital diseases.  Sex practices other than simple and gentle coitus will often cause physical injuries.  Thus moral rules governing sex practices within a community were established.

Well-being is happiness based on health.  Health is the absolute and underlying authority governing morality.  A moral person steadfastly lives a healthy life.  

Religions naturally incorporate healthy actions and behaviors into their dogma, as morality provides the happiness and freedom from suffering attributed to the Giver of Life.  But so also do governments, fraternities, schools, long running and successful businesses, and other groups of people.  Naturally, every family wants health and happiness, and so concerned parents teach morality to their children.

Whether people understand what morality is or not (and most do not), they instinctively know they must act in ways that promote health and well-being.  It is the nature of the living to want to continue to live.  Through trial and error, all living things learn the behaviors that lead to good health and well-being.

As long as life continues, morality will always be the central cultural theme.  Even if a fad arises pretending that morality will conform to political preferences, in the end, morality will again be defined as the health and well-being of individuals and communities.  We can fool ourselves, but we cannot fool nature (or God.)

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Written by: David W. Thomson III

Morality is those actions and behaviors that lead to the good health and well-being of individuals and communities.  So what does "well-being" mean?

Well-being is a state of being happy and prosperous.  And why would being happy and prosperous be important?  Presumably, everyone wants to live, as that seems to be what drives us.  When we lose focus on the necessities of life and we start feeling ill and miserable, our happiness and prosperity fade.  We lose our well-being.  

The actions and behaviors we participate in, which cause our well-being to fade, are by definition, immoral.  This could be benign things like not getting enough sleep, not eating right, and not exercising enough.  It could be more offensive actions and behaviors such as consuming poisonous substances or doing things to our body, which the body cannot safely do. Imposing such actions and behaviors on others reduces their well-being, and is also immoral.

Well-being is not a passive state.  It is an active state, which requires vigilance and attention to maintain.  It could be said that well-being induces us to continue with our living body as long as our happiness and prosperity continues.  Well-being is both the cause and effect of itself.  The same can be said for communities of organisms, which as a whole are also living beings.

Well-being is an essential characteristic of life, which is one of the reasons why morality is so vital to individuals and communities.  

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Written by: David W. Thomson III

How does morality relate to God?  Is the acknowledgement of God even necessary for practicing morality?

Whether life was created by God or was the result of an accident that converted "nothing" into material existence has no bearing on morality.  Morality is necessary for life, in either case.  Morality is those actions and behaviors allowing life to sustain itself as long as it can, and as well as it can.  We practice morality because we want healthy and happy lives, not because some superior agent is telling us what to do.

If the living world is an accident, then we still want health and happiness in order to sustain this unique experience.  

Religions existed long before modern medicine and science.  Before the sciences were developed, people had to rely on common sense and direct experience.  Our ancient ancestors spent more time listening to nature and hearing its subtle messages.  Today, we have new insights born of science, which help us to better understand those actions and behaviors that lead us to maintain good health and happiness.  

Ironically, modern technology has also made us quite deaf to nature's message with all its distractions.  A disproportionate amount of our time is spent on activities that do not support our life, and many activities that actually shorten it.  

Regardless, morality has only one purpose and relies on only one principle.  Morality is those actions and behaviors that lead to the good health and well-being of individuals and communities. When we practice behaviors that lead to good health and happiness for ourselves and others, we will be moral citizens.

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Written by: David W. Thomson III