Moral Code or Religion?

What got me started on this morality jag was one of my students is studying Confucianism. Apparently there is some debate over whether it is a religion or a moral code. That question tied into a discussion I had read on the need for a common, cultural code of ethics and another article about how to honor religious ideas while maintaining seperation of church and state.

As I head towards a logical process of trying to understand humanity, universal truths and spiritual reality, I realize such a mental exercise may not be the best use of my time. I have to keep remembering to actually take action in the world rather than just sit around enjoying theorizing about life. It's a lot easier to ponder and blog than actually meet people face to face and help them. Like all inherently shy people, I have a tendency to play the observer rather than jumping into the fray. But I can't resist recklessly trying to define morality and religion in whatever imperfect manner I am able. I want to know where I stand on the issue. I better look up some definitions on Wikipedia.

Etymology of Religion

The English word religion is in use since the 13th century, loaned from Anglo-French religiun (11th century), ultimately from the Latin religio, "reverence for God or the gods, careful pondering of divine things, piety, the res divinae".

The ultimate origins of Latin religio are obscure. It is usually accepted to derive from ligare "bind, connect"; likely from a prefixed re-ligare, i.e. re (again) + ligare or "to reconnect."

Religion

Religion has been defined in a wide variety of ways. Most definitions attempt to find a balance somewhere between overly sharp definition and meaningless generalities. Some sources have tried to use formalistic, doctrinal definitions while others have emphasized experiential, emotive, intuitive, valuational and ethical factors. Definitions mostly include:

* a notion of the transcendent or numinous, often, but not always, in the form of theism

* a cultural or behavioural aspect of ritual, liturgy and organized worship, often involving a priesthood, and societal norms of morality (ethos) and virtue (arete)

*a set of myths or sacred truths held in reverence or believed by adherents

Religious Belief

*relates to the existence, nature and worship of a deity or deities and divine involvement in the universe and human life.

*relates to values and practices transmitted by a spiritual leader.

*religious belief tends to be codified in literate societies (religion in non-literate societies is still largely passed on orally).

*In some religions, like the Abrahamic religions, it is held that most of the core beliefs have been divinely revealed.

Development of Religion

There are a number of models regarding the ways in which religions come into being and develop. Broadly speaking, these models fall into three categories:

* Models which see religions as social constructions;
* Models which see religions as progressing toward higher, objective truth;
* Models which see a particular religion as absolutely true.

Moral code

Codified morality is generally distinguished from custom, another way for a community to define appropriate activity, by the former's derivation from natural or universal principles. In certain religious communities, the Divine is said to provide these principles through revelation, sometimes in great detail. Such codes may be called laws, as in the Law of Moses, or community morality may be defined through commentary on the texts of revelation, as in Islamic law. Such codes are distinguished from legal or judicial right, including civil rights, which are based on the accumulated traditions, decrees and legislation of a political authority, though these latter often invoke the authority of the moral law.

Morality can also be seen as the collection of beliefs as to what constitutes a good life. Since throughout most of human history, religions have provided both visions and regulations for an ideal life, morality is often confused with religious precepts. In secular communities, lifestyle choices, which represent an individual's conception of the good life, are often discussed in terms of "morality". Individuals sometimes feel that making an appropriate lifestyle choice invokes a true morality, and that accepted codes of conduct within their chosen community are fundamentally moral, even when such codes deviate from more general social principles.

Moral codes are often complex definitions of right and wrong that are based upon well-defined value systems. Although some people might think that a moral code is simple, rarely is there anything simple about one's values, ethics, etc. or, for that matter, the judgment of those of others. The difficulty lies in the fact that morals are often part of a religion and more often than not about culture codes. Sometimes, moral codes give way to legal codes, which couple penalties or corrective actions with particular practices. Note that while many legal codes are merely built on a foundation of religious and/or cultural moral codes, ofttimes they are one and the same.

Examples of moral codes include the Golden Rule; the Noble Eightfold Path of Buddhism; the ancient Egyptian code of Ma'at ;the ten commandments of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam; the yamas and niyama of the Hindu scriptures; the ten Indian commandments; and the principle of the Dessek.

Another related concept is the moral core which is assumed to be innate in each individual, to those who accept that differences between individuals are more important than posited Creators or their rules. This, in some religious systems and beliefs (e.g. Taoism, Moralism and Gnosticism), is assumed to be the basis of all aesthetics and thus moral choice. Moral codes as such are therefore seen as coercive — part of human politics.