Archive for April 3, 2009

The North Star of Ethics

{ April 3, 2009 @ 3:14 pm } · { "The Love Ethic", Ethics, Philosophy, theology }
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terrybell2-2Paul Tillich said “Agape is the absolute moral principle, the ‘star’ above the chaos of relativism.”

The ethics of “relativism” is also the ethics of “absolutism.” To say “all ethics are grounded in relativism” is to make an absolute statement. It becomes a Zeno’s Paradox. It refutes itself.

Chaos is the result of relativism. In Mel Gibson’s movie, “The Patriot,” there is a dramatic moment at the end where Gibson gives his recently widowed daughter-in-law a neckless. His words say it all:

“I have something for you.
It belonged to Gabriel’s mother.
It’s the North Star.
It’s the only star in the sky that doesn’t move.
It’s constant…unwavering..a guide.”

In my book, “The Love Ethic: Rediscovering Our Moral Compass” I’ve tried to show that our North Star today is AGAPE, “God’s love.” It is not the Bible, though the Bible is it’s revelation. The Bible is the finger that points to it. The finger that points to the star, is not the star.

© [Terry A Bell] and [The Love Ethic], [2009]. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to [Terry Bell] and [The Love Ethic] with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

The Gay Gene (?) Urban Legend

{ April 3, 2009 @ 2:24 am } · { Uncategorized }
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terry-stairsIn my Thursday evening Philosophy we explored the intricacies of “The Family Guy.” Now I’ve not seen it so please don’t take this as a recommendation. The topic we were really discussing was the issue of Tabula Rasa, the blank slate.
I was informed by my class that the family guy participated in a medical study in which he was required to take a “Gay Gene Shot.” After that, he became totally gay, proving that being gay is genetic.

Please don’t think this is another “gay bashing blog.” It is not. But there is an urban legend going around that says that it has been proven that homosexuality is determined by genetics. To set the record straight, that is not the case. Check out the three primary studies on this issue. The earliest and most important was conducted by Simon Levay. Dr. Levay has become so upset about people turning his study into an urban legend that, in an attempt to set the record straight (no pun intended), he has stated “It’s important to stress what I didn’t find. I did not prove that homosexuality is genetic, or find a genetic cause for being gay. I didn’t show that gay men are born that way, the most common mistake people make in interpreting my work.”

Now I’m going to love you anyway, no matter who you are. But let’s get our facts straight. One of our biggest urban legends out there is that there is a Gay Gene. Check the primary sources. Then you decide

© [Terry A Bell] and [The Love Ethic], [2009]. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to [Terry Bell] and [The Love Ethic] with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.