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<a href:"https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2026/03/05/in-25-country-survey-americans-especially-likely-to-view-fellow-citizens-as-morally-bad/">”In 25-Country Survey, Americans Especially Likely To View Fellow Citizens as Morally Bad”</a> by several authors
The details about which countries line up where on the individual issues that Pew chose to use in its survey is interesting, but what really strikes me about this article is the list of issues itself.
<ul><li>Married ppl having an affair
<li>Using marijuana
<li>Viewing pornography
<li>Gambling
<li>Having an abortion
<li>Homosexuality
<li>Drinking alcohol
<li>Getting a divorce
<li>Using contraceptives </ul>
How did they come up with this silly list and what does it have with morality? At first I thought it was based in monotheistic religions, but there’s only one overlap with the Ten Commandments and I don’t remember anything about most of those in the New Testament either. (I don’t know much about the others.) All of the things in this list are either completely morally acceptable (contraceptives, being gay) or are unacceptable only insofar as they often lead to harming others (alcohol). Whereas murdering, stealing, and telling lies about other people should be in any list of potentially immoral behaviors. Because “does it cause lasting harm to others” is the most important determinant of what’s moral and immoral. At least that’s how it looks from here.
/soapbox
How does the concept of morality fit into your life?
The details about which countries line up where on the individual issues that Pew chose to use in its survey is interesting, but what really strikes me about this article is the list of issues itself.
<ul><li>Married ppl having an affair
<li>Using marijuana
<li>Viewing pornography
<li>Gambling
<li>Having an abortion
<li>Homosexuality
<li>Drinking alcohol
<li>Getting a divorce
<li>Using contraceptives </ul>
How did they come up with this silly list and what does it have with morality? At first I thought it was based in monotheistic religions, but there’s only one overlap with the Ten Commandments and I don’t remember anything about most of those in the New Testament either. (I don’t know much about the others.) All of the things in this list are either completely morally acceptable (contraceptives, being gay) or are unacceptable only insofar as they often lead to harming others (alcohol). Whereas murdering, stealing, and telling lies about other people should be in any list of potentially immoral behaviors. Because “does it cause lasting harm to others” is the most important determinant of what’s moral and immoral. At least that’s how it looks from here.
/soapbox
How does the concept of morality fit into your life?