Principle or preference: how you make decision?

[m&m]

Principle or preference: which of these words best describes how you make moral decisions?

[m&m]

How do you make decision? Do you live by principles or do you live by preferences? Do you have certain basic conviction of which absolutely no question? Do you have belief system that is part of your life that you cannot be tempted to go beyond that?

[Edwin]

Yes, m&m, this is a good subject. The word preference means what you prefer, and it is quite different from the word principle, which means that you have moral values that guides your behavior. I think many people in the world have no principles, so they do whatever they please. They choose according to their own desires which is not always good. This is like "if it feels good, then do it." People desire to do certain things, and then they justify their behavior. Many times those things are wrong to do, and they violate their principles.

It is important to have principles by which we live. We who are Christians get our principles from the Bible, and the teachings of Jesus. We will not do certain things because they are wrong. Our legal system had been patterned from the Bible with a few modifications. If we violate those principles we end up in jail. If we as individuals violate our Christian principles we end up with personal problems. People who don't have Christian principles live on the edge of getting into to troubles of various kinds. It is like almost breaking the law. The further we live on the right side of life the safer we are. The closer we live to doing what we want, and what is not completely right the more dangerous our lives become for us and for everyone around us.

I have a strong sense of right and wrong that guides my life. I will not and can not do certain things without violating the sense of right and wrong. I know I consider some things wrong for me that other people do not consider wrong for them, and I have to live by my principles. There is a saying that sums this up. "If we do not stand for something, we will fall for anything," and that pretty much describes people who do things by preference instead of principle.

[red]

This is situational. If i were to decide i always prefer to abide by principles of morality esp if it is about personal relationship that involves intimacy or family. But preference could get in the way, like choosing a husband for my girls someday. Preference in decision mostly applies to material things. Or like where you wanna live or go school or what course to choose. or what color of your contact lense for the day, you choose red go for it. Its fun when people see you like a vampire. lol

[crisipicada]

An intimate relationship with God must be our highest priority. And it demands something of us, and it impacts our entire life. When you have right relationship with Him or poor relationship with Him, Out of that relationship flows everything else in our life. So your relationship to Him determines how you live your life. Whether the right kind of life or wrong kind or lfe? It all relates to that.

[Edwin]

This is true, Crisi, and God wants to have an intimate relationship with us. If we let God have His way with us we will be much better off. It is true that the way our relationship is with God will determine what happens to us. If our relationship with the Lord is good, then good things will happen!

[mystic]

If it is a moral decision, it is about ethics and always has a code of reference. Thus, you decide by principle. If it is about something else, I agree with Red that it is situational.

[BigBlastGuy]

If it is a moral decision, it is about ethics and always has a code of reference. Thus, you decide by principle. If it is about something else, I agree with Red that it is situational.

I agree, it's about ethics and code of reference applied in situations.

Our ethics and code of reference is simple. Does not require years of study, churches, preachers and priests. Jesus said the greatest commandment was to love god and love your neighbor (other people). We should do this as best we can given the situation we are in. If we followed this simple rule we could close all the churches, get rid of all the preachers and priests and life would be better for everybody!

[Edwin]

Our laws are based on the 10 commandments. They may not go as far as the 10 commandments go, or they my embellish upon them. Also Jesus teaching was much more strict than just the observance of the 10 commandments. Jesus taught the heart of the matter. He was looking at why the commandment was observed or broken, rather than the fact that it was observed or broken. An example is "Thou shalt no commit adultery." But, Jesus said that if a man looks on a woman, (To lust after her) he has already commited adultery. I think as Christians we have the Bible as our standard/our principle, and we live by that, rather than just living by our desires. We may desire something, but is it the will of God, and does God's word support it?