Ethics Case

Some religions teach that we are born of pure character and without sin. Our individual character, ethics, morals and values are molded based on religious beliefs, family values and our environment. As we journey through life from childhood into adulthood, our personal ethics are challenged by ethical dilemmas. Our approach and our reaction to these dilemmas are based on our previous learning and experiences. From a spiritual aspect, we have freewill meaning we have the ability to make moral decisions or immoral decisions. A mentally sound person makes decisions with the understanding of the morality of the action or the immorality of the action.

From early childhood values are taught and implanted into our young minds. Our teachings determined how we react to ethical dilemmas and respond to different situations. Children groomed morally correct and taught the right values will make the right decisions and respond in an ethical manner as adults. Schools, churches, masjids, clubs, fraternities, families, and friends are conducive in the development of an individual's values. A child's parents reinforce or offset what is learned from these outside sources.

My religious background and teachings formed the foundation of my ethics and values. I firmly believe that I will eventually be punished for my unethical actions or rewarded for ethical actions. However, my religious beliefs don't prevent me from understanding that religion isn't needed to guide a person to make morally correct decisions. As I mentioned before, we are all born with a pure character. Ultimately, all humans are born in purity. It is only after we began to live and learn, that we are molded and educated to respect values. Depending on an individual's upbringing and teachings outside of the family, the definition of values may differ

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from person to person. An example would be a child raised in a white supremacist environment. Based on the child's religious teachings and ethical system, killing Blacks wouldn't be unethical or morally wrong.

For the most part, religion has been a very important factor in setting the guidelines for values. The Bible, Torah, Quran, and other religious books are guidelines for exemplifying good character, values, ethics, and morals. These documents are tools for families, teachers, and other child educators to establish guidelines for ethical behavior. These holy books discuss stories with ethical dilemmas and illustrating acceptable behavior. These books clearly state it is wrong to violate the guidelines, however throughout history these guidelines have been misinterpreted and used to justify gross immoral and unethical behavior. Religion can be used as a road to ethics and good values, but the decision to continue on the right path is up to each individual.

Everything my parents instilled in me as a child are