Definition of "Morality" in LDS teaching and culture

[Solon]

So, Jay Santos' thread sparked me to ask why LDS overwhelmingly use the word morality to refer to sexual conduct (or misconduct).

IMO, there's more to being a moral person than observance of LDS sexual mores. Morality (to me) has to do with ethics, distinguishing between right and wrong, etc.

Is it just nomenclature? Or do LDS consider sex to be perhaps the most important component of righteous/ethical living (sort of a reverse metonymy)?

Do other religions use morality in this way, or do they refer to a broader scope of acceptable, ethical, righteous behavior?

Does it bother non-LDS when LDS use the word to mean mainly sex?

BTW: From the OED, which notes the word's extra emphasis on sex :

morality (n): 3. a. Moral virtue; behaviour conforming to moral law or accepted moral standards, esp. in relation to sexual matters; personal qualities judged to be good.

moral (adj.): 1. a. Of or relating to human character or behaviour considered as good or bad; of or relating to the distinction between right and wrong, or good and evil, in relation to the actions, desires, or character of responsible human beings; ethical.

[MikeWaters]

I think it's clear that most people get very little ethical training, whether formal or informal, whether they are Mormon or not.

CB and CG are evidence of lack of ethical thinking beyond the mainstream.

[jay santos]

Originally Posted by Solon

So, Jay Santos' thread sparked me to ask why LDS overwhelmingly use the word morality to refer to sexual conduct (or misconduct).

IMO, there's more to being a moral person than observance of LDS sexual mores. Morality (to me) has to do with ethics, distinguishing between right and wrong, etc.

Is it just nomenclature? Or do LDS consider sex to be perhaps the most important component of righteous/ethical living (sort of a reverse metonymy)?

Do other religions use morality in this way, or do they refer to a broader scope of acceptable, ethical, righteous behavior?

Does it bother non-LDS when LDS use the word to mean mainly sex?

BTW: From the OED, which notes the word's extra emphasis on sex :

morality (n): 3. a. Moral virtue; behaviour conforming to moral law or accepted moral standards, esp. in relation to sexual matters; personal qualities judged to be good.

moral (adj.): 1. a. Of or relating to human character or behaviour considered as good or bad; of or relating to the distinction between right and wrong, or good and evil, in relation to the actions, desires, or character of responsible human beings; ethical.

I actually agree completely. My bad. I should have used the word chastity.

Virtuous is the other word that gets misused. And it's actually a pet peeve of mine that virtuous and moral get misused so much in LDS culture, so shame on me for doing it too.

When I think of the phrase "he's an immoral man" my first thought is of a dishonest businessman who abuses people and cheats and lies and takes advantage of lesser fortunates. But immoral does not and should not equal sexual purity.

[Solon]

Originally Posted by jay santos

I actually agree completely. My bad. I should have used the word chastity.

Virtuous is the other word that gets misused. And it's actually a pet peeve of mine that virtuous and moral get misused so much in LDS culture, so shame on me for doing it too.

When I think of the phrase "he's an immoral man" my first thought is of a dishonest businessman who abuses people and cheats and lies and takes advantage of lesser fortunates. But immoral does not and should not equal sexual purity.

I didn't mean at all to pick on you, or to imply that you (personally) were misusing a word. Your post just started me thinking about how LDS use that word. Sorry if it came off that way.

Good point on "virtuous" as well.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by Solon

I didn't mean at all to pick on you, or to imply that you (personally) were misusing a word. Your post just started me thinking about how LDS use that word. Sorry if it came off that way.

Good point on "virtuous" as well.

I've been thinking the same thing for quite a while.

The real word that's appropriate to much of the attitude of Mormon's is "Victorian". For some reason, much of Mormondom now champions Victorian ideals as the models of behavior.

I wish leaders would examine how Victorian ideals arose, and how they are premised upon a faulty dualism, objectifying that which should not be objectified.

Morality outside of our US society is not limited to conservative sexual behavior.

Virtue in a classical sense did not even consider sexuality.

So I agree a person can be mostly virtuous or most moral, even if that person has divergent sexual conduct, divergent from Mormondom's Victorian world.

[Indy Coug]

Is teaching unmarried youngsters not to touch each other's naughty bits Victorian?

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by Indy Coug

Is teaching unmarried youngsters not to touch each other's naughty bits Victorian?

Here's what I mean in my clumsy speech.

During the days of polygamy, Mormondom was anything but puritanical or Victorian.

Victorians adoped a Cartesian ontological and epistemological view of the world, a dichotomy, something was either evil, or good.

Mormons viewed sexuality as a natural consequence of marriage, and engaged in multiple, simultaneous marriages. We didn't see it as an either/or proposition, didn't view the activity as an object, it was an action a verb, a way of relating.

Mormons gave in to the Victorian era which gained political power and we embrace the terminology, the more philosophy, and fell into the trap the sex was bad.

Almost all discussion from most leaders embraces the moronic approach of Victorians. It is repressive, harmful and out of date.

It is not harmful to teach the consequences of sexual interaction, but it is harmful to describe it mostly in dualistic terminology, objectifying an non-object.

[Tex]

Originally Posted by Archaea

Victorians adoped a Cartesian ontological and epistemological view of the world, a dichotomy, something was either evil, or good.

I'm think I'm going to start tracking the frequency of use of "ontological and epistemological" by Archaea.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by Tex

I'm think I'm going to start tracking the frequency of use of "ontological and epistemological" by Archaea.

Well, what's your beef with the terminology?

It focuses upon our understanding of the world, our understanding of linguistic limitations in pursuit of truth.

[Tex]

Originally Posted by Archaea

Well, what's your beef with the terminology?

It focuses upon our understanding of the world, our understanding of linguistic limitations in pursuit of truth.

No beef. You just use the terms a lot and usually together, and I'm curious to see how often.