This was from an article in Time Magazine about the mind of babies...
How about moral development? One of the great philosophical debates is whether people are born with an innate sense of right and wrong, or whether it develops over time. Does your research shed light on that question?
Yes, there's quite clearly an innate basis for our moral sentiments.
When I was a kid, I always worried about people in villages in Africa. I was always concerned about how they would know who God is if no one told them. I was concerned about all the people that would die not really having a concept of who God is. Almost like, I was given just one more thing they weren't.
I remember talking to my Dad about all of this when I was young. He shared some things with me then that is "breaking news" in science now.
People are born with a sense of right or wrong. Even people in the most remote areas of the world know it is wrong to murder. They know it is wrong to take someone else's livestock. They do not have to be taught that causing pain to someone is wrong. We are not taught what physically hurts, it just happens. I think that is true when we are talking about the bare, instinctive sense of right and wrong.
The Bible, God's letter to humanity, told us this a long time ago. In Genesis 1:27 tells us that we were created in God's image. Would God give us a physical representation and leave out the spiritual/moral, which is the biggest part of who he is?
In Psalm 139 we read, " you created my inmost being"- I haven't studied it but that kinda makes me think soul.
Does this mean that we can be hands off as parents when it comes to trying to teach our kids about right and wrong, NO! Even though we are born with a sense of right and wrong, we still need reminded. Teaching children about who God is, IS the most important thing we can do.
In all three of the synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke. John had a much different theme and occasion) the story of Jesus and the children is mentioned. I find it interesting though, that when the followers of Jesus wanted the kids to go away and be quiet, Jesus became indignant or angry. There are very few times in scripture that Jesus gets mad. The only other time I can think of is when the Jesus started flippin tables.
Most of us remember from our college psychology classes the discussion of which plays more into the forming of a person, nature vs. nurture. In my opinion, I don't think it is so much a competition as it is an order. I think nature forms the beginning of a person and nurture helps cultivate what nature provided innately.
Im not a psychologist, scientist or even a theologian and I appreciate the importance of research and knowledge. I just think it is funny that we have answers to so many things in the Bible, but we take the long way and figure it out with countless amounts of time on scientific research. Maybe I should look at it more as science is proving what the Bible says...=)
