What Good Are Morals If They Don’t Have Foundation?

Since the year 2002, the movie Time Changer (Five by Two Productions) has been provoking Christians to consider the place of morality without theology. In other words, is it adequate to teach how to act without a basis from Scripture? In the story, seminary professor Russell Carlisle presents a manuscript for approval by the staff. But approval is not unanimous. Dr. Norris Anderson maintains that teaching Christ's standard of living without Christ will never work.

The struggle between these two men intensifies until finally Carlisle accepts the invitation to visit his adversary at his home. There he is introduced to a time travel machine, invented by Dr. Anderson. Carlisle is transported through more than a 100 years of time to see the result of teaching morality without God in the very community where he lived. The few days' experience motivated Carlisle to rewrite his manuscript.

It only takes a generation to forget the reason they are acting a certain way at all. When asked what is wrong with society, Alexander Solzhenitsyn answered, "It has forgotten God." In other words, emphasis on kindness and love and morality is not enough. Daniel Boorstin stated, "Trying to plan for the future (conduct) without a sense of the past (foundation of conduct) is like trying to plant cut flowers." George MacDonald said, "No teacher (including story writers) should strive to make men think as he thinks, but to lead them to the living Truth, to the Master himself, of whom alone they can learn anything."

To illustrate this, consider an elementary school in the western US that prides itself on teaching character. In fact, the primary character qualities are written in mosaic tile at the entrance, qualities such as honest, diligence, and no put-downs. Daily the fifth grade students recite this in unison: "I am wonderful; I am important; I am worthwhile; I make a difference; I am smart; I care about myself; I smile a lot; I am brave; I am successful; I am confident; I am strong inside; I can say No; I keep trying; I am a precious worthwhile mistake-making person." This is a public school so, of course, God is left out. What does this list mean without Christ at the foundation? Will reciting it daily convince a student it is true? Now add the Person of Jesus Christ. 'In Christ I can make a difference. In Christ I am precious to God. In Christ I have strength to continue.' See the difference?

Teaching character without God is similar to the story of seven tailors who wove the invisible clothes for the king. Only the wise saw the clothes so no one would admit they didn't. On the day of the presentation, everyone spoke of the magnificent wardrobe until a small boy yelled, "The king is naked."

Without God character is also naked of the foundation on which it must stand. Without that foundation, it can do nothing but collapse. The next generation will say, "Why should we act that way?" There is no reason. Ultimately, the motive for doing right must be to please God.

Jim Swanson has tried to remedy this situation by writing character stories that clearly present the reason for the values taught. Many biographies are also available on his website, including the stories of George Muller and the Florence Nightingale story.

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