In Webster's dictionary, morality is defined as "principles of right and wrong in conduct; ethics." The principles of morality have countless times evolved over the ages. In earlier times, death was an easy penalty for many crimes. These crimes today are considered minor and are penalized with a slap on the hand. Is this considered wrong? Who is the correct authority to consult on what is right or wrong? In today's society, two major factors concern how the way members of society act and behave.

The first is our national government. Members of our government in positions of authority decide everything in our lives in the form of laws which determine our behavior. One of the most important documents written by our government is the Declaration of Independence. The monarchy was taking away power from the colonists and putting more demands on. In return, the colonists declared their freedom from their tyrant. In this document, it states, "All men are created equal; that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." The great men who wrote this down had a strong sense of morals. They believed that men were giv

Morals today have been declining and declining. As independant thoughts have now been tolerated, so have thoughts against basic humane rights. More today than any other period murders and rapists are being convicted and released from jail. Attendance at churches pail considerably from the height of it's popularity. The people have better things to do and church is just not the thing to do these days. The government is a mess of bureaucracy and misuse of power. In two words-Bob Packwood. The national deficit is at trillions and shows no signs of improvement. Money is spent in needless ways with lobbyists bribing officials for personal causes that have no implications with the common people. The cause of representing the common people is practically non-existent. These are just some of the examples of how the morals in today's society have declined in the cause of "personal rights."

en rights by God that no one could take away. This is essential to the issue of morality because it determines the rights-that are agreed upon all- are wrong.

This brings us to religion. Religion is a major contributor to how we think and act because it mirrors our beliefs in what we hold as right or wrong. An example of this is the native tribes of africa and South America where a number of tribes practice cannibalism. While this is con

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Williams Hutchinson, Anne Hutchinson, Times Webster's, Declaration Independence, South America, Massachusetts Bay, Church England, Roger Williams, John Winthrop, Winthrop Total, john winthrop, limits set, free speech, colonial times, today's society, common people,
Approximate Word count = 893
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)