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​​​​​​​​Welcome back to One Marine’s perspective on how to play the game of life. We all have to play, we’re all on the same team, we play by God’s rules, and we win with teamwork.  

Consider these words from Martin Luther King, Jr. We all probably know who he was. After all, we celebrate his birthday as a national holiday every year.

“There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must take it because conscience tells him it is right.”

So, we don’t necessarily do what is safe, nor popular, nor politically correct. We do what our conscience says is the right thing to do.

Listen to Story 1.

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What is our right thing to do? Would we have done what Darius did? In this discussion, we’re going to take a look at One Marine’s perspective on morality, what he considers the key elements of morality: Our Value System, the Hippocratic Oath, and the Golden Rule.  

​                                                   Value System

“Even if everyone else is not doing good. I alone will. Even if everyone else is doing wrong, I alone will not.” Unknown

Morals are formed out of our personal values, which are those things that we believe are the most important in our lives. Values exist, no matter if we recognize them or not. The only way for us to be happy is to live and behave according to our true values. 

Our values are the foundation of our ability to judge between right and wrong. Morals build on this to form specific, context-driven rules that govern our behavior. They're formed from our life experience and are subject to change as we gain more experience.

Listen to ​Story 2.​

In reality, the happiest people do not appear to be those who have the best things, but those who enjoy life and get happiness with what they have.

As Mark Twain wrote in his book, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: 

“Right is right, and wrong is wrong, and a body ain't got no business doing wrong when he ain't ignorant and knows better.” 

So, what does Hippocrates have to do with morality? Let’s find out.

​                                             Hippocrates

Greek physician Hippocrates practiced medicine around 2400 years ago. He was regarded as the greatest physician of his time and is often called the "father of medicine". His contributions to medicine include detailed observations of disease and its effects, and an understanding of how lack of health is not because the wicked witch of the west doesn’t like us or God is punishing us, but is influenced by diet, breakdowns in bodily processes, and the environment – mostly those things over which we have control. 

And The Hippocratic Oath specifies the principles of "non-maleficence"  and "beneficence": first, do no harm; then, if possible, do some good. 

First, do no harm. Then, if possible, do some good. One Marine has adopted this element from the oath as a sort of mantra (a positive phrase that he uses to affirm the way he wants to live his life.). He does this to remind himself that whatever he is about to do will have consequences and he should consider whether those consequences will bring harm to any of God’s creation and, if so he should not do that which he is considering. 

Listen to ​Story 3.

The older we get, the more that story hits home. One Marine’s mantra: first do no harm and do good if possible is not because the tables may eventually be turned on us, but because we should do the right thing. However, it is true that what goes around eventually comes around. Now how about

                                                 The Golden Rule

The Golden Rule teaches that we should treat others as we, ourselves, would wish to be treated. This basic ethic is repeated in a multitude of variations in the texts of all the great religions of the world.

Bahá'í Faith - If thou lookest for justice, choose thou for others what thou chooseth for thyself.
Buddhism - Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful.

Christianity - As ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.
Confucianism - Surely it is the maxim of loving-kindness: Do not unto others that you would not have them do unto you.
Hinduism - This is the sum of all true righteousness: deal with others as thou wouldst thyself be dealt by. Do nothing to thy neighbor, which thou wouldst not have him do to thee after.
Islam - No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself.
Jainism - Indifferent to worldly objects, a man should wander about, treating all creatures in the world as he himself would be treated.
Judaism - What is hateful to you do not to others. That is the entire Law, all the rest is commentary.
Sikhism - As thou deemest thyself, so deem others; then shalt thou become a partner in Heaven.
Shintoism - Irrespective of their nationality, language, manners and culture, men should give mutual aid, and enjoy reciprocal, peaceful pleasure by showing in their conduct that they are brethren.
Taoism - The good man ought to pity the malignant tendencies of others; to rejoice over their excellence; to help them in their straits; to regard their gains as if they were his own, and their losses in the same way.
Wicca - And ye harm none, do what ye will, lest in thy self-defense it be, ever mind the rule of three. (The Rule of Three is a religious tenet which states that whatever energy a person puts out into the world, be it positive or negative, will be returned to that person three times.)
Zoroastrianism - That nature only is good when it shall not do unto another whatever is not good for its own self.

Imagine the world full of people who honor their own sacred religious values and grant that same respect to every other person on earth. What a golden world it would be!

Listen to Story 4.

In summary, morality refers to guidelines that we can use to determine what we ought to do in a particular situation. Morality helps us figure out whether a particular decision or action is right or wrong. 

While personal morality tends to be driven by our personal beliefs and values, there are certainly common morals on which most of us would agree (regardless of the particular religion to which we ascribe), such as: 

Always tell the truth.
Do not cheat.
Treat others as we want to be treated.
Have integrity.
Take responsibility for our actions.
Have respect for ourselves and others.
Be tolerant of individual differences.

For One Marine, it's all about Values, the Hippocratic Oath, and the Golden Rule.

As Aristotle once said: “Moral excellence comes about as a result of habit. We become just by doing just acts, temperate by doing temperate acts, brave by doing brave acts.” 

Listen to Story 5. 

As Thomas Jefferson once said: ”Whenever you are to do a thing, though it can never be known but to yourself, ask yourself how you would act were all the world looking at you, and act accordingly.” 

We do the right thing because it is the right thing to do, not because of an anticipated reward. 

We’ll close with more of One Marine’s Favorite Quotes:

“Wrong is wrong even if everyone is doing it. Right is right even if no one is doing it.”  Unknown 

“Morality is only moral when it is voluntary.” Lincoln Steffens 

“A man that has lost moral sense is like a man in battle with both of his legs shot off: he has nothing to stand on.” Henry Ward Beecher 

“Always do what is right. It will gratify half of mankind and astound the other half.” Mark Twain 

“There are no easy answers, but there are simple answers. We must have the courage to do what we know is morally right.” Ronald Reagan 

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