Morality acknowledges the complexities of life

Hay House offers an excerpt from Thomas Moore's Writing in the Sand titled "Healing the Soul of Society" on its Heal Your Life site. In this passage, Moore contrasts moralism with morality:

"A moralistic attitude, which is yet another byproduct of materialism and egotism, sees everything in terms of black and white, good and bad. It fills courtrooms and builds prisons instead of clinics and hospitals.

It is blind to the complexities of a life. Because it believes it perceives evil clearly, it can make laws for every complicated aspect of human life and then punish those who break the laws, irrespective of their motives and emotional stability. It can’t distinguish between bad behavior and sickness of soul.

A moral attitude is quite different. It considers the conditions under which people make bad decisions and dally with criminality and resort to violence. It sorts out the context of bad behavior and tries to heal conflicted emotions, twisted histories, and misguided views. Rather than punish individuals, it works toward a healed society."

Moore stresses that "... the soul and spirit also require proper nourishment."