A Separate Morality

In class last night, during a discussion about belief systems and Socail Work, a fellow classmate began saying that one could have morality and make moral decisions without those morals having any basis in religion. Her arguement was in support of helping clients make the “right” decision without imposing one’s own beliefs on them.
I disagree. I think that separating one’s beliefs from one’s morality leads to either a false morality, or empty beliefs. Consider this, as a Social Worker you encourage a group of young men in the juvenile justice system to be good and do right because that is the right thing to do. You have not given them: a) reason to do good, b) the means to do good, or c) the motivation to do good. Those are things that belief provide to morality. Without belief, morality has no basis whatsoever because belief gives morality a purpose and a direction. Morality without belief is nothing more than a pious proscription; it is empty, meaningless, enslaving, and false. A false sense of morality can enslave one to a cycle of self-doubt, self-reproach, and depression. This is not what any one trying to better themselves should be told.
Now, for clarification, I am speaking from the view point of belief based on Jesus Christ as Savior and recognition of ones’ sin. However, reguardless of whether or not you believe in Jesus, the beliefs you hold become your basis for morality. That is the basic relationship of beliefs and morality. It is not morality that supports the belief (although some may live it out this way), but it is belief that support the morality.
Here is some food for thought: in South Carolina public schools they teach mainly abstinence in sex ed classes. Is it effective when taken out of the context of the sacredness of marriage?