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SCANDALIZED

Sexual scandals, real or imagined, provide the major media with a continuous stream of prime feature material in today's publishing wars. But is sexual misconduct truly scandalous to us anymore?

Sexual impropriety has been admitted by President Clinton. Once again, questions of his ethical character are raised. Considering the emphasis we place on the adherence to right policies, is it important that our publicly elected officials have good moral character? Or, generally speaking, does character really matter at all in life?

Traditionally we have been taught that honesty is very important, a democratic virtue. Our American lore, such as George Washington's confession of cutting down the cherry tree or Honest Abe walking miles to return a penny, stress the importance of telling the truth. Is that ideal changing, as the highest office in the land misses the mark?

"He who is void of virtuous attachments in private life is, or very soon will be, void of all regard for his country. There is seldom an instance of a man guilty of betraying his country, who had not before lost the feeling of moral obligations in his private connections." --Samuel Adams


Feature Article:

Does Character Matter?
Frederica Mathewes-Green
Frederica Mathewes-Green is a regular commentator on NPR's "All Things Considered" and on Odyssey Television Network's "News Odyssey." She is a columnist for Christianity Today and a contributing editor for Books & Culture, Regeneration, Touchstone, Focus on the Family-Citizen, Divine Ascent, Eutopia and other publications.


Other Articles:

Politics of Virtues, Government of Knaves
J. Budziszewski
We are a broken race in a fallen world. For denying the Atonement a man may be faithless, but for denying its need he is insane. We are all caught in the wreck. Hence the single greatest problem of politics is simply this: how can we make government promote the common good when there is so little virtue to be found?

Character Deficiency Syndrome
Garry D. Nation
What really causes our many social problems in America today? Many experts use a disease model to diagnose our cultural maladies. The author suggests an alternative view.

Adultery
Kerby Anderson
This article discusses the prevalence of and myths about adultery. It also gives practical advice on how couples can prevent marital infidelity.

Sexual Purity
Dr. Ray Bohlin
Purity affirms who we are; we are made in the image of God. Purity affirms our relationship to Jesus Christ as His Bride. Purity affirms women as a treasure God created for us as a companion and helpmate and not as an object for us to conquer.

The Illusion of Moral Neutrality
J. Budziszewski
Is it either possible or desirable to be morally neutral in the public sphere?

Integrity: What's the Price?
Patrick Morley
A small but practical guide to integrity by way of honesty.

What Lies Ahead
Dr. John Stoll
Mankind is rapidly bringing the judgment of God upon himself by his selfish nature. Since humanistic philosophy says there is no absolute truth, what is left then is for each person to decide for himself where the truth lies, and this produces ultimate confusion.

From Relativism and Skepticism to Truth and Certainty
Josef Seifert
Professor Josef Seifert exposes the skepticism and relativism characteristic of much modern thought and draws on Augustine's work in laying the foundations of knowledge.



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