Developing a personal code of ethics is one of the most important things a person can do to help him lead a moral life (“Personal Code of Ethics” N.P.). “A personal code of ethics puts into writing those ideas and philosophies that are the essence of [a person’s] life and allows [him] to say I will do this because I believe this” (“Personal Code of Ethics” N.P.). In today’s increasingly immoral climate, it is all too easy for a person to be led astray, away from what he actually believes in and how he wants to be and act as a human being (Bugeja 16). This is where creating a personal code of ethics can be helpful (“Personal Code of Ethics” N.P.).
What to Include in a Personal Code of Ethics
A personal code of ethics is a written document that basically describes a person’s beliefs and ideal way of living (“Personal Code of Ethics” N.P.). It should cover three primary areas of the person’s life. The first part discusses the reason behind creating the code of ethics (does the writer want to be a better person, or does he want to improve his relationships with other, etc.) (“Personal Code of Ethics” N.P.). The second section of the code of ethics should list all the positive traits that writer currently possesses, as well as additional traits he would like to acquire. Before completing this section, the writer should discuss himself with friends, asking them to describe how they see him. Those traits mentioned that are positive should be included in the second section of the code of ethics (“Personal Code of Ethics” N.P.). The third and final section of the code of ethics deals with the rules and beliefs that the writer wants to live by in his day-to-day life, especially in his relationships with other people (“Personal Code of Ethics” N.P.). “In this section, [the writer] might want to list some Bible verses that help [him] to see the importance of applying [his] personal code of ethics to [his] life (“Personal Code of Ethics” N.P.).
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What Types of Ethical and Moral Standards Should Be Reflected in the Code of Ethics
It is obvious that different types of people will have different ideas about ideal ethical and moral behavior. While some people might find it very important to spend time with their families, others might feel that it is more important to reach out to strangers in need (Bugeja 16). Both of these goals would be considered as being both moral and ethical; they cannot truly be compared with one belief being declared more moral or ethical than the other (Bugeja 15). In many cases a person will have learned most of his moral values from his parents, but once in adulthood, he must actively think about what he considers to be important morally and ethically, and not simply behave as he was taught to as a child (Bugeja 15). It is important for people “…to live their ethics rather than learn about the ethics of others” (Bugeja 15).
Basically what should be included in a personal code of ethics are statements concerning the type of person the writer wishes to be, how he will behave to become that type of person, and the reasons behind his decisions (“Personal Code of Ethics” N.P.). Once the code of ethics has been completed, the writer should refer to it often to remind himself of the behavioral goals he has set for himself and the reasons behind them.
The Ethics of Living a Nonviolent Life
The majority of Christians believe that is moral and ethical to live their lives in a nonviolent and nonconfrontational manner (McCarthy 92). They equate living peacefully with others as being a sign of virtue. “Being virtuous means having a set of related virtues and participating in virtuous relationships that enable a person to live and act morally well, not simply to do a morally good act (McCarthy 92). In other words, being virtuous is a way of life, not just doing an occasional good deed. Most Christians would also equate being virtuous as being moral and ethical (McCarthy 95). In fact, virtue in one’s life is one of the most valued and sought-after personal qualities desired by Christians (McCarthy 98). If a person is truly virtuous, it can be assumed that he leads his life in the moral and ethical manner described in the Bible. However, virtue is a difficult trait to attain, and even more difficult to sustain (McCarthy 98). No human being is perfect—they are prone to such emotions as anger, envy, and resentment, all of which can lead them to acts of confrontation against others (McCarthy 99). If it is a person’s goal to be virtuous in his life, he will most likely have to work very hard to do so. Some of the lessons in the Bible might be helpful to help him fight his negative emotions when they threaten to overwhelm his better instincts: turn the other cheek, love thy neighbor, treat others as you would want to be treated. These are all virtuous ideas, and by meditating on them, a person who feels that his virtue is eroding might be able to start to think and act in a positive manner again. When in doubt about how to behave, Christians always have the advantage of the lessons given to them in the Bible, and they should not hesitate to use that advantage. By creating a personal code of ethics, a person is basically indicating that he wants to be a better person and live a better life; what better example to follow than that of Jesus Christ?
- Bugeja, Michael. “Ethics are Lived, Not Learned.” Quill, Vol. 88, No. 3, Apr 2000, pp. 15-17.
- McCarthy, Eli S. “A Virtue-Based Just Peace Ethic.” Journal of Moral Theology, Vol. 7, No. 2, Jun 2018, pp. 92-101.
- “Personal Code of Ethics.” All About…Philosophy. 2018. N.P. Accessed 03 Dec 2018.
