Moral decisions are when you decide whether something is right or wrong. We all have ideas about morality, but it doesn't take long to see that we often don't have the same ideas. Here are some big (and not so big) areas where people have to make moral decisions:

- not paying for the train
- taking the teachers pen
- swearing or being violent towards someone
- downloading music
- respecting your mum
- having an abortion
- telling someone what they look like
- telling the truth

There are at least two important areas that you need to know about this:

1. The difference between ABSOLUTE and RELATIVE morality.

Absolute morality is when something is always right or wrong, regardless of the situation.
Relative morality is when it depends on the circumstances or situation you are in.


In this picture you can see two situations - the relative morality picture is one where different decisions seem to be right depending on the place that the person is in. The one that is absolute is unchanging - it is always right or wrong because the foundations are always the same. Absolute morality is usually associated with God speaking about what is right or wrong.

2. How people make their moral decisions.

There are at least five things that you can use to help you make a moral decision:
- reason - does it seem a good idea according to your brain
- conscience - do you feel guilty about it?
- traditions/upbringing - how do your family, friends, community do it?
- scriptures - what do important religious books say about it?
- leaders - what do the authority figures in your life think about it?

Obviously, some of these things get ignored at times. Some of these things can be a very bad thing to trust (e.g. Hitler wasn't a particularly good leader to listen to...).


Are you aware of the decisions you make, and how you make them?
Have you ever made a bad moral decision and know why?
What consequences does a bad decision have?