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Speech on 'Values as an integral part of the society

The moral values in life hold great importance from the point of personal, social and spiritual development. Values, morals and ethics are inextricably tied together. Values are what we learn from childhood; the 'stuff' we acquired from our parents and immediate surroundings. Values are the motive power behind purposeful action. Moral values are meant for making the quest to find the higher self an easier. Unfortunately, many amongst us may find it difficult to follow values such as truthfulness, honesty, forgiveness in our lives because we have not perceived the subtle gains that come to us by following these values. Or, maybe, we are careless to realize the importance of values in life. Ethics, on the other hand, are how we actually do behave in the face of difficult situations that test our moral fiber. Ethics are the code or principles on which one’s character depend. Ethics and character are closely related. Values are essential to ethics develop at an early age and can be instrumental to building character. The quality of our lives is not determined by the happenstance of genetics or by the influence of environment; it is not measured in material possessions or in the trappings of youth; it is not dependent on personality or social acclaim. On the contrary, the intrinsic value of the lives we lead reflects the strength of a single trait: our personal character. Russell W. Gough, author of book titled: Character Is Destiny, describes the steps to personal growth from examining our lives to taking responsibility for our actions, from discarding selfishness to embracing the greater good, from becoming a better role model for our loved ones to finding the courage to do the right thing naturally and consistently. By cultivating the habits of virtue, we will strengthen not only ourselves but, more important, our families and our world. Whereas, morals are the intrinsic beliefs developed from the value systems of how we 'should' behave in any given situation. Moral values are the standards of good and evil, which govern an individual’s behavior and choices. “The preservation of human life is the ultimate value, a pillar of ethics and the foundation of all morality”. – Author Unknown We Indians are very religious and we lavishly spend on religious celebrations and pray for our well-being. But we rarely bother for ethics without which we cannot move even an inch towards true religion or get any favour from God. In daily life, we conveniently forget the real spirit of religion and work for petty personal gains. Ethics is a branch of philosophy dealing with values relating to human conduct, with respect to the rightness and wrongness of our actions and to the decency and wickedness of the motives and the ends of such actions. Every religion prescribes high ethical standards and values. But few followers pay any heed. We are deviating from true religion and focusing more on external rituals. Ethical conduct is the foundation-stone of every religion. As per Sikhism there are five basic elements of ethics. These are: Wisdom, Truth, Temperance, Humility, Courage, Justice, and Contentment. Four of the eightfold path of Buddhism — right speech, right action, right livelihood and right effort —are all about ethical conduct. Chapter 13 of Bhagvat Gita elaborates the 20 values that Lord Krishna teaches Arjuna. These values are fundamentally necessary for a seeker to prepare the mind for the knowledge of the Self. One of these values is ‘Arjavam’ which means straightness, it means conducting oneself accordance with one’s ethical standard. ‘Arjavam’ means an alignment of thought, word and deed. These are the rudimentary requisites for proper practice of any religion. Ironically our concern for religion is conveniently oblivious of these elementary requisites. Guru Nanak De Ji, founder of the Sikh Faith, was asked over five hundred years ago, as to which was the greater of the two religions prevalent in India then, Hinduism or Muslim? He replied that without morality both will be losers. Spirituality can help us become better human beings if we follow the general moral codes with devotion. It prepares our body and mind, to receive God's inspiration. It also transforms our thinking, speech, and our actions that form virtuous habits that determine our moral character. One cannot be spiritual with out good character. Character is a combination of qualities that make an individual ethically admirable.

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Positive moral values are important because they allow you to have an overall feeling of peace and joy. Moral values can give meaning and purpose to your life. You are able to direct your behavior towards beneficial and fulfilling activities.

When you live your life according to moral values that are based on honesty, compassion, courage, modesty, and forgiveness, then you can also form positive bonds with other people.

Incorporating the moral value of honesty in your life make you trustworthy. You will have a clear conscience because you can respect yourself. The people that you come into contact with will be able to count on you to be fair and sincere. Your integrity will allow you to advance in both your personal and professional life. There are more opportunities for you to fully experience life when you are an honest person.

In addition to honesty, you also need to incorporate the moral value of compassion into your life. Compassion allows you to have sympathy for the misfortunes of other people. It also motivates you to want to give them any type of assistance that you can. Compassion results in your having feelings of mercy towards other people. When you have compassion as a moral value people are more likely to put their trust in you because you will be non-judgmental of their circumstances.

Thirdly, the moral value of courage gives you the determination to face anything that impedes your progress through life. You will also be able to overcome any obstacles because you won’t let fear hold you back. Others will feel confident relying on you for encouragement because you find solutions to whatever problems arise in your life. When courage is one of your moral values, you can bravely face the world.

In life it is essential to your survival to have modesty especially in respect to courage. Modesty allows you to realize what your limits are. It helps you to stay focused and keeps you from becoming overconfident and reckless. People will feel comfortable around you because you are humble and you don’t try to belittle them.

Lastly, it is also important to incorporate the moral value of forgiveness in your life. Forgiveness allows you to move past hurtful or damaging situations. It allows you to abandon feelings of anger or resentment against others or yourself. You can be emotionally healthy when you practice forgiveness because it keeps you from holding onto pain and resentment.

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