Culture and Morality - Essay Example

While in the past, we were swayed to consider that “the ways of England are the ways of the world”, contemporary societies maintain that all cultures are virtuous and deserve respect. However, with the United States, the prime crusader of democracy, rising to power, the human rights and justice are emphasized to a higher degree, and instigated criticisms toward various cultures that violate their perception of morality. Unacceptable Cultures Many constitutions in this modern time propagate equality of people under the law.

Although it is inevitable that an individual’s social status determines its reputation, equal opportunities are still provided amongst citizens in almost all aspects of life. Over time, practices deemed unacceptable are abolished; and acts that counter to peace and human rights are penalized. Apartheid, or the racial segregation enforced by the National Party of South Africa for almost 50 years was completely removed, granting independence to the marginalized black residents. Similarly, the American Civil War during the early 1860’s eradicated black slavery and started the struggle for egalitarianism between the two colors.

These practices that many protested against and sacrificed their lives for obliteration of, were inherited from the cultures of our forefathers. These may have lessened considerably, but the state of mind is not entirely changed. Moreover, other cultures regarded as repugnant are still existent. The Indian Caste System The caste system that separates society in terms of profession is prevalent among the Hindus despite contentions that such is not compelled in the scriptures but merely directed by the religion.

Birth alone decides a man’s status, and this cannot be altered by effort (Pruthi, 2004). They are not permitted to marry, associate and mingle with anyone outside their caste; and if excommunicated, live as an outcaste, utterly separate from the rest. In this modern time, however, more and more cities are diverting away from the system in view that such is a deterrent to unity amongst citizens (Welty 1962). As new opportunity that calls for cultural reformation presents itself to India, people will respond either out of rationality or necessity.

In that sense, Indians of academic superiority are presumed more receptive to new influences compared to the rest. Terrorism and the Concept of Jihad On September 11, 2001, an American aircraft crashed into the Pentagon, another into the World Trade Center’s north and south tower, and killed approximately three hundred thousand people. The names Osama Bin Laden and al-Qaeda were heard for the first time (Katz, 2004), and intensified the long-standing antagonism between Muslims and the West.

This was argued as a practice of “jihad”, which meant holy war, directed against the enemies of Islam. Sanction is given unto those who fight because they have been wronged; and Allah is indeed able to give them victory; those who have been driven from their homes unjustly only because they said: Our Lord is Allah (Sura 22:39). Jihad finds its origin not only in the “militancy of Muhammad but in the culture of pre-Islamic Arabia” (Ankerberg and Caner, 2009, p. 15). In the past, Arabian tribes were consented to battle against any other tribe, and war was tolerable regardless of its nature.

The soldiers of the new jihad assumed the tradition and embarked on violent assaults, “