Are Values On The Decline?

Among the greatest gifts parents can give to their children are unconditional love and a set of values that the parents live by and do not just lecture about.

Without proper values, life is a little more than a crude struggle for survival. Values give meaning to life. They establish priorities. They set moral boundaries and define rules of behavior.

Even so, many traditional values are changing rapidly. For example, Professor Ronald Inglehart says that "society is moving toward sexual norms that give wider latitude for individual sexual gratification and individual self-expression." A 1997 Gallup survey in 16 countries asked residents for their stand on the morality of out-of-wedlock births. Reports Gallup: "Acceptance of this modern lifestyle trend ranges from 90% or more in parts of Western Europe to under 15% in Singapore and India."

Some have praised this new sexual freedom. However, The Rise Of Government And The Decline Of Morality, By James A. Dorn, cites "the prevelence of out - of - wedlock births" and "the breakup of families" as "obvious signs of moral decay."

Next time: Other Deteriorating Values