Bending Morals
November 27, 2006
According to Barna Research Group, Busters (those in their 20s and 30s) are twice as likely as their parents to use profanity in public, say mean things about others behind their back, tell something to another person that is not true, do something to get back at someone who hurt or offended them, take something that didn't belong to them, and physically fight or abuse someone. Nearly half of Boomers say they view moral truth as absolute, but only 30% of Busters embrace the concept. 66% of those over 40 say we should determine moral right and wrong by God's principles; less than half of Busters agree. Instead, nearly half of Busters say ethics and morals are based on "what is right for the person," compared with just 25% of Boomers. A majority of Boomers follow a set of principles or guide-lines when making moral and ethical choices, while less than half of Busters do so. Barna's David Kinnaman notes, "The research shows people's moral profile is more likely to resemble that of their peer group than it is to take shape around the tenets of a person's faith."