Jacques Maritain, in Man and the State, makes the comment that “Moralists are unhappy people. When they insist on the immutability of moral principles, they are reproached for imposing unlivable requirements on us.” I dare to modify Maritain’s employment of the word “unhappy”. Perhaps “frustrated,” even at times, “exasperated,” would be a better choice. But I do think that the committed moralist presses on despite the resistances he encounters because he understands the importance of his vocation. Happiness is not his immediate concern; helping others is. The moralist must suffer reproach if he is to achieve results.
Nonetheless, Maritain touches upon three points, in these two sentences, that seem to have more relevance today than they had when the great Catholic philosopher wrote them more than sixty years ago. The first centers on the word “immutability”. The majority of citizens of the modern world regard “progress” as axiomatic. Consequently the notion that any moral principles could be “immutable” appears archaic, old-fashioned, out of step with the advancing tide. Progress has certainly taken place in the sciences. But the sciences build on a body of agreed upon knowledge that has already proven itself useful. Morality, on the other hand, begins anew with each individual human being. In addition, to be moral requires a choice, one that rests on the frailty of human freedom. As history shows, the mores of the times fluctuates from age to age, and by no means is a consistent vector that always moves in a forward direction.
Secondly, Maritain refers to how moralists are routinely criticized for “imposing” values. There are two problems here: 1) moral values cannot be “imposed,” they can only be freely accepted; 2) no true moralist wants to impose anything; he simply wants to enlighten. Moral values have an objective basis in the Natural Law. The moralist wants to assist people in discovering immutable principles that will enrich their lives. In this regard his work is very much like that of a doctor who wants to help his patient to be more fully himself. The doctor heals; the teacher enlightens. In both instances, the change emerges from within the subject, not forced, but naturally. In no way does the moralist intrude upon the freedom of the student. He provides light so that the student, himself, can see the point and use his new knowledge to give meaning to his freedom. The moralist is a facilitator, not an enforcement officer. Because moral values are spiritual and not material, they are not amenable to being imposed on anyone.
Finally, Maritain refers to requirements that are “unlivable”. He is, of course, speaking here from the perspective of the student who may feel that it is impossible to live in accordance with certain moral principles. The student may fear that the gap between where he is and where he should be is unbridgeable. He has become complacent about his present moral situation and believes that moral ideals are too lofty. Therefore, he defends his complacency by claiming that moral ideals are unrealistic, while his own life, though unsatisfactory in certain ways, is eminently realistic. He may believe that moral ideals are more suitable for someone other than himself. He may have tried to live according to certain moral values, but without success. In finding them too difficult, he rejects them as unlivable.
These three points are extremely relevant in the dialogue between advocates of the Culture of Life and their adversaries. Throughout Evangelium Vitae, Saint John Paul II expresses the hope that a return to a Culture of Life is possible. Killing innocent human beings was wrong when Cain slew his brother and it is still wrong when a mother aborts her child. There are certain moral laws that are immutable. And these laws are not imposed on people, but discovered by them as principles by which they can live happier and more productive lives. Furthermore, these life-values are indeed livable, especially when others in the community provide help and encouragement.
The moralist need not he “unhappy”. With patience and determination, he can make the transition from frustration to fruitfulness, from near exasperation to successful execution. On the other hand, one thing can be certain, that the abdication of moral values produces a truly unlivable life.
Dr. Donald DeMarco is a Senior Fellow of Human Life International. He is professor emeritus at St. Jerome’s University in Waterloo, Ontario, an adjunct professor at Holy Apostles College in Cromwell, CT, and a regular columnist for St. Austin Review. His latest works, How to Remain Sane in a World That is Going Mad and Poetry That Enters the Mind and Warms the Heart are available through Amazon.com.
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