the I-Pod scenario made me recall the last time I read Plato's Republic. I have taken a few ethics courses and even nearly come to blows with an ethics professor. I received an "A" for that course.
Plato proposed to a group of young men a question. If you found a ring of invisibilty, what would you do with it?
I have thought about it myself many times. I consider the banks I could simply walk into and walk out with a pocket full of money anytime I needed it. I could get into any club, concert or event for free. Then I thought of all the things I would be robbing myself of. The ability to share these occasions with a companion or the other people present. The knowledge I would carry that the money I had stolen had to belong to someone and that someone would get blamed for the things I had done.
My ethics have never been defined by my religion, it has happened with me basically in reverse. I grew up being told to define my own life and my own reasons for what I did.
I have seen friends destroy each other using religion as a bludgeon. I saw a friend take custody of his children away from his wife using religion as a weapon. I have also seen people use religion as a basis for taking in people who could not care for themselves. Religion is only a PART of morality. To mouth something on one day and then to live another way can still be considered religious depending upon where you worship.
we throw around terms like "devout" and "religious" a great deal now. I wonder sometimes how much people understand these terms. I am no theology professer and I hate it when people preach to me about how what I believe is wrong. Most of the time I just look at these people and say "judge not lest ye be judged" and walk away. I had a prayer circle formed around me once because some twit believed me having tattoos was a sign that I was slipping into the devils clutches.
I believe Ben Franklin said it best when he said "All things in Moderation." I dont know if thats a direct quote and I am sure someone will probably blast me for it, but I believe that applies to religion as well. Believe what you believe, live how you wish to live, just dont force it down the throats of others.