This generation denies God-given universal laws applied to all humanity. On the opposite, it promotes an idea of self-defining one’s identity, denying the common human nature. Thus, man is the ultimate authority of law. And the law is essentially artificial and arbitrary. According to this generation, there is no unchangeable law. The traditional idea of natural law is an outdated illusion, not to mention the divine law.

Including the Decalogue, the traditional natural laws are not simply imperatives. For example, “You shall not murder” is not merely the will of the lawgiver, God. It is also a description of the objective moral evil of killing innocent life. Moral evils are to avoid because they eventually bring harm to evildoers as well as victims. Morality is not a zero-sum game. Evildoers and victims are all losing. On the other hand, Beneficence doubles up good for a benefactor and a beneficiary.

We witness many conflicting views on life and family issues in our times. What the Church advocates is not an arbitrary religious view on a particular controversy. For example, we cannot allow abortion because it is killing innocent life. And it is applied to all humanity. Abortion brings evil to the ones committing the act of killing as well as the aborted children. And when a society is filled enough with evil, it suffers, too. The prevalence of contraceptive measures in a society brings a breakdown of families and many social and economic troubles.

The natural laws are a part of God’s creation. What is particular about it is that they are applied only to humans who exercise free will. All the other creation follows the laws of nature. But humans must follow the natural laws. However, not all the natural laws are evident to the human mind. This unfortunate reality makes us suffer much trial and error. But God the Creator did not leave humanity abandoned in the darkness. He taught Israel, and his Son teaches all humanity.

Many Christians think it should be harmless if we change some moral teachings and laws. They believe these changes may bring more people into the Church and make everyone happy. Whether they are right or wrong will turn out sooner or later. If the natural laws are true laws, violations of them will bring consequences.