Far from losing its ‘moral compass,’ America today is better than the nation of yesteryear

A majority of Americans and nearly everyone in the Republican party thinks we are heading in the wrong direction. A recent survey from Marist College and Deseret News indicates that more than 70% of Americans think that the nation’s “moral compass” is pointed in the wrong direction. Ninety percent of Republicans believe our moral compass is out of whack.

But are things really that bad? Maybe this survey reflects our own ignorance and lack of perspective.

Polling provides a snapshot. But opinion polls must be taken with a grain of salt. The terms involved in this survey are so vague as to be nearly meaningless. What after all is a “moral compass”? And what do ordinary people really know about morality, history and current events?

Consider a related set of opinions found in this poll. The survey found that 81% of Republicans believe the Constitution was inspired by God. This belief is shared by 55% of independents and 36% of Democrats.

But the very question is strange. What would it mean to say that God inspired the Constitution? And what do people really believe when they say the Constitution is divinely inspired?

The Constitution was the result of a number of political compromises. The “Connecticut compromise,” attempted to balance the interests of large and small states. The infamous “three-fifths compromise” counted slaves as three-fifths of a person.

Does anyone really think God wanted slaves to be counted as partial persons? If there is a God, He likely thinks slavery is evil and that the original Constitution was seriously flawed. And it is unlikely that God would care about the relative power of big states and small states. Jesus said his “kingdom” is not of this world. It is difficult to imagine God’s handiwork in the creation of our dysfunctional bicameral system.

Opinion polls do not probe into historical or theological arguments. In this poll, the pollsters did not ask people what they mean when they say that God inspired the Constitution. They did not follow up with questions regarding slavery. Nor did they question the religious or constitutional literacy of those who believe the Constitution is inspired by God.

And what then about the nation’s “moral compass”? What does the majority really believe when they say that our compass is out of whack? It could be that the respondents are ignorant and misinformed. Or perhaps they are just grumpy after two years of COVID.

It is also worth noting that the American moral compass is obviously better now than it was in the days of slavery. The American compass points toward expanding liberty and equality. Slavery was abolished. Women were allowed to vote. We continue to work to dismantle racism and sexism. These are monumental moral achievements worth celebrating. A God who values liberty and equality must be pleased.

One take away from a survey like this is that people need more and better civic, moral, and religious education. This poll seems to indicate a lack of historical knowledge and a kind of theological ignorance. The poll also seems to reflect a gloomy culture in which doom-scrolling masquerades as critical thinking.

The solution to doom and gloom is enlightenment. We need to shed light on those dark corners of the human spirit where misinformation festers and conspiracy theories grow. We need to learn our own history better. We need to do better in teaching civics and in providing moral education. Our citizens need to more carefully study religion and political philosophy.

Our prevailing gloominess makes sense, in a world where the media fixes our attention on bad news about wars, pandemics, and political dysfunction. One remedy is to turn away from the salacious headlines. We need to look beyond the crises of the moment and see the broader flow of history.

This is not to say that everything is perfect today. There is work still to be done. The crises of the moment are real and concerning. But knowing that things have improved is helpful. That knowledge can inspire us to continue the struggle. Things are better now than they once were. They are not perfect. But with education and engagement, we can continue to improve.