Headed in the Right Direction

I have not seen the "popular film series" of the same name that was put together by Chuck Colson; so I cannot comment as to whether Scott Rae's book -- Doing the Right Thing:  Making Moral Choices in a World Full of Options -- is an exact duplicate.  Rae  mentions, during the introduction, that there would be an attempt at some similarity between the two.  Chuck Colson was to write this companion book; however, he passed away before that could be completed.

The book can really be separated beyond its chapter demarcations.  Simply, the book has two sections:  (1) the philosophical underpinnings of morality or virtue, and (2) the application of those foundational statements within contexts -- decisions related to the dignity of life, interactions within the marketplace, and the proper functionality of government. 

Being someone with a background in philosophy, enjoyed the first three chapters and believed the last half of the book was its weakest. The author clearly has a command of the arguments for and against the foundation of ethics.  Obviously, the author comes from the Judeo-Christian position and holds to the opinion that God is the source of all truth.  He has participated in many debates and showcases weaknesses for many arguments about a singular, moral standard. The interweaving of Biblical truth and sound reasoning does produce strength in the opening chapters of the book.  I would normally critique the author for retreating from the Biblical foundation of truth; however, I will not do so here -- because he did not retreat from the position.  He simply stated that he wanted to show how to use an antagonist's own reasoning against them.

The latter chapters that applied the foundation pieces were lacking.  The immediate application, dealing with the dignity of life, was soundly reasoned.  As he stated on page 100:  "the way treat those who are weak is a reflection of what we value.  If we prize the God of all creation, we will value the life he has made."  Our culture, with its penchant for abortion or end-of-life options, shows that we do not prize the God of all creation.  The other applications were weaker and, overall, cut the effect of the book.  Again, I have not seen the video series and do not know how much the author had to be bound to the topics or information.

Is this worth some time to read?  Yes.  Is it what I would consider an absolute must read before you die?  No.  The book does have value, but I wish the author would have pressed the point of Redemption further.

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