During my freshman year of high school, I participated in a Church of Christ-sponsored event in Las Vegas, New Mexico known as Vacation Bible School (VBS)—a religious education program for children that fulfills an outreach purpose while building communal relationships.
I’d participated in a number of VBS events by that point in my life. Ultimately, those of us who put on these events were interested in spreading information about Judeo-Christian values—principles or qualities which are considered as intrinsically desirable.
Simply stated, values are those concepts which retain subjective worth. As an example, using my VBS experience, I assisted in teaching children the importance of a family structure, the purpose of community-building, the utility of love for all humankind, and obedience to Jehovah (“God”).
Noteworthy, what may be valued by one person can be rejected by another individual. For instance, to one who identifies as atheist, the values I taught children when participating in VBS may be deemed as reprehensible.
Given this consideration, it’s important to understand that values aren’t universal. In fact, they are generally constructed of subjective moral and ethical consideration. For context, consider what I stated in a blogpost entitled Morals and Ethics:
An ethic is a set of moral principles, especially ones relating to or affirming a specified group, field, or form of conduct. Whereas morals relate to what is thought of as pleasing or unpleasing behaviors and beliefs, ethics are essentially the rules one pledges to live by—based on morals.
Suppose I maintain that it’s morally bad to blaspheme—utter insults to God or portray oneself as representing the Holy Spirit. Based on this moral consideration, my ethical rule would relate to not committing the act of blasphemy. For further context, consider what I stated in a blog entry entitled Principles:
A principle may be defined as a comprehensive and fundamental law, doctrine, or assumption which serves as a rule or code of conduct. As well, not always are these rules based on rationality – in accordance with logic and reason.
Collectively, the example of my moral and ethical perspective on blasphemy relates to a principle. In regard to values, such a principle is assessed based on its subjective worth. When I identified as a Christian, it was relatively easy to gauge the value of my belief regarding blasphemy.
Matthew 12:31 clearly states, “And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.” Even murder and suicide weren’t listed as unforgivable sins. Therefore, the value of maintaining an anti-blasphemy principle was high.
Now that I align more with a religiously agnostic perspective, I’m still mindful of my former blasphemy stance. Even though I’ve set aside my previous dogmatic practices, I’m cognizant of deeply entrenched values from my youth.
Noteworthy, even when an individual alters fundamental beliefs such as I did in regard to Christianity, the values-based system of morals, ethics, and principles can serve one well in life. For instance, consider what one source has to say concerning values:
Values are basic and fundamental beliefs that guide or motivate attitudes or actions. They help us to determine what is important to us. Values describe the personal qualities we choose to embody to guide our actions; the sort of person we want to be; the manner in which we treat ourselves and others, and our interaction with the world around us. They provide the general guidelines for conduct.
When practicing rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) as a psychotherapist, I try not to impress upon clients my own value system. Therefore, I can work with religious believers, agnostics, and atheists alike. Thus, I invite people to explore which values they deem to be worthwhile.
Even when posting blog content and expressing my subjective values, I hope to convey that I’m not irrationally demanding that others should, must, or ought to believe what I believe or value what I value. After all, this is the ethical principle of both the counseling and social work fields.
In all, I don’t remember unproductively demanding that children who attended VBS must’ve followed God’s commands. My role in that capacity was merely to persuade. Much in the same way, though under a different set of values, that’s how I approach REBT.
If you’re looking for a provider who works to help you understand how thinking impacts physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral elements of your life—helping you to sharpen your critical thinking skills, I invite you to reach out today by using the contact widget on my website.
As a psychotherapist, I’m pleased to help people with an assortment of issues ranging from anger (hostility, rage, and aggression) to relational issues, adjustment matters, trauma experience, justice involvement, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and depression, and other mood or personality-related matters.
At Hollings Therapy, LLC, serving all of Texas, I aim to treat clients with dignity and respect while offering a multi-lensed approach to the practice of psychotherapy and life coaching. My mission includes: Prioritizing the cognitive and emotive needs of clients, an overall reduction in client suffering, and supporting sustainable growth for the clients I serve. Rather than simply helping you to feel better, I want to help you get better!
Deric Hollings, LPC, LCSW
References:
Ethics Safe. (2018, August 8). What are values? Retrieved from https://www.ethicssage.com/2018/08/what-are-values.html
Hollings, D. (2024, November 15). Assumptions. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/assumptions
Hollings, D. (2022, October 31). Demandingness. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/demandingness
Hollings, D. (2022, March 15). Disclaimer. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/disclaimer
Hollings, D. (2023, October 12). Get better. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/get-better
Hollings, D. (n.d.). Hollings Therapy, LLC [Official website]. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/
Hollings, D. (2023, September 19). Life coaching. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/life-coaching
Hollings, D. (2023, January 8). Logic and reason. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/logic-and-reason
Hollings, D. (2023, October 2). Morals and ethics. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/morals-and-ethics
Hollings, D. (2024, September 27). My attitude. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/my-attitude
Hollings, D. (2024, June 2). Nonadaptive behavior. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/nonadaptive-behavior
Hollings, D. (2024, July 7). Non-dogmatic preferences. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/non-dogmatic-preferences
Hollings, D. (2023, September 3). On feelings. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/on-feelings
Hollings, D. (2024, May 26). Principles. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/principles
Hollings, D. (2024, May 5). Psychotherapist. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/psychotherapist
Hollings, D. (2022, March 24). Rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT). Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/rational-emotive-behavior-therapy-rebt
Hollings, D. (2022, October 7). Should, must, and ought. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/should-must-and-ought
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