Summary of definitions of moral

I apologize for taking so lomg in getting back to you as promised. My only excuse is Thanksgiving and the death of a very favorite cousin.
So, here is a "general" description of the responses you graciously shared.
(1) About half of you described your moral framework as religiously or spiritually defined, everything from overt revelation to a universal foundation of consciously avoiding harm to others.
(2) About half of you described what Bishop James Pike in the sixties called "situation ethics." I'm sure this "principle" had been around for a very long time before he popularlized it, but it became a buzz word in philosophy/religion circles.
Some of you implied that we are born with this sensitivity or inner awareness, others hinted at the possibility that morality is taught, learned. You are a wonderful microcosim of every moral position I have ever encounterted.
Along the way I was offered a model for making moral judgments that I found particularly challenging and helpful [I would never claim that I follow it everyday!]. This model says that you begin with a clear understanding of the moral principles/foundation you accept as defining your life and your relationship to the world. With that foundation to guide you:
(1) objectively and as clearly as possible "describe" the way things are.
(2) using your moral principles "describe" the way you believe/think things should be.
(3) now choose and act in a way, determine a course of action, to get from (1) to (2) that is consistent with your moral principles.
(4) revisit frequently to be sure you remain faithful, true to your principles and plan of action.
Obviously this isn't rocket science. But there is a world of difference between saying and doing.
In my opinion, and everyone's got one, most of us are inconsistent and fail to live by the principles we self-righteously proclaim. In the end it is our self-centered and prejudiced desires that drive us and determine the positions we take on practically every issue.
But no one is perfect and what are goals for but to challenge and encourage us. If we share the same goals---a healthy environment, elimination of hunger, a safe world for everyone---then is it too much to believe that reasonable people of all political and moral persuasions can come together and solve the problems facing our generation?
As Mother Teresa said, we are not called to be successful; we are called to be faithful.