Jewish law says, "There is no shaliach in an aveirah" - that is, if you sin, it's on you, no matter who actually does it; even if you hire someone else to do it, and you don't lift your own hand, even if someone hired you to do it, and it isn't your idea. OTOH, the system of Jewish law also regulates quite alot of required and forbidden behavior. It's not at all loss of free will, as of course, one choses to follow GOd's obigations of you, or not, but it also reminds us that our personal feelings about what's right and what isn't are not formed in a vacuum; if we are the ultimate decisor of what is right and wrong, then we also have to grant that we are going to make lots of mistakes, which law - call it collective communal wisdom or call it God's commands, as you will- can help us to avoid, directly by forbidden or requiring (e.g. when you pass a poor person on the street are you permitted to pass by without giving some money? If we are feeling impoverished that day, we might feel we are "right" to say yes, but law will tell us, no, you must give something, at least a little, and give it with a greeting)and also by shaping our worldview and outlook (is it okay to parade around in clothing that exposes nearly all of our primary sex characteristics? Our society says it's fine, but is it really? Lots of reason to think it might not be; objectification of those classes of people so desired by other classes to display those characteristics among such reasons).
(no subject)
OTOH, the system of Jewish law also regulates quite alot of required and forbidden behavior. It's not at all loss of free will, as of course, one choses to follow GOd's obigations of you, or not, but it also reminds us that our personal feelings about what's right and what isn't are not formed in a vacuum; if we are the ultimate decisor of what is right and wrong, then we also have to grant that we are going to make lots of mistakes, which law - call it collective communal wisdom or call it God's commands, as you will- can help us to avoid, directly by forbidden or requiring (e.g. when you pass a poor person on the street are you permitted to pass by without giving some money? If we are feeling impoverished that day, we might feel we are "right" to say yes, but law will tell us, no, you must give something, at least a little, and give it with a greeting)and also by shaping our worldview and outlook (is it okay to parade around in clothing that exposes nearly all of our primary sex characteristics? Our society says it's fine, but is it really? Lots of reason to think it might not be; objectification of those classes of people so desired by other classes to display those characteristics among such reasons).