Many of the Catholic and Jewish immigrants were at odds with the Protestant-inspired principles taught in the public schools. This was one of the major reasons the development of parochial schools came about. Historians have typically described one of the principal causes of the fall of Roman civilization as the breakdown of the family. The most urgent need in America today is a recommitment to Christian moral values. While it is true that a great number of Americans take their values more or less uncritically from the society around them, we are experiencing a renaissance of those who are recovering the wisdom that we all share a basic morality, one that is essential to our survival.
Values are, first of all, moral or nonmoral .
Moral values, such as honesty, responsibility, and fairness carry obligation . We feel obligated to act fairly in our dealings with others, to pay back debts, or to keep a promise. Essentially, moral values tell us what we ought to do. We are compelled to comply with them whether we want to or not. Nonmoral values carry no such responsibility or obligation.