Many ethical decisions we face today confront us with competing and apparently conflicting values.  Issues like abortion, euthanasia, and immigration policies make “either/or” alternatives difficult for our shared social moral consciousness.  Nevertheless, spiritually minded people continue to make affirmations and pledges to live in the world on the basis of compassion, trust, and justice. Rev. Lou Snead will ask us to consider what we might call our minimal or baseline ethical standard.