Recently, I received a frantic phone call from my college-age daughters. It seems Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter had just signed SB200 into law. This bill makes it fully legal for men to enter and use women's restrooms and locker room facilities without warning or explanation.

I'll admit, it sounded like a religious, conservative attack using misquotes and misinformation. However, after studying various news sites and blogs, I was enlightened. SB200 does indeed give "transgender" males the right to enter any bathroom they please at any time. The motive of the Colorado governor was to make it illegal to discriminate against those of a different sexual orientation. In addition, churches and Christian schools are no longer allowed to bar any transgender person from serving or working on their payroll for religious purposes. And finally, a provision was also passed that prohibits any public referendum or petition drive to overturn the law. In other words, the people have no recourse.

Is morality one of those words that are open for interpretation? Obviously. Recently, I have heard various men described as "men of great moral character" and yet they clearly disagree with the other party on issues of morality such as abortion, gay rights, teenage sexuality, the death penalty and illegal immigration. Similarly, I believe that West Virginia lawmakers still have a different view of morality than their counterparts in, let's say, Colorado or California. But times are changing.

No, I'm not going to begin ripping into our state's legislators. They're good men and women trying to do a very difficult job and, at the same time, keep as many people happy as possible. But therein lies the problem, doesn't it?

If we create policies and laws based on personal sentiment, as opposed to sound moral judgment, can we be assured that the outcome will be sound and safe for most of our society? Do you remember the Roman Empire? If it's one thing everyone remembers about the Romans, it is their open immorality, especially the bath houses, and their thirst for bloody entertainment. Even the fifth century historian Salvian wrote, "O, Roman people be ashamed. ... Let nobody think otherwise, the vices of our bad lives have alone conquered us."

It is my belief that a Roman citizen born before the birth of Jesus Christ would be horrified to learn that in just a few centuries their ancestors would be cheering in the coliseum as men, women and children were torn to pieces by lions just because they were of a different religious faith. They became, as a society, a violent people of great sexual debauchery. But how did they get there? One need only look at young America to find the answer.

From the multibillion-dollar pornography industry, to TV cable networks stretching the FCC ruling on nudity and indecency, to the increasingly popular bloody cage brawling of mixed martial arts, and if we couple this with the "children killing children" statistics climbing to an alarming rate, we cannot deny that the winds of morality are shifting in our great nation.

Proverbs, the great book of wisdom tells us, "Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people." This verse obviously has some sort of application, for I believe that "sin" comes much easier for us than "right living."

I have 10 children, and even though my children are growing into good, decent citizens, it hasn't come easy. The training of our children has been a definite and consistent effort over many years. I am now of the mind that, as a rule, children left to themselves will become savages. They don't seem to follow righteousness as easily as they do the baser instincts of their flesh. Selfishness, pride, crudeness and revenge (verbal or otherwise) is the rule of the day for untrained young people. As parents, we constantly reinforce selflessness, forgiveness, discretion, and the love of God, country and family. Now, think. If adults do not take the time and effort to lovingly teach morality to their children, what happens when these children become adults and are responsible for training the next generation? Correct. The next generation will only add to the downward spiral of our nation's moral fabric; men legally walking into women's bathrooms, for example.

The sad truth of it is, if things continue following the same pattern, the FCC will continue to "adjust" its rulings based on ever-changing public sentiment, our government leaders will continue to pass laws that are contrary to the natural order of things, and our nation's parents will increasingly ignore their responsibility to teach their children right, moral behavior (perhaps because they themselves were not lovingly taught). As a result, our great country will weaken. And in time, it will fall. You see, I believe that a nation's moral character and its ability to endure are intrinsically linked.

Colorado's SB200, even if it is overturned now, is only an echo of what is to follow in years to come. Or, is it? I suppose in some small way, it's up to you and me.

Carpenter, of St. Albans, is founder and director of Family Renewal Ministry Inc.

Recently, I received a frantic phone call from my college-age daughters. It seems Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter had just signed SB200 into law. This bill makes it fully legal for men to enter and use women's restrooms and locker room facilities without warning or explanation.

I'll admit, it sounded like a religious, conservative attack using misquotes and misinformation. However, after studying various news sites and blogs, I was enlightened. SB200 does indeed give "transgender" males the right to enter any bathroom they please at any time. The motive of the Colorado governor was to make it illegal to discriminate against those of a different sexual orientation. In addition, churches and Christian schools are no longer allowed to bar any transgender person from serving or working on their payroll for religious purposes. And finally, a provision was also passed that prohibits any public referendum or petition drive to overturn the law. In other words, the people have no recourse.

Is morality one of those words that are open for interpretation? Obviously. Recently, I have heard various men described as "men of great moral character" and yet they clearly disagree with the other party on issues of morality such as abortion, gay rights, teenage sexuality, the death penalty and illegal immigration. Similarly, I believe that West Virginia lawmakers still have a different view of morality than their counterparts in, let's say, Colorado or California. But times are changing.

No, I'm not going to begin ripping into our state's legislators. They're good men and women trying to do a very difficult job and, at the same time, keep as many people happy as possible. But therein lies the problem, doesn't it?

If we create policies and laws based on personal sentiment, as opposed to sound moral judgment, can we be assured that the outcome will be sound and safe for most of our society? Do you remember the Roman Empire? If it's one thing everyone remembers about the Romans, it is their open immorality, especially the bath houses, and their thirst for bloody entertainment. Even the fifth century historian Salvian wrote, "O, Roman people be ashamed. ... Let nobody think otherwise, the vices of our bad lives have alone conquered us."

It is my belief that a Roman citizen born before the birth of Jesus Christ would be horrified to learn that in just a few centuries their ancestors would be cheering in the coliseum as men, women and children were torn to pieces by lions just because they were of a different religious faith. They became, as a society, a violent people of great sexual debauchery. But how did they get there? One need only look at young America to find the answer.

From the multibillion-dollar pornography industry, to TV cable networks stretching the FCC ruling on nudity and indecency, to the increasingly popular bloody cage brawling of mixed martial arts, and if we couple this with the "children killing children" statistics climbing to an alarming rate, we cannot deny that the winds of morality are shifting in our great nation.

Proverbs, the great book of wisdom tells us, "Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people." This verse obviously has some sort of application, for I believe that "sin" comes much easier for us than "right living."

I have 10 children, and even though my children are growing into good, decent citizens, it hasn't come easy. The training of our children has been a definite and consistent effort over many years. I am now of the mind that, as a rule, children left to themselves will become savages. They don't seem to follow righteousness as easily as they do the baser instincts of their flesh. Selfishness, pride, crudeness and revenge (verbal or otherwise) is the rule of the day for untrained young people. As parents, we constantly reinforce selflessness, forgiveness, discretion, and the love of God, country and family. Now, think. If adults do not take the time and effort to lovingly teach morality to their children, what happens when these children become adults and are responsible for training the next generation? Correct. The next generation will only add to the downward spiral of our nation's moral fabric; men legally walking into women's bathrooms, for example.

The sad truth of it is, if things continue following the same pattern, the FCC will continue to "adjust" its rulings based on ever-changing public sentiment, our government leaders will continue to pass laws that are contrary to the natural order of things, and our nation's parents will increasingly ignore their responsibility to teach their children right, moral behavior (perhaps because they themselves were not lovingly taught). As a result, our great country will weaken. And in time, it will fall. You see, I believe that a nation's moral character and its ability to endure are intrinsically linked.

Colorado's SB200, even if it is overturned now, is only an echo of what is to follow in years to come. Or, is it? I suppose in some small way, it's up to you and me.

Carpenter, of St. Albans, is founder and director of Family Renewal Ministry Inc.