“Because I Said So”

“Because I said so” is likely the least favorite response of a child whose question is “Why? Why do I have to do this?” As a boy, I always thought the answer should have more meat on the bone, more depth to the well, more grist for the mill than just an instruction with no explanation.

Of course, as we mature, those of us who grew up in a stable household with loving and committed parents come to realize that Mom and Dad had our best interests at heart. Whether or not they thought we were ready for a detailed explanation, they told us to do or not to do something for our advantage—or at least to keep us from harming ourselves or others. This realization comes with a heightened sense of appreciation for a parent’s love.

Somewhere along the line, many adults begin to make decisions without any sense of appreciation for wisdom or input that would help them avoid the pitfalls of life. In fact, the independence of adult living has emboldened some to ignore the one source of love and wisdom that can help everyone navigate life in a healthy and successful way. That source is the Holy Bible—the word of God. Once widely considered the essential “owner’s manual” for human life, it has largely been replaced with an attitude that says, I’ll do as I want; I get to decide what is right and wrong. Some will defend this position against all common sense and in the face of what once seemed to be rock-solid morality.

Today, the results of a Pew Research Center survey suggest that nearly half of American adults consider pornography to be morally acceptable or not a moral issue (“What Do Americans Consider Immoral?,” March 19, 2026). Pew also looked at many other issues of behavior that are, at least in part, morally debated. For example, slightly more than half of American adults believe abortion is wrong, while 47 percent consider it either acceptable or not even a moral issue. The majority viewed gambling as morally acceptable (70 percent), and more Americans today view homosexuality as acceptable than not.

Gallup reported that, since 2001, those who view premarital sex as morally acceptable have increased by 15 percent, those who view divorce as acceptable have increased by 16 percent, and those who view homosexual relations as acceptable have increased by 24 percent (“Trends in U.S. Adults’ Acceptance of Moral and Values Behaviors,” September 4, 2025). It seems that the further back on the calendar we go, the more starkly we see the trend of viewing what was once immoral as moral.

The question is why? Why are there such shifting sands today regarding issues of morality?

Well, because many are deciding that “because the Bible said so” is not good enough. Perhaps that is because more than seven out of ten Americans seldom or never read Scripture outside of religious services (“Prayer and other religious practices,” Pew Research Center, February 26, 2025). Another study found that the religiously unaffiliated—the group comprised of atheists, agnostics, and those who say their religion is “nothing in particular”—form about 28 percent of the United States population (“Religious ‘Nones’ in America: Who They Are and What They Believe,” Pew Research Center, January 24, 2024).

But just as our parents cared for us by giving us instructions meant to secure our well-being, the God of the Bible gives us instructions that are linked to a life of health and prosperity (3 John 2). The psalms describe a person who willingly follows biblical direction as a tree planted by a river, bearing fruit and prospering (Psalm 1:3–4).

If you are willing to be told right from wrong by the Creator and sustainer of all things (Colossians 1:16–17) and to believe because He said so, you’re ready for the study guide What Is the Meaning of Life? to reveal why you should do it God’s way. This guide, if carefully followed, can lead you to a reality that is beautiful beyond imagination.