​

I N T E G R I T Y   F U N D A M E N T A L    P A R T   

 

O F   A   W E L L

 

S T R U C T U R E D   C H A R A C T E R    

 

​

​

 

 

I  N  C  I  D  E   N  T    I  N    T H E   L  I  F  E    O  F    

 

T  H  O  M  A  S     M  O  R  O

​

 

C  A  S  E    O  F    T  H  E    R  E  A  L    L  I  F  E

​

​

​

​

​

Speaking of the importance and fundamental part of integrity, Tad R. Callister, narrated a porcion of Thomas Moro's life. The scholar Callister, told us that in his classic work: A man of two kingdoms, the writer Robert Bolt, exalts the integrity of Thomas Moro, that faithful servant of King Henry VIII of England. Being an enlightened man and the chancellor of 16th-century England, Moro was indeed the very symbol of honesty and integrity.

 

In Bolt's work, Sir Richard Rich, declares that each person has a price to sell himself, saying:

​

«Every man has his price!... in money... pleasure, titles, women, belongings, there is always something.

​

«Because King Henry VIII had no male heirs to his wife Queen Catherine of Aragon, he wished to divorce her and marry Anne Boleyn. The pope of the Catholic Church objected, as the church forbade divorce.

​

Very upset the king, demanded that his servants support him to obtain a divorce. But Sir Tomas Moro, a man highly admired and respected by the people refused such endorsement.

​

​His righteousness and conscience prevented him, even to whom the king personally asked for his support for such a divorce. His reasons for such a lack of support had very solid foundations and he could not betray himself.

​

Evidence of his determination to reject his majesty's support was besieged when his friends, using his pressure and friendly charms, persuaded him with all sorts of arguments for him to give in, but Thomas Moro never did. 

​

His righteousness and conscience prevented him, even to whom the king personally asked for his support for such a divorce. His reasons for such a lack of support had very solid foundations and he could not betray himself.

​

​Evidence of his determination to reject his majesty's support was besieged when his friends, using his pressure and friendly charms, persuaded him with all sorts of arguments for him to give in, but Thomas Moro never did. 

 

By stripping him of his wealth, position and family, his firmness in non-support followed a constant. Judging him falsely and risking his life, he still didn't give in.

 

Its integrity was not sold at any price. Without money, political power, friends and family, their loyalty to their way of thinking and their conscience, they did not admit any surrender. Falsely accused of treason, Sir Richard Rich, lying to commit perjury finds him guilty.

 

When he was about to leave the Thomas Moro courthouse, seeing an official chain hanging around his neck, asks him the meaning of that one. Prosecutor Thomas Cromwell responds for him and tells him that Sir Richard has been appointed the prosecutor of Wales.

​

Seeing Rich's trickery, Moro, said to him, "For Wales?" Richard, it is of no use to a man to give his soul in exchange for the entire world.

 

Sentenced to the highest sentence in 1535, Thomas Moro, he remained in prison in the Tower of London until being beheaded on 6 July of that year.

 

The lives of men and women are an ongoing proof of their integrity. Unfortunately, the vast majority of humanity will have reason to lament, in the life to come with weeping and creaking teeth, sobbing for having sold his soul for a plate of lentils, pleasure, riches or fame.

 

The fundamental basis of every virtue lies in integrity.  She is the foundation of our character. 

 

Tad R. Callister Integrity: Foundation of a life like Christ's Liahona February 2013

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​