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To: Paloma_55
Now, again... what is morality?

In essence, it is the collective determination of what is good for society.

From your perspective as an atheist, why should I or anyone care about what's good for society? Why is the well-being of the other products of blind evolution who happen to be the same species as me a standard to which I must conform? Why is there any standard to which I must conform?

110 posted on 09/30/2004 3:54:37 PM PDT by A.J.Armitage (http://calvinist-libertarians.blogspot.com/)
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To: A.J.Armitage
Why is there any standard to which I must conform?

Do you really need God to tell you that murder is wrong?

138 posted on 09/30/2004 4:55:56 PM PDT by ThinkDifferent
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To: A.J.Armitage
...why should I or anyone care about what's good for society?

Because you wouldn't survive without society. Atheists practice what is known as enlightened self-interest, which means they work for the good of society, not because some big guy in the sky is forcing them to, but because they know that without society, they'd be up an unsanitary tributary without a means of propulsion.

It strikes me as odd that there are so many people who would do evil if God wasn't keeping them on the straight and narrow. Those folks give me the willies. Give me someone who does good out of his own self-interest any day of the week -- I can trust that kind of honesty.

145 posted on 09/30/2004 5:06:41 PM PDT by Junior (FABRICATI DIEM, PVNC)
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To: A.J.Armitage
From your perspective as an atheist, why should I or anyone care about what's good for society? Why is the well-being of the other products of blind evolution who happen to be the same species as me a standard to which I must conform? Why is there any standard to which I must conform?

Not sure if I read that right? I am not an atheist, so I will assume that you intended a semicolon after the word "perspective"...

Whether you believe in God or not, you should care about morality. When the guy who sees your girlfriend and thinks she would look better on his arm decides to club you over the head and drag her off for his own pleasure, I think that "morality" as I have defined it will work in your favor.

Human beings are, by nature, selfish animals. Morality tends to work against us individually, but works for us collectively.

Now I have used the term "collective" a few times but please don't assume I am a commie as well. I believe in individual rights and liberties, but I also believe that there are colors between black and white. We have a right to individual liberty that stops when it begins to infringe upon the individual liberty of another. In some sense, it also stops when it begins to infringe upon the liberty of the collective.

Pornography, while some people can read it and control the impact it has on their psyche, has been demonstrated to be a catalyst for others to lose control of their sexual desires and ultimately rape, murder, and molest.

The percentage is small, but the impact upon society as a whole is large. It is up to society to draw the line and create laws that limit the damages caused by porn, drugs, or whatever. There is a line between totalitarianism and anarchy... we should find it and draw it accordingly.
325 posted on 10/01/2004 1:04:26 PM PDT by Paloma_55
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