Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: Lev
I would assert that you only believe murder is wrong out of your own self-preservation and self-interests and out of the Judeo-Christian heritage that has influenced you whether you choose to admit it or not. My guess is that for people motivated by wanting to maintain their own life only, would not be so quick to step in if it is not them who is being murdered or if their own self-interests and preservation involved the murder of another. Not saying you'd go that road, but I'd trust the person with fear of God's retribution for murder over the person who because the status quo now that murder is wrong, says murder is wrong. For many years the status quo among thoughtful men was that murder was ok for any number of reasons like honor, vengence, etc. You can't tell me if you were raised in another culture where such a thing is acceptable that you would have come to a conclusion that murder is wrong and if you did, I would say that God had a hand in that little conscious of yours--believe it or not He can work in people who have not had "exposure" to His Word in the form of conscience. You my friend, are the beneficiary of a Judeo-Christian culture whether you choose to claim it or not. It helped shaped your ideas about murder. If you were amongst the pagan barbarian hordes, I dare say you would have "all on your own" thought murder was acceptable for vengence, power, etc and would have been claiming that your barbarian culture had no influence over your beliefs.
189 posted on 12/10/2002 2:07:36 PM PST by glory
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 70 | View Replies ]


To: glory
I would assert that you only believe murder is wrong out of your own self-preservation and self-interests...

Yes, something like that - rational self-interest. I believe that murdering me is wrong. Since I am a rational animal I can look around and make certain conclusions - other people are just like me, they want to live too. So if I want the 'don't murder Lev' rule to be accepted by others it makes absolutely no sense for me to break 'don't murder John or Jane' rules.

... and out of the Judeo-Christian heritage that has influenced you whether you choose to admit it or not.

Judeo-Christian heritage has nothing to do with this.

You my friend, are the beneficiary of a Judeo-Christian culture whether you choose to claim it or not. It helped shaped your ideas about murder. If you were amongst the pagan barbarian hordes, I dare say you would have "all on your own" thought murder was acceptable...

No, my friend. I am the beneficiary of a rational culture. Barbarians murder not becuase they are atheists, but because they are irrational. Believers murder for the same reason. A religion's greatness is directly proportional to its rationality.
Regards.

504 posted on 12/11/2002 7:36:42 AM PST by Lev
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 189 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson