Posted on 01/27/2005 9:08:45 AM PST by Zyke
Ethics are relative,......Morals ARE Absolute!
I am asking for examples. You arent providing any.
Thanks for the tips on the reading. I will look up both Kant and Aristotle to study more.
It seems self governing is not innate though. Right and wrong is learned. Just like fear is learned. Since we are born without fear or knowing whats right and wrong. We have to weigh the balance, but against what.
If I was the first man on earth, how would I know. If another person walked up and I was hungry, I would kill the other to eat. I have a reason to kill. Is it wrong? If I just killed the other to eliminate competition is that wrong?
Not convincing....requires faith in the bible.
:-)
See this thread:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1327472/posts
for an example of Christian relativism.
In the Old Testament [and, the poster claims, endorsed by Jesus]:
START QUOTE "the death penalty [is] for rapists, (Deut. 22:25) sodomy, (Lev. 18:22, 20:13) fornication, (Lev. 21:9) (Deut. 22:21-24) perjury, (Zech. 5:4) kidnapping, (Ex.21:16, Deut. 24:7) witchcraft, (Ex. 22:18) for striking or cursing father or mother, (Ex. 21:15,17, Lev. 20:9) disobedience to parents, (Deut. 21:18-21) theft, (Zech. 5:3,4) blasphemy, (Lev. 24:11-14,16,23) sabbath desecration, (Ex. 35:2, Num. 15:32-36) propagating false doctrines, (Deut. 13:1-10) refusing to abide by the decision of court, (Deut. 17:12) even homosexuals. (Lev. 20:13)" END QUOTE
However, there are surely few Christians today who would advocate the death penalty for all those 'crimes' [working / shopping / playing on Sundays? pre-marital sex? cursing a parent?] Not to mention the impossibility of applying all 10 Commandments to contemporary American life - no 'coveting'? The consumer economy done with.
Christian morality is in no way fixed, but rather in flux around key values that are mostly in common with every other moral / ethical system of the day.
I would like to know why to choose to accept God's law. Is it because He is powerful and can reward and punish you, or is it because He is good?
This is a serious question. Are you rooting for a team because you think it will win, or have you chosen sides because of some innate quality of the team captain?
If your moral compass is not innate, how do you make the choice?
But what stops you is that humans are innately social animals, we like to hang out together. From what we've seen out in the wild all animals that form groups seem to develop a rudimentary concept of rules, they have leaders, they work together, they even occassionally banish or even kill members that or whatever reason aren't fitting in.
Born without fear?
Perhaps, but we sure learn real fast.
It's easy to make a baby cry cry and cry.
I don't suggest it, it's just that I have often inadvertantly done alarming things around small children. Let dogs off leashes, spat fire, blasted fog horns. Without Jesus by my side I felt the urge, see, and there was no holding back...
:)
Same as #24
Looks relative to me...
Its "Thou Shalt Not Murder"
"How do they know what is right and wrong?"
God has writen it on ALL our hearts, so ALL know, and are withOUT excuse. (Especially Romans 1:19)
Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Rom 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest IN them; for God HATH shewed [it] unto them.
Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are CLEARLY seen, being understood by the things that are made, [even] his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are withOUT excuse:
Rom 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified [him] not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Rom 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
Dont be stupid. Other animals dont practice cannibalism. Its not natural for a species to kill its own. It happens, yes, but usually for showing authority, and even then animals dont kill their own kind. If you met another human and were hungry, both of you would work together to hunt and feed both of you. Dont be naive.
It is because He is our Creator and He is the source of our lives both now and after death. Not all Christians are concerned about the reward/punish aspect that you bring up. For some of us, salvation cannot be earned so the carrot and stick approach is irrelevant.
Some else here brought up the Golden Rule as an appropriate standard. I remember being totally shocked when a very smart friend of mine told me that she despised the Golden Rule because she did not necessarily trust the intentions of those who held it.
The more I thought about it, the better I saw her point. Just because YOU are okay with being nagged or demeaned or deprived of liberty in certain circumstances doesn't mean that I will be okay with it.
Well some do, but it's usually animals that don't form groups (like bears) and usually the offspring of rivals. But for the vast majority of animals the vast majority of the time you are correct.
Plenty of animals practice cannibalism. Do a google if in doubt, but I have to tear myself away from this machine and kickstart other things.
I personally have accepted God's law because that is what I was taught and learned. I believe God is good.
I root for a team that I think will win in human terms. Spiritually I root for who I know will win.
The only other way to make the choice IMO is to learn what's right and wrong.
Hmmmmmmmm.........all of Romans Chapter 10
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