Posts: 1494
Threads: 0
Joined: July 26, 2014
Reputation:
14
RE: The Immorality of God - Slavery in the Old Testament
January 24, 2016 at 10:22 am
(January 24, 2016 at 10:19 am)athrock Wrote: (January 24, 2016 at 10:13 am)Mr.wizard Wrote: Anyone who thinks slavery of any kind is moral, is a moral monster.
Careful...that sounds like an argument for the existence of objective moral values.
No it sure isn't, obviously there are people who think slavery is moral like you and your god, I just think its sick.
Posts: 15452
Threads: 147
Joined: June 15, 2015
Reputation:
88
RE: The Immorality of God - Slavery in the Old Testament
January 24, 2016 at 10:24 am
(This post was last modified: January 24, 2016 at 10:24 am by Catholic_Lady.)
People have to keep in mind that as awful as slavery is and has always been, this was still a huge step up in morality for those times.
I don't believe in a literal interpretation of the OT, but I can see the point trying to be made here. God had to work with what He had and progress from there.
"Of course, everyone will claim they respect someone who tries to speak the truth, but in reality, this is a rare quality. Most respect those who speak truths they agree with, and their respect for the speaking only extends as far as their realm of personal agreement. It is less common, almost to the point of becoming a saintly virtue, that someone truly respects and loves the truth seeker, even when their conclusions differ wildly."
-walsh
Posts: 29107
Threads: 218
Joined: August 9, 2014
Reputation:
155
RE: The Immorality of God - Slavery in the Old Testament
January 24, 2016 at 10:28 am
(This post was last modified: January 24, 2016 at 10:29 am by robvalue.)
No, Yahweh doesn't exist. If he did exist, as described, most civilised people today would not approve of the things he condones. This just shows that the book represents only the morality of the time. If that's the excuse, then you can throw the rest of the book out with it.
See: Stockholm syndrome.
Posts: 15452
Threads: 147
Joined: June 15, 2015
Reputation:
88
RE: The Immorality of God - Slavery in the Old Testament
January 24, 2016 at 10:28 am
(January 24, 2016 at 10:22 am)Mr.wizard Wrote: (January 24, 2016 at 10:19 am)athrock Wrote: Careful...that sounds like an argument for the existence of objective moral values.
No it sure isn't, obviously there are people who think slavery is moral like you and your god, I just think its sick.
If it is actually true that Athrock and God both think slavery is ok (which I am certain is not the case), then how can you say they are monsters for believing it if there is no such thing as real right and wrong?
"Of course, everyone will claim they respect someone who tries to speak the truth, but in reality, this is a rare quality. Most respect those who speak truths they agree with, and their respect for the speaking only extends as far as their realm of personal agreement. It is less common, almost to the point of becoming a saintly virtue, that someone truly respects and loves the truth seeker, even when their conclusions differ wildly."
-walsh
Posts: 9176
Threads: 76
Joined: November 21, 2013
Reputation:
40
RE: The Immorality of God - Slavery in the Old Testament
January 24, 2016 at 10:29 am
(January 24, 2016 at 10:19 am)athrock Wrote: (January 24, 2016 at 10:13 am)Mr.wizard Wrote: Anyone who thinks slavery of any kind is moral, is a moral monster.
Careful...that sounds like an argument for the existence of objective moral values.
No, there are people who would argue for it. Likely mostly slave owners, or people who have never been slaves.
Posts: 15452
Threads: 147
Joined: June 15, 2015
Reputation:
88
RE: The Immorality of God - Slavery in the Old Testament
January 24, 2016 at 10:30 am
(January 24, 2016 at 10:28 am)robvalue Wrote: This just shows that the book represents only the morality of the time.
No, it's still a HUGE step up in morality for those times.
"Of course, everyone will claim they respect someone who tries to speak the truth, but in reality, this is a rare quality. Most respect those who speak truths they agree with, and their respect for the speaking only extends as far as their realm of personal agreement. It is less common, almost to the point of becoming a saintly virtue, that someone truly respects and loves the truth seeker, even when their conclusions differ wildly."
-walsh
Posts: 1494
Threads: 0
Joined: July 26, 2014
Reputation:
14
RE: The Immorality of God - Slavery in the Old Testament
January 24, 2016 at 10:34 am
(January 24, 2016 at 10:28 am)Catholic_Lady Wrote: (January 24, 2016 at 10:22 am)Mr.wizard Wrote: No it sure isn't, obviously there are people who think slavery is moral like you and your god, I just think its sick.
If it is actually true that Athrock and God both think slavery is ok (which I am certain is not the case), then how can you say they are monsters for believing it if there is no such thing as real right and wrong?
Because I can think slavery is sick without it having to be objective.
Posts: 29107
Threads: 218
Joined: August 9, 2014
Reputation:
155
RE: The Immorality of God - Slavery in the Old Testament
January 24, 2016 at 10:35 am
(This post was last modified: January 24, 2016 at 10:36 am by robvalue.)
Why was god's power limited by the people around him? If he wanted them to behave to a certain standard, surely he had that power. The fact that he didn't means he is happy with what they were doing.
He was quite happy to impose other rules on pain of death, the idea that he didn't like slavery but forgot to make a rule about it is rather a stretch I think. He does the opposite and tells them, and us, how to regulate it.
The fact that you reject what it says just shows you're morally superior to the author (with regard to human wellbeing).
Posts: 1494
Threads: 0
Joined: July 26, 2014
Reputation:
14
RE: The Immorality of God - Slavery in the Old Testament
January 24, 2016 at 10:39 am
(January 24, 2016 at 10:35 am)robvalue Wrote: Why was god's power limited by the people around him? If he wanted them to behave to a certain standard, surely he had that power. The fact that he didn't means he is happy with what they were doing.
He was quite happy to impose other rules on pain of death, the idea that he didn't like slavery but forgot to make a rule about it is rather a stretch I think. He does the opposite and tells them, and us, how to regulate it.
The fact that you reject what it says just shows you're morally superior to the author (with regard to human wellbeing).
Ya, it seems completely ridiculous that the creator of all things could only "work with what he had".
Posts: 15452
Threads: 147
Joined: June 15, 2015
Reputation:
88
RE: The Immorality of God - Slavery in the Old Testament
January 24, 2016 at 10:40 am
(This post was last modified: January 24, 2016 at 10:41 am by Catholic_Lady.)
(January 24, 2016 at 10:34 am)Mr.wizard Wrote: (January 24, 2016 at 10:28 am)Catholic_Lady Wrote: If it is actually true that Athrock and God both think slavery is ok (which I am certain is not the case), then how can you say they are monsters for believing it if there is no such thing as real right and wrong?
Because I can think slavery is sick without it having to be objective.
So just because YOU think slavery is wrong, doesn't mean it inherently is, according to you. So why would someone else be a monster for disagreeing with you on it? No one is a monster or an evil, bad person for believing anything if nothing is inherently immoral and it's all just up to personal opinion.
"Of course, everyone will claim they respect someone who tries to speak the truth, but in reality, this is a rare quality. Most respect those who speak truths they agree with, and their respect for the speaking only extends as far as their realm of personal agreement. It is less common, almost to the point of becoming a saintly virtue, that someone truly respects and loves the truth seeker, even when their conclusions differ wildly."
-walsh
|