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Moral Principles: 10 Myths
February 12, 2014 at 1:58 pm
Quote: It is moral to believe in a higher moral authority: History strongly suggests that it’s highly immoral to believe in a higher moral authority. It may be motivating, but of what? Of a confidence that you are on the side of good, fighting the core sources of evil in the universe.
Believing in higher moral authorities stunts our growth on thinking through the practical consequences of the moral principles we claim to live by. No need to think things through, instead simply say “I subscribe to this moral principle because it’s what God wants” and then crusade on behalf of your imaginary authority.
There’s no evidence whatsoever of a higher moral authority in the universe. He’s simply our imaginary friend who agrees with us.
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/ambi...ved-debunk
Everything I needed to know about life I learned on Dagobah.
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RE: Moral Principles: 10 Myths
February 12, 2014 at 2:32 pm
Interesting article, thanks for sharing.
Teenaged X-Files obsession + Bermuda Triangle episode + Self-led school research project = Atheist.
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RE: Moral Principles: 10 Myths
February 12, 2014 at 7:30 pm
I think it depends on what actions the belief spawns. If you think "I'm a created being, just like all these other created beings, and no better nor important than anyone else," then I'd say that's a highly moral position, even if it centers around an imaginary being. If you think "We must protect God's sanctity, and torture and kill any nonbelievers who try to corrupt our children with education and free thinking," then I'd say that's a highly immoral position.
The New Testament has many examples of behavior that I think we would call moral today-- for example, intervening on the stoning of a prostititute to point out the hypocrisy of her attackers. However, the net result of the Christian religion seems largely to involve invading, attacking, maiming and killing brown people. Surely, that's immoral.
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RE: Moral Principles: 10 Myths
February 13, 2014 at 6:54 pm
(This post was last modified: February 13, 2014 at 6:55 pm by Lek.)
(February 12, 2014 at 7:30 pm)bennyboy Wrote: However, the net result of the Christian religion seems largely to involve invading, attacking, maiming and killing brown people. Surely, that's immoral.
Look back through history and see that was the net result of any culture -religious or non-religious. More recently, check out the Soviet Union, North Korea, Cambodia, etc.
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RE: Moral Principles: 10 Myths
February 13, 2014 at 7:05 pm
(February 13, 2014 at 6:54 pm)Lek Wrote: (February 12, 2014 at 7:30 pm)bennyboy Wrote: However, the net result of the Christian religion seems largely to involve invading, attacking, maiming and killing brown people. Surely, that's immoral.
Look back through history and see that was the net result of any culture -religious or non-religious. More recently, check out the Soviet Union, North Korea, Cambodia, etc.
THAT's your defense?!?! You supposedly have the ultimate guide to perfect morality and your defense is: "Hey they're just as bad as us."
Goddamn I hate you filthy fuckin people. You all want to claim the moral high ground, judge everyone, and cram your bull shit down everyone's throat and yet you can't even claim moral superiority to even the VERY WORST our planet has to offer. Your god and your faith is SUCH a fucking load of shit.
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RE: Moral Principles: 10 Myths
February 13, 2014 at 7:44 pm
(This post was last modified: February 13, 2014 at 7:45 pm by Lek.)
(February 13, 2014 at 7:05 pm)Cinjin Wrote: (February 13, 2014 at 6:54 pm)Lek Wrote: Look back through history and see that was the net result of any culture -religious or non-religious. More recently, check out the Soviet Union, North Korea, Cambodia, etc.
THAT's your defense?!?! You supposedly have the ultimate guide to perfect morality and your defense is: "Hey they're just as bad as us."
Goddamn I hate you filthy fuckin people. You all want to claim the moral high ground, judge everyone, and cram your bull shit down everyone's throat and yet you can't even claim moral superiority to even the VERY WORST our planet has to offer. Your god and your faith is SUCH a fucking load of shit.
The whole point of christianity is that we're sinners in need of a savior. We strive to lead a moral life, but often fail. We're saved by our faith in Christ not by our works. We don't claim moral superiority. In fact we admit that we're sinners and try to live moral lives. I'd say that those who inflicted atrocities on non-believers were not christians, but only claimed to be. Lastly, who's trying to cram it down your throat? I'll present it and defend it, but never try to force it on anyone. That is impossible to do anyway.
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RE: Moral Principles: 10 Myths
February 13, 2014 at 9:22 pm
(February 13, 2014 at 7:44 pm)Lek Wrote: The whole point of christianity is that we're sinners in need of a savior. We strive to lead a moral life, but often fail. We're saved by our faith in Christ not by our works. We don't claim moral superiority. In fact we admit that we're sinners and try to live moral lives. I'd say that those who inflicted atrocities on non-believers were not christians, but only claimed to be. Lastly, who's trying to cram it down your throat? I'll present it and defend it, but never try to force it on anyone. That is impossible to do anyway.
o bull shit.
If you claim that all morality comes from your god (and you DO claim that), than you yourself are held to a higher standard because you claim to have that god riding around inside you. You act as if I'm talking about a handful of bad seeds here - as if I'm blowing it out of proportion. It's one thing to say that a handful of christians are bad, but you people aren't even fucking close. Rather you set the bar for deplorable behavior. History (and continually in the news) has shown us time after time that the bad guys on this planet most often carry a cross and praise jesus.
This thread doesn't excuse the actions of the heathens, it merely points out that you haven't got even an inch of wiggle room to defend your complete and utter lack of morality. Furthermore, using the No True Scotsman argument to defend the atrocities of christians is a pathetic fucking cop-out. If you profess to be a christian, attend a christian church, preach christianity to your children and then carry out a horrific act in the name of christianity ... guess what .... You're a mother fucking CHRISTIAN!!
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RE: Moral Principles: 10 Myths
February 13, 2014 at 9:30 pm
(February 13, 2014 at 9:22 pm)Cinjin Wrote: (February 13, 2014 at 7:44 pm)Lek Wrote: The whole point of christianity is that we're sinners in need of a savior. We strive to lead a moral life, but often fail. We're saved by our faith in Christ not by our works. We don't claim moral superiority. In fact we admit that we're sinners and try to live moral lives. I'd say that those who inflicted atrocities on non-believers were not christians, but only claimed to be. Lastly, who's trying to cram it down your throat? I'll present it and defend it, but never try to force it on anyone. That is impossible to do anyway.
o bull shit.
If you claim that all morality comes from your god (and you DO claim that), than you yourself are held to a higher standard because you claim to have that god riding around inside you. You act as if I'm talking about a handful of bad seeds here - as if I'm blowing it out of proportion. It's one thing to say that a handful of christians are bad, but you people aren't even fucking close. Rather you set the bar for deplorable behavior. History (and continually in the news) has shown us time after time that the bad guys on this planet most often carry a cross and praise jesus.
This thread doesn't excuse the actions of the heathens, it merely points out that you haven't got even an inch of wiggle room to defend your complete and utter lack of morality. Furthermore, using the No True Scotsman argument to defend the atrocities of christians is a pathetic fucking cop-out. If you profess to be a christian, attend a christian church, preach christianity to your children and then carry out a horrific act in the name of christianity ... guess what .... You're a mother fucking CHRISTIAN!!
Give me example of how christians are the bad guys in the world today. You're spewing out a bunch of jiberish.
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RE: Moral Principles: 10 Myths
February 14, 2014 at 12:20 am
(This post was last modified: February 14, 2014 at 12:21 am by bennyboy.)
(February 13, 2014 at 6:54 pm)Lek Wrote: (February 12, 2014 at 7:30 pm)bennyboy Wrote: However, the net result of the Christian religion seems largely to involve invading, attacking, maiming and killing brown people. Surely, that's immoral.
Look back through history and see that was the net result of any culture -religious or non-religious. More recently, check out the Soviet Union, North Korea, Cambodia, etc. Well, religion is supposed to be the remedy for the evils of society, and it has never proven to be. Jesus, if his goal was to bring peace and forgiveness, was an objective failure.
That's why religious IDEAS, which are often good, have to be separated from their mythologies and institutions, and taken only as ideas, not as dictates from a perfect source. If Jesus was perfect, and came to save humanity, then humanity would have been saved. Not even a total retard would be dumb enough to say we've been saved-- although a few Christians might.
I consider myself Christian in morals-- I think the stories of Jesus are a great moral mythology, and there's much wisdom in turning the other cheek, walking the extra mile, and spending time among those who most need help rather than associating only with those who are already well off. But if I ever pick up a gun because some other guy doesn't really believe that God is the One True God, then shoot me, because I have ceased to be a moral human being.
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