Here's my bottom-line problem with what you're proposing here, Chad.
What you're essentially saying is that Gaud's very nature is good, and therefore all his words, actions, and rules must also be good. Right?
If you believed in a Unicorn god made of sunshine and wishes that wanted everyone to love everyone and be nice all the time and stop doing things like war and murder and being mean to brown people and gay people and women and whoever, I wouldn't really have a problem with that. Whatever keeps you from killing everyone around you works for me, buddy.
But that's not your god. Your god is the Gaud of the Bible.
So when Gaud commands the Israelites to wipe out other nations and keep the virgin girls for themselves, that is good because Gaud commanded it, and Gaud is good.
When in both the Old and New Testament Gaud condones and endorses slavery, that is good because Gaud is good.
When Gaud allegedly wipes out virtually all of man and animal kind save for one alcoholic and his pervert kids (Oh, and two of every animal ever), that is good because Gaud is good.
When Kim Davis cites Gaud's law as she denies marriage rights to gay couples in a secular government building, that is good because Gaud is good.
ANY atrocity is justifiable using the Bible/God's command as the definition of one's moral code, and on a practical level that is indistinguishable from divine command (which isn't morality). Regardless of your justification for why your Gaud gets to tell us what to do, the bottom line is that you think any action is permissible so long as you think Gaud wills it, and that kind of thinking is dangerous. Maybe you're not dangerous, but someone else just like you is. If you can convince yourself that your idealized self-projection/imaginary friend is right every time he tells you to do something, that is a HUGE problem unless the god in your head a is a really nice guy.
3 religion-fueled terrorist attacks in the last week more or less prove my point. I hate to seem like I'm using a tragic event to my advantage, but seriously, wake up. Those people believe their god tells them what to do every bit as much as you do. Sure, you're not out killing people, but rewind the clock to crusade times and you might have been (if you were lucky enough to be born into in the warrior class). Historically speaking, your religion isn't particularly more peaceful than theirs (perhaps even less, since you've been around longer).
What you're essentially saying is that Gaud's very nature is good, and therefore all his words, actions, and rules must also be good. Right?
If you believed in a Unicorn god made of sunshine and wishes that wanted everyone to love everyone and be nice all the time and stop doing things like war and murder and being mean to brown people and gay people and women and whoever, I wouldn't really have a problem with that. Whatever keeps you from killing everyone around you works for me, buddy.
But that's not your god. Your god is the Gaud of the Bible.
So when Gaud commands the Israelites to wipe out other nations and keep the virgin girls for themselves, that is good because Gaud commanded it, and Gaud is good.
When in both the Old and New Testament Gaud condones and endorses slavery, that is good because Gaud is good.
When Gaud allegedly wipes out virtually all of man and animal kind save for one alcoholic and his pervert kids (Oh, and two of every animal ever), that is good because Gaud is good.
When Kim Davis cites Gaud's law as she denies marriage rights to gay couples in a secular government building, that is good because Gaud is good.
ANY atrocity is justifiable using the Bible/God's command as the definition of one's moral code, and on a practical level that is indistinguishable from divine command (which isn't morality). Regardless of your justification for why your Gaud gets to tell us what to do, the bottom line is that you think any action is permissible so long as you think Gaud wills it, and that kind of thinking is dangerous. Maybe you're not dangerous, but someone else just like you is. If you can convince yourself that your idealized self-projection/imaginary friend is right every time he tells you to do something, that is a HUGE problem unless the god in your head a is a really nice guy.
3 religion-fueled terrorist attacks in the last week more or less prove my point. I hate to seem like I'm using a tragic event to my advantage, but seriously, wake up. Those people believe their god tells them what to do every bit as much as you do. Sure, you're not out killing people, but rewind the clock to crusade times and you might have been (if you were lucky enough to be born into in the warrior class). Historically speaking, your religion isn't particularly more peaceful than theirs (perhaps even less, since you've been around longer).
Verbatim from the mouth of Jesus (retranslated from a retranslation of a copy of a copy):
"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you too will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. How can you see your brother's head up his ass when your own vision is darkened by your head being even further up your ass? How can you say to your brother, 'Get your head out of your ass,' when all the time your head is up your own ass? You hypocrite! First take your head out of your own ass, and then you will see clearly who has his head up his ass and who doesn't." Matthew 7:1-5 (also Luke 6: 41-42)
Also, I has a website: www.RedbeardThePink.com
"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you too will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. How can you see your brother's head up his ass when your own vision is darkened by your head being even further up your ass? How can you say to your brother, 'Get your head out of your ass,' when all the time your head is up your own ass? You hypocrite! First take your head out of your own ass, and then you will see clearly who has his head up his ass and who doesn't." Matthew 7:1-5 (also Luke 6: 41-42)
Also, I has a website: www.RedbeardThePink.com