morality is subjective and people don't have free will

[Catholic_Lady]

Do you think eventually, if the world got sooo overpopulated that an individual's survival depended on there being less people so that there could be enough resources left for us personally, we'd eventually evolve to believe it's immoral to help save someone who's dying? Assuming they are a complete stranger and not friend or family I mean - just some random person.

We're already getting there, re: euthanasia.

This is true.

Do you think we'll ever get to the point of euthenizing (without their consent) old people or mentally handicapped people who are just draining resources and not contributing to society?

If so, do you think that would be ok?

(This is not meant to be rhetorical btw. I genuinely think it's interesting to talk about this subject and hear opinions on it)

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Since you apparently missed my post #143, I'll repeat that there are nearly 4,000 Good News Clubs in elementary schools across the USA. Imagine how many Evangelicals there are who don't participate in Good News Clubs but teach their small children the same thing. One time would be too much, but I wouldn't think it was something Christians should own if it was one time. They're getting the idea that they should do this from the Bible, it's not like it doesn't have anything to do with their religion. There are at least tens of millions of children in the USA getting this kind of indoctrination. It shouldn't fall on the 3% of Americans who are atheists to bear the burden of being most of the ones willing to point out what's happening, or even acknowledge that it's both a real problem and a Christian problem.

I don't see how it compromises your Americanized version of Catholicism to acknowledge that there are child-rearing practices that are not uncommon among evangelical fundamentalists which are very problematic and should be opposed by Christians who don't think a modern understanding of child development is a scheme cooked up by the devil to trick good Christians into spoiling their children with all this 'spare the rod' newfangledness.

And maybe acknowledge how often children get beaten with the 'spare the rod, spoil the child' quote from Proverbs as a justification. And how it is used to justify a continuum of punishment from mild spanking to this:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Lydia_Schatz

The deaths of three homeschooled children in different parts of the country have been linked to the book How to Train up a Child by an evangelical couple named Pearl as a biblical guideline to child-rearing that sold over half-a-million copies. I'm sure most of the parents who adopted the guidelines outlined in the book on whipping children with plastic tubing did so correctly without causing fatalities.

I don't knowingly hang out with people who mistreat their children either, but I wouldn't, would I? I'm glad you don't either, but you've got to take off those rose-colored glasses that let you think it's because it's rare. There are large segments of our society who think preaching hellfire to six-year olds is not only fine but important. They're not a majority of Americans or Christians, but a majority of fundamentalist evangelicals would say 'yes' to 'teach small children about sin and hell' and there are over 40 million of them in this country. It's far from rare. Way too far.

Yes, it is horrible. All of it. Any bit of it is too much. No disagreement there, as im sure you all know.

But my issue is this: are you trying to say then that these acts/belief represent mainstream Christianity? Because thats the impression im getting, and the generalization is the only thing ive objected to. (EDIT TO ADD: I reread your post, and sorry... you did indeed acknowledge that this isn't mainstream behavior in Christianity, but might be mainstream in evangelicals specifically. Are you trying to say I should be more vocal about it? Raise awareness, etc?)

There are more than 2 billion of us world wide. I just don't like being put into a box with the most horrible people out of the group. I also find irony in so many people being quick to say "not all Muslims ________", and being super quick to shut down any generalization or criticism of Islam, yet have no problem doing it to christians. No one wants to be generalized or put into a box. Not Muslims and not us Christians either.

Mister agenda, just wanted to let you know that I'm reconsidering my response above.

On one hand i think the world would be a better place if there was more accountability being taken so that things can be addressed and fixed.

On the other hand, I feel like it's not fair to ask someone who has nothing to do with something to have any sort of answer for it. Especially since we are talking about fundamentalist evangelicals, of which I am not.

Thoughts?