Why does god want to cut off women's hands?

[John V]

JohnV, where's your proof that an intelligent being created the universe?

missluckie, you granted that for purposes of this discussion:
"Let's assume for sake of argument that you're right, god exists, and god created the system now in place."

I have lots of evidence to claim otherwise.

Present it if you like.

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How did this god tell these things to such people?

A number of ways. I thought I was dealing with someone who was at least familiar with the Bible. Am I wrong?

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Well, I'd suggest that, objectively speaking, harmful behaviours like drug consumption, rape and serial murder, should be stopped by mutual agreement for the good of the group.

The fact that such people exist shows that they don't mutually agree with stopping those things.

An opinion based upon certain objective, evidently demonstrable facts. That's important to most people, though I'd understand why demonstrating things might be unimportant to a theist.

So far it's an ad hoc opinion which ignores certain objective, evidently demonstrable facts that are inconvenient for it.

Which is why there was an extra sentence that you happened to delete from the quote, I'm sure by accident, the part about society being self correcting.

I ignored it because you can't support it. Go ahead and try if you like, though.

See, it's not just about majority vote, and I'm amused at your continued need to make my arguments as simplistic as you possibly can; it's about the moral arguments one makes in support of positions that eventually leads to a majority. You can see it time and again through history; slavery was abolished, segregation was abolished, gay marriage bans are quickly going the same way... we learn. Again, this is what you'd expect from a bunch of imperfect humans stumbling through moral issues and gradually growing more complex.

This line of your argument assumes an objective morality which we are progressing toward. You haven't shown such objective morality. Change is not necessarily progress.

An optimally functioning society, then.

By your subjective idea of optimal. Go it!

Right, so you're saying that there's a context in which kidnapping, slavery and rape are morally permissible.

No, I'm saying it's arrogant to apply the modern western definition of rape to all times and cultures. I've already noted that the law prohibits kidnapping, and I've said that slavery was allowed as a compromise due to the times and circumstances.

No, I'm setting myself up as a human being capable of having an opinion of the actions of others. There's nothing egotistical about that; I disapprove. Deal with it.

IOW, judging, as I said.