What IS good, and how do we determine it?

[Thumpalumpacus]

Death is only the beginning of eternal life, in my belief. So to me, there is nothing wrong about natural death, in and of itself. My religion does not teach anything about God issuing death as punishment, so I cannot tell you about that. I believe natural disasters and diseases are a result of nature and the world we live in. I don't believe that God is a micromanager. I believe in evolution. I believe that He created the concept and let nature takes its coarse. Even if that nature results in the end of our life here on earth and the beginning of our life elsewhere.

Your god created everything. It follows that he created death. Your blithe assertion that death is the beginning of eternal life has no support whatsoever. Bring facts, not airy claims.

This question does not apply to me. I am a Christian, and so I do not believe that God "killed" anyone.

You're wrong.

I also state that human life in particular is more important. So it is not immoral to kill a bacteria for the sake of a human being. And no, I do not. Though I hopefully will soon.

I suppose that all life isn't sacred, then.

I thought you asked me how I rationalized my morality? This whole thing was supposed to be a response to you. I am sorry, I thought you wanted to know.[/wuote]

Yes, I was looking for reasonable answers. Hogwash and flimflam do not interest me. Blithe assertions unsupported by fact or reason are useless, because you can say anything you want about the nature of your god's morality -- even to the point of ignoring the holy book that your own church, through St Augustine himself, says is inerrant! -- and not have to support it even in the face of contrary opinion from your own saints.

Sorry, your ability to make sense of your own position is clearly nonexistent. Appealing to religious claims as a substitute is unconvincing.

You're a nice enough person, and I appreciate that you carry yourself with much more grace than the average Christian who comes strolling through here, but at the end of it all, your points are just as vapid, and just as bereft of support.

[quote='Catholic_Lady' pid='965920' dateline='1434440730']Sorry I missed them. I got a lot on my hands, trying to respond to everyone. I'm not the fastest typer....

Based on the teachings of Jesus and the type of man (God) He was.

Which is another way of saying, "Because that's what I prefer to believe."

In that sense, rhythm, all beliefs are "cherry picking." You evaluate and separate fact from fiction. And of course people are going to disagree, but that's what makes the world what it is. And I'm ok with that.

So close, and yet so far away ...