What IS good, and how do we determine it?

[SteelCurtain]

But you said that morality was one of them, in so many words. The entire point that Rhythm was responding to was your idea that things in Onan's time made it an okay idea for him to be put to death and for the people of that time to write about it. You have a remarkable ability to distance yourself from the things you literally just said.

Also, why is it that you chose not to respond to the second part of my post?

I'm sorry but I believe you misunderstood me.

The "being ok to be put to death for it" was never true. It is not ok to be put to death for this or any reason. I have said this. Writing a story where someone get's put to death though, is not immoral.

I don't think I have. Reread my post, quoted above. The one where you conveniently edited out the word that makes all the difference. The "idea" that it would be okay for Onan to be put to death by your god has real meaning in that society, regardless of what you are willing to admit. If your god thought this would be a good way to communicate to that society, you need to come up with what has changed from then until now that has nothing to do with society's mores.

ETA: The bolded is a pretty damning statement to your arguments... you should really consider the impact of that statement in light of your idea that morality hasn't changed.

---

What was the second part? I'm sorry. There are a lot of posts and I can't get to all of them sometimes. Especially if they are very long posts that require a long answer.

This:

You are correct that the Catholics out in Africa helping people and aiding the poor are not out there passing out condoms. Nonetheless, can we still be grateful that they are out there helping the poor, even though they are not providing contraception to kids? 

I mean, that's more than either of us are doing lol. At least at this time.

I say this because I don't really agree that it should be right to bash people who are helping others because they are failing to do one thing that you would be doing. At least they're out there doing something.

I feel like this needs to be addressed. These people are going to a place that is being ravaged by AIDS, and telling them that condoms are evil, and that they will go to hell for using them. Condoms aren't only for contraception. They are also fantastically effective at preventing the spread of venereal disease. To call them evil in a place that desperately needs them is, in itself, abominable.


If I offer a starving man a loaf of bread, then shoot him in the knee, I am evil.