What IS good, and how do we determine it?

[Metis]

I see what you're saying, and I actually agree. (which is why I don't believe the OT stories were real occurrences)

But Randy's position is that people wouldn't have ever come to a better understanding otherwise. The only way God could get people on the right path was to take it slowly, otherwise it wouldn't have happened. This is per Randy's views. If that is truly how he feels (which I 100% believe it is), then I can't hold that against Him.

I don't hold it against him Catholic_Lady, but I do think it gives an incredibly dark impression of the Christian God (if the other posters haven't accomplished that already ). It suggests the ends justify the means for one, what does one or one hundred women mean if I can teach a lesson across history? What does an entire civilization mean? What does any of your lives mean?

A core element of Catholic teaching is that the ends do not justify the means, and as a perfect being God cannot go against his perfect nature by committing a sin. As Cardinal Newman said in his Apologia it is better for the stars to fall and all humanity to die than a single sin be committed. It seems a remarkably uncatholic interpretation, but of course I say that as an outsider.