What IS good, and how do we determine it?

[Huggy Bear]

Rich, coming from a guy on record defending a statutory rapist...

Do you actually have that record? Because unsurprisingly, your wild, baseless assertions don't mean anything to me.

You should already know I don't make baseless assertions.
http://atheistforums.org/thread-26392-po...#pid679293

16 is the age of consent where I am. Bit shaky, but I don't find this particularly objectionable on its own, and certainly not enough to label the guy a pedophile. Seems like classic theistic stretching beyond their means to me.

Also, you're dodging the question.

I was at work, which is why I couldn't respond to your post in full. Just so were on the same page, what was your objection about your quote?

The phrase "there was no rape," cannot be a justification for the rape that the phrase is explicitly claiming did not happen. It is impossible to argue in favor of a thing when your argument directly contains the premise that the thing does not exist.

I didn't dodge anything, I explicitly addressed that.

You made the statement: "I remember one of my first interactions with Huggy was on a certain rape-related issue in the bible, and his entire position was that no rape happened because the actual word "rape" was never used in the text, despite the context making it very clear what was happening."

it is YOUR position that a rape has occurred in fact you used the phrase "very clear what is happening".

If it is  "very clear" that a rape occurred yet it is my contention that none occurred because (insert reason here), then by definition I am attempting to justify or excuse the act.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/justify

Justify
verb (used with object), justified, justifying.
1.to show (an act, claim, statement, etc.) to be just or right:
The end does not always justify the means.
2.to defend or uphold as warranted or well-grounded:
Don't try to justify his rudeness.
3.Theology. to declare innocent or guiltless; absolve; acquit.
4.Printing.
 a.  to make (a line of type) a desired length by spacing the words and letters, especially so that full lines in a column have even margins both on the left and on the right.
 b. to level and square (a strike).

verb (used without object), justified, justifying.
5.Law.
  a. to show a satisfactory reason or excuse for something done.
  b. to qualify as bail or surety.