What IS good, and how do we determine it?

[Huggy Bear]

*EDIT*
I should add, Esquilax knew he messed up which is why he changed his position from
to
I believe you guys refer to that as "moving the goal posts"...

You dishonest ass. The second quote, read in context, is me expanding upon my initial claim, not changing it. Your self serving unwillingness to think through the consequences of your scriptures is not an argument, just a testament to your own willful ignorance and lack of honesty. Do you really need me to walk you down the garden path?

1. Within the bible, there is no explicit law against the beating of slaves.

Taking another stroll down the path of dishonesty are we? There is no explicit law against beating ANYONE period! remember the story of Jesus beating the money changers in the temple?

2. Insofar as the bible addresses the issue at all, it excuses it, offering no consequences for an act that, in most other contexts, it would consider murder and actually offer consequences for.

Wrong again!
Hebrew law is very clear on distinguishing murder from killing someone unintentionally (manslaughter). If you commit murder then you were punished by the authorities, In the case of manslaughter the family of the victim had a right to kill you (eye for an eye) unless you made it to a city of refuge. Beating a slave and him dying days later show that the death wasn't intentional, and though the law doesn't punish you, it doesn't mean the victims family won't come after you.

I'll post the relevant scriptures from the NIV since it's dumbed down enough for you mouth-breathers to understand.

Deuteronomy 19
4 This is the rule concerning anyone who kills a person and flees there for safety—anyone who kills a neighbor unintentionally, without malice aforethought. 5 For instance, a man may go into the forest with his neighbor to cut wood, and as he swings his ax to fell a tree, the head may fly off and hit his neighbor and kill him. That man may flee to one of these cities and save his life. 6 Otherwise, the avenger of blood might pursue him in a rage, overtake him if the distance is too great, and kill him even though he is not deserving of death, since he did it to his neighbor without malice aforethought. 7 This is why I command you to set aside for yourselves three cities.

Deuteronomy 19
11 But if out of hate someone lies in wait, assaults and kills a neighbor, and then flees to one of these cities, 12 the killer shall be sent for by the town elders, be brought back from the city, and be handed over to the avenger of blood to die. 13 Show no pity. You must purge from Israel the guilt of shedding innocent blood, so that it may go well with you.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cities_of_Refuge

The Cities of Refuge were towns in the Kingdom of Israel and Kingdom of Judah in which the perpetrators of manslaughter could claim the right of asylum; outside of these cities, blood vengeance against such perpetrators was allowed by law.

3. These two facts, taken together, mean that the verse in the bible that addresses the beating of slaves does in fact say that you CAN beat them, in that it doesn't require one not to, provides no pressure to abstain from doing so, and excuses the action if it does happen. This is a binary proposition: either the bible specifically states that you cannot do something, or it doesn't. If it doesn't, then the act is permissible under the biblical commandments. There is no third state: you either CAN do something, or you CANNOT do something, and the bible does not state that you CANNOT beat your slaves, in the area where it addresses that subject. Therefore, the verse in exodus has at its conclusion that you CAN beat your slaves.

I guess since I debunked your two "facts" this is irrelevant? But I must ask, since there is no law against beating ANYONE, do you think that means it's ok to walk around beating people without cause?

Please, do disagree with this: you're going to anyway, to appease the shuddering core of dishonesty that I think you have instead of a mind, but it'll at least be instrumental in scuttling your credibility yet further.  

You were saying?

Just admit you messed up.. sheesh