Rob,
I don't want you to misunderstand me and I understand where you are coming from. I do not want you to think I believe atheists are less moral than theists. I have a lot of atheist friends whom I find much more moral than my Christian friends. The definition of morality I hold is there are absolute morals defined by a creator God and lived out through the person of Jesus Christ. I also espouse that not one single person on this Earth is a perfect moral being based on this standard. But I do espouse there is an absolute standard. Things are either right or wrong based on an absolute standard. If you posit a moral law you must posit a moral law giver but that is what the atheist is trying to disprove. If there is no moral law giver, there is no absolute moral law.
I understand the argument about the God of the OT and the genocide performed, but that discussion is another entirely and gets very deep in theology but on the surface I can completely see an atheist and agnostics perspective on that, but that discussion should come much later. The problem with Christianity, and this is coming from a Christian, is that MOST Christians do not live by the beliefs they espouse. Others see Christians beating their faith in to people on the street corner, committing adultery, committing all sorts of heinous acts and to non-Christians it shows an inconsistency of the faith they proclaim. Fully understood.
I don't want you to misunderstand me and I understand where you are coming from. I do not want you to think I believe atheists are less moral than theists. I have a lot of atheist friends whom I find much more moral than my Christian friends. The definition of morality I hold is there are absolute morals defined by a creator God and lived out through the person of Jesus Christ. I also espouse that not one single person on this Earth is a perfect moral being based on this standard. But I do espouse there is an absolute standard. Things are either right or wrong based on an absolute standard. If you posit a moral law you must posit a moral law giver but that is what the atheist is trying to disprove. If there is no moral law giver, there is no absolute moral law.
I understand the argument about the God of the OT and the genocide performed, but that discussion is another entirely and gets very deep in theology but on the surface I can completely see an atheist and agnostics perspective on that, but that discussion should come much later. The problem with Christianity, and this is coming from a Christian, is that MOST Christians do not live by the beliefs they espouse. Others see Christians beating their faith in to people on the street corner, committing adultery, committing all sorts of heinous acts and to non-Christians it shows an inconsistency of the faith they proclaim. Fully understood.
We are not made happy by what we acquire but by what we appreciate.
