Atheists only vote please: Do absolute MORAL truths exist? Is Rape ALWAYS "wrong"?

[Losty]

Duck morality O__o

[Dystopia]

I think if we applied morality to animals we would have to charge them of human crimes. My girlfriend's dog (I love that guy!) is quite racist, should we accuse him of hate speech? He also dislikes homeless people, other dogs, cats and bugs. It sounds like a terrible crime to me I love animals, and I'm offended by animal cruelty.

[Losty]

I don't believe in animal rights or animal morality. The concept makes no sense to me.

[Mr.wizard]

Would morality be relevant if you were a duck?

To the person raping the duck it would be

[Dystopia]

I agree, but I believe in animal protection and animal cruelty, and I disapprove the latter. Animals can't rationally have legal rights but that doesn't mean they are our slaves. I'm really disgusted by people beating their pets, there's not many things that make me more mad than hearing a dog crying for help (rape is one example of something that makes me more disgusted)

[Whateverist]

Rape is always wrong no matter how you try to justify it or twist it.

Is that truly difficult for some people to understand?

True for me too. I insist that it be in the penal code with harsh penalties. But I don't argue that it is an immutable truth writ on the fabric of space and time.

Rape can't be wrong for all critters. For some that may be the only way of reproduction.

[Pyrrho]

I guess I don't get a vote.

Irreconciled good intentions. I think the question was more intended to probe the question of how rape or anything immoral is wrong, rather than whether or not this specific act itself is.

In that case, the wrong question was asked in the OP. What is the basis for morality? would be a better question, if one is interested in that.

As for the OP, what, precisely, does it mean for something to be an "absolute universal moral truth", in the question, "Does absolute universal moral truth exist?"

If I answer, for the example, that it is always wrong to commit rape, have I answered the original question, that there is an "absolute moral truth?"

[Losty]

Would morality be relevant if you were a duck?

To the person raping the duck it would be

Oh I thought it meant a duck raping another duck.

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I agree, but I believe in animal protection and animal cruelty, and I disapprove the latter. Animals can't rationally have legal rights but that doesn't mean they are our slaves. I'm really disgusted by people beating their pets, there's not many things that make me more mad than hearing a dog crying for help (rape is one example of something that makes me more disgusted)

That's the thing...it's about human responsibility not animal rights. Otherwise we'd have to arrest animals for violating each others' rights.

[JuliaL]

I don't believe in animal rights or animal morality. The concept makes no sense to me.

You'll have to define your understanding of 'rights' and 'morality' to me for this conversation to be meaningful.

I'll take a swing at my definitions:

Rights are protected activities or properties of the subject individual which, if externally infringed upon, such infringement would constitute a moral wrong.

Morality is a system of value in which actions or properties can be ranked as better or worse, more right or wrong.

[Mr.wizard]

To the person raping the duck it would be

Oh I thought it meant a duck raping another duck.

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I agree, but I believe in animal protection and animal cruelty, and I disapprove the latter. Animals can't rationally have legal rights but that doesn't mean they are our slaves. I'm really disgusted by people beating their pets, there's not many things that make me more mad than hearing a dog crying for help (rape is one example of something that makes me more disgusted)

That's the thing...it's about human responsibility not animal rights. Otherwise we'd have to arrest animals for violating each others' rights.

Oh lol maybe I got it wrong