And then God said "April Fool!"

[gamenaught]

Do they? Not really.

That is what I assumed since the phrase "God fearing" is so popular. But if it does mean respect, the Man should adopt Eric Cartman's "Respect my authoritah!!!"

[gamenaught]

Let me ask you, gamenaught. Do you believe war is immoral?

War is sometimes the lesser of two evils..

Samuel 15:3: Now go and strike Amalek and utterly destroy all that he has, and do not spare him; but put to death both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.

..but slaying child and infant is just plain evil.

[MrFun]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi




Well said Mr. Fun.

It does bother me sometimes though, that when I stand up for religious people, some of those who (nice way putting it here ) I have er, SERIOUS differences with, compliments me on my statements.

[MrFun]

Originally posted by SpencerH
for you heathens out there (with no broadband)

The pertinent chunk of Genesis 22 (King James version)



God stops Abraham, its just a test yuk yuk, but god does tell him to do it, and he was prepared to do so.

Thanks, Spencer -- so God commanded Abraham to stop the planned sacrifice of his son. Thus, God would condemn anyone who would kill their own children and in turn, means that it IS immoral to kill your own children, even if you thought God was telling you to do this.

If you believe God is telling you to kill your own child, then read this Biblical passage, and you will find yourself acting against God.

[Dr Strangelove]

Originally posted by Spiffor
I am no archeopsychologist, but I think ancient people would fear a God who is very keen on taking lives on a whim (my favorite part remains Onan, of course )

You identify with St. Onan? Is he your patron saint?

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by MrFun
You really believe that mainstream Christianity, Judahism, and Islam allow for moral affirmation of killing your children if you believe God tells you to do so?

If it doesn't, then "mainstream Christianity" isn't actually Christian

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by Dr Strangelove
Any real Christian would know that God would not ask them to do such a thing. No sane Christian would ever believe that God would order such a thing. For one, the tale of Abraham's test is pretty much universally taught.

Ah, so you don't think the morality flows from God, but rather morality is something outside of God, and the only reason you worship him is because you believe he is in accordance with that morality... interesting.

[MrFun]

Originally posted by Kucinich


If it doesn't, then "mainstream Christianity" isn't actually Christian

what?

[Kuciwalker]

In the sense that "mainstream Christians" are not deriving their morals from their religion, but rather using their religion as a rationalization for their morals.

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by MrFun
I wish I remember the Biblical text you're referring to. Did God approve though, of Abraham's sacrifice, even if Abraham THOUGHT God wanted him to do so??

God told Abraham not to do it at the last minute - the fact that Abraham was willing to do so was enough proof of his faith.

You have to wonder about a God that WANTS people who would kill their children if he said so...

[MrFun]

But in the end, God did NOT want Abraham to kill his child. So therefore, the tenets of Christianity find it immoral and grossly repugnant to kill one's own child.

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by Spiffor
THe piece you quoted comes actually from the Old Testament, which is an ancient piece of mythology aiming at enforcing a system of values and norms through supernatural fear, because central governments weren't strong enough to instill sufficient "normal" fear.

Sounds exactly like the Catholic Church

Christianty was different in that it began a shift from fearing God to loving God.

Not really, no.

Since these texts are supposed to be holy, they haven't been removed anymore, no matter how outdated they may be even for a modern approach of religion. So we are stuck with them as being considered "christian", when they're in fact little more than mythology that was convenient at a point in history.

The same could be said about the entire bible

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by MrFun
But in the end, God did NOT want Abraham to kill his child. So therefore, the tenets of Christianity find it immoral and grossly repugnant to kill one's own child.

No, they don't - because the requirement for membership in God's little club was willingness to kill your child

[gamenaught]

It does bother me sometimes though, that when I stand up for religious people, some of those who (nice way putting it here ) I have er, SERIOUS differences with, compliments me on my statements.

Good point!

[MrFun]

Originally posted by Kucinich


No, they don't - because the requirement for membership in God's little club was willingness to kill your child

Yeah of course -- today when people want to convert to Christianity, the parents are required to go through the act of killing their child in front of the congregation, to demonstrate that hypothetically, they would be willing to kill their child.