I notice that a typical Christian argument tends to be that without God, all becomes a matter of opinion or morality becomes a matter of opinion. Yet what I've always wondered is how it is that the existence of God changes any of that? The answer is, it doesn't; not really. In reality it just puts one being's opinion higher than another, something that the Christian said was already impossible.
Christians state that Christianity is a safeguard against subjectivism. Yet in reality Christianity only posits a third person subjectivism(a third person solipsism). All opinions are equal, yet some are more equal than others, with God's opinion being on top. And why is God's opinion on top? Because God is more powerful than YOU. That's the only reason, thus Christians seem to, in their hearts, believe that truth is determined by Power. God is Power and thus God is Truth. Thus 2+2=5 if God says so.
Thus contrary to what many believe, Christianity does not in any way refute the relativist position, it merely affirms it, then takes a leap into absurdity.
The situation here does not change much in regards to morality either. Christians state that without God, there is no morality. That people's morals are all a matter of mere opinion. Then Christians claim that with God, morality becomes absolu te. Yet this ignores the fact that morality would then just be a matter of God's opinion. It would remain just as arbitrary. The catch? Again that God is more powerful than anyone else. In other words, morality, like reality, is only a matter of brute force. Thus dictators are the source of morality and God is the ultimate, magical dictator. Thus murder, rape, theft, its all good by definition, because God says so.
I wonder if they even consider what this view implies. If morality is determined by power, then it means that any atrocity or act of violence, no matter how depraved, is acceptable, if it is backed by enough power.
I wonder if they realize how illogical it is to state that its all opinion, then state that this opinion is the "Truth".
I presented this argument to a Pastor one time, all he could say was "Well God's a dictator but he's a good dictator"!? I wonder how one can call God good when it?s all opinion. How one can be so willing to abandon all reason, morality and freedom in the face of supernatural whim.
For too long I think people have equated Christianity with absolutism and objectivism, when in fact it is the opposite. It is merely a third person subjectivism, merely a third person relativism. It is a pretender and ought to be exposed. It is a third person solipsism and idealism, in that all is in the "mind of God".
That is thus one reason why I am an atheist. It is because with an atheist philosophy there can come true objectivism. One recognizes that a thing is what it is, that reality works the way it does, regardless of anyone's thoughts, including "God's". That one does not get out of the swamp of extreme cognitive relativism by making it third person but by questioning relativism at the existential and epistemological level. By means of adhering to realist-logical-humanistic principles.
Do any of you on this board agree with this? Questions, comments and criticisms would be appreciated.
Christians state that Christianity is a safeguard against subjectivism. Yet in reality Christianity only posits a third person subjectivism(a third person solipsism). All opinions are equal, yet some are more equal than others, with God's opinion being on top. And why is God's opinion on top? Because God is more powerful than YOU. That's the only reason, thus Christians seem to, in their hearts, believe that truth is determined by Power. God is Power and thus God is Truth. Thus 2+2=5 if God says so.
Thus contrary to what many believe, Christianity does not in any way refute the relativist position, it merely affirms it, then takes a leap into absurdity.
The situation here does not change much in regards to morality either. Christians state that without God, there is no morality. That people's morals are all a matter of mere opinion. Then Christians claim that with God, morality becomes absolu te. Yet this ignores the fact that morality would then just be a matter of God's opinion. It would remain just as arbitrary. The catch? Again that God is more powerful than anyone else. In other words, morality, like reality, is only a matter of brute force. Thus dictators are the source of morality and God is the ultimate, magical dictator. Thus murder, rape, theft, its all good by definition, because God says so.
I wonder if they even consider what this view implies. If morality is determined by power, then it means that any atrocity or act of violence, no matter how depraved, is acceptable, if it is backed by enough power.
I wonder if they realize how illogical it is to state that its all opinion, then state that this opinion is the "Truth".
I presented this argument to a Pastor one time, all he could say was "Well God's a dictator but he's a good dictator"!? I wonder how one can call God good when it?s all opinion. How one can be so willing to abandon all reason, morality and freedom in the face of supernatural whim.
For too long I think people have equated Christianity with absolutism and objectivism, when in fact it is the opposite. It is merely a third person subjectivism, merely a third person relativism. It is a pretender and ought to be exposed. It is a third person solipsism and idealism, in that all is in the "mind of God".
That is thus one reason why I am an atheist. It is because with an atheist philosophy there can come true objectivism. One recognizes that a thing is what it is, that reality works the way it does, regardless of anyone's thoughts, including "God's". That one does not get out of the swamp of extreme cognitive relativism by making it third person but by questioning relativism at the existential and epistemological level. By means of adhering to realist-logical-humanistic principles.
Do any of you on this board agree with this? Questions, comments and criticisms would be appreciated.
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