LENNY
My whole problem is that without the Bible as a standard everyone gets to
make up their own. Whatever "I" think. Whatever "I" feel. Whatever "I"
want. Who can say that certain things are wrong?
SARAH
So, you mean that people who are not Christians have no morals?! What
about Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus, etc? These people do not use the Bible
as a guide for morals, but they do use their respective religious texts.
Lenny, you surely are not that close minded.
Paul Robson:
It's a scare tactic - a utilitarian view of Religion (it's needed because the
alternatives are worse).
Useful way of keeping the flock in order by encouraging them to block
out any non-theistic ideas but not much use for Atheists.
The logical mistake is the implications Whatever I think => Whatever I
feel => Whatever I want. There is just no ground for the implication of
"want" (personally) from "think", though there possibly is if you mean
"for the greater good of society" or some similar idea.
What he's trying to imply is that anyone who doesn't use the Bible is an
egotist (e.g. me first !), but he won't actually say this. [This seems to be
a common belief amongst some Xians - e.g. without the Bible's "morals"
people would just do what they want without thought for anyone else,
and this would be the sort of society we would get without the
"guidance of the good book" etc etc usw etc]
(break to watch The Simpsons where Ned Flanders fosters the
kids... ROFL)
What he'll claim is that all it means is "making your own decisions",
in which case all he's saying is "without the Bible everyone gets to
make their own decision" ... so what is wrong with this exactly ?
What you'll get is the defense of "No I didn't actually say this & you
can't prove I implied it" which is the classic defense against all such
little mind games.
Paul Robson (autismuk@aol.com)
If only we all had such a super standard as the Bible.. one day maybe
two Xians will actually agree on what this standard is.
Of course, all the different denominational beliefs aren't making up
their own standard.