A simple Wisconsinite's thoughts.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Morality, YOUR Choice


I've thought a lot about morality and how humans implemented it. Recently a YouTuber named AronRa did an excellent presentation on morality and how morality did not need religion or gods to come about. Here is part 1. You can find the rest of the parts after 1.

Evolution of Morality

My take on morality:
How morality has come about is an interesting subject. Humans solely possess the ability to define morals and practice them.

Many people would 100% be convinced that a god of some sort has given us these rules. But like many skeptics, I would disagree. We individually or socially decide what is right and what is wrong outside of Biblical mandate. I think this simple personal choice is proof enough that morals are not divinely mandated, but a personal, ethical choice. I will try to demonstrate below how we have overcome Biblical laws and moral codes.

In the Bible, there are several mandated rules that I would consider immoral. These include rules on slavery (Leviticus 25:44-46), the murdering of adulterers (Leviticus 20:10), the murdering of insubordinate children (Exodus 21:15) and the murdering of homosexuals (Leviticus 20:13). Now remember, the Bible is what contextualizes the character Yahweh, the giving of the 10 commandments and Yahweh's law, and the actions and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The text is canonical and should be treated as such, otherwise you're making it up.

Now, humans have figured out by themselves without "divine inspiration" that these Biblical teachings are immoral. We have demonstrated that we decide what is right and what is wrong. The above immoral mandates from the Lord (a very shortlist of them) have been outlawed in just about all first-world secular countries. Could Yahweh not see this coming? Did he not have the foresight or the knowledge that slavery or murder is always wrong? I suggest no, people who made up the whole thing had no idea that murder was wrong.

Now here is the big kicker: Christians demonstrate that morality is personally chosen all the time rather than a divine mandate. Most Christians would rationalize these horrible Old Testament writings by saying: "well that is Old Testament stuff. I don't buy that stuff." That is absolute demonstration that God is not deciding morals, but YOU are the one deciding what is right and wrong. So why consult the Bible at all?

But Bill, wait on a second here, what about the good things Jesus said?
What about the New Testament? What about the rules Jesus gave us that we still follow? Well barring the evidence that many individuals before Jesus already had suggested that we should treat others as we should be treated, what about the other moral things Jesus said to do as a good Christian? Jesus says the following things in the New Testament:
Sell all your possessions and follow him and abandon your wife and children and you will be rewarded?
I'm pretty sure any decent Christian would agree these are not moral codes.

When the good things are being picked out, but the awful things are being ignored, is this really an authority on the matter? Do you really need the Bible to obey the golden rule of "be good for goodness sakes?" or "treat others as you wish to be treated?" Nah, you can do it.

Think for yourself.