Subject:
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Re: One of my issues with the god of the old testament
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Wed, 14 Nov 2001 23:09:04 GMT
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Viewed:
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783 times
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In lugnet.off-topic.debate, James Simpson writes:
> Some thoughts:
> 1) Would you not scoff that I required the absurd if I asserted that one must
> adopt the worldview/mindset of a 15th century monastic to become a Christian?
> From my perspective, it seems that you find the idea of experiential
> developments in Christianity peculiarly unpalatable (or perhaps
> untrustworthy), though no doubt accepting change and refinements in the other
> humanities as quite ordinary and respectable. What would you prefer? (And
> indeed, you *can* legitimately have the better of the two.)
> 2) The market has changed, if by market we mean the developed moral
> sensibilities and expanded scientific knowledge of 21st century man over, say,
> 14th century B.C. man, or, 18th century A.D. man.) We sell cars because we no
> longer ride donkeys, to coin a bad--though perhaps workable--analogy (2).
Herein lies the dilemma. The appeal of science (particularly mathematics) is
that it doesn't change. Did science change when Einstein theorized that time
wasn't constant? Nope. Only our understanding of reality changed. To posit
Christianity likewise, we get problems.
If the Christian Truth doesn't ever change, just our understanding:
- How wrong are we now? Are we wrong enough such that we'll be punished?
- If so, isn't that unfair, since we were simply born at a time of
ill-understanding? Can we be held accountable for such?
- If not, how about Christians living in the time of the Crusades? If I
understand the Truth equally as them, am I still entitled to a lack of
punishment?
- If so, then what does morality matter? Why can't I just go be moral
to the level of my understanding? Isn't that just relative morality?
- If not, what criterion am I being judged upon?
Basically, the ideals of "morality" and "justice" are that they are unchanging,
and capable of being understood equally well by everyone. If they're not, then
things like the Bible don't matter, and the question arises, "so what?" If they
are, then where's the exact line?
With science, it's easy. The answer is "tough noogies". You don't understand
how to cure malaria? Tough. You die. It's very straightforward. Science doesn't
have the same necessity to be fair across time and human understanding that
religion/morality/justice does. People expect consistant, "fair" responses from
these things, but not from science.
DaveE
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