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Originally posted by @fmfWithout the notions of divine law and sin, morality becomes a matter of personal preference.
What can non-believers ~ and contemporary secular society more broadly ~ learn about morality from religious people and religious institutions once the notions of everlasting life, divine law and "sin" are taken out of the equation?
Originally posted by @dj2beckerThis is what contemporary secular society can learn about morality from religious people such as yourself, is that your answer to the OP?
Without the notions of divine law and sin, morality becomes a matter of personal preference.
Originally posted by @fmfA decent moral law abiding atheist will be disgusted by what goes on in many churches. If you remove the things you mention, then the teachings will go the other way.
What can non-believers ~ and contemporary secular society more broadly ~ learn about morality from religious people and religious institutions once the notions of everlasting life, divine law and "sin" are taken out of the equation?
Remove God from the equation and these church people will have to learn how to live normal lives of truthfulness, honesty, hard work, self reliance, integrity and a whole long list of virtues which are in the bible but which they ignore because they are saved.
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Originally posted by @dj2beckerI have no notion of divine law but that doesn't mean my morality is a personal preference. Far from it.
Without the notions of divine law and sin, morality becomes a matter of personal preference.
Unless you think a person's conscience is governed by personal preference? (As opposed to the way they were brought up).
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Originally posted by @fmfWe can learn - or verify - that humans have historically enshrined their moral codes in religion in order to stifle dissent from threatening the established order. Whether the moral code actually has a divine provenance is not an allowed question.
What can non-believers ~ and contemporary secular society more broadly ~ learn about morality from religious people and religious institutions once the notions of everlasting life, divine law and "sin" are taken out of the equation?
Since the predominant religious spirit of this forum is Christian, we can learn about how Constantine used Christianity to this end. If we care to learn.
This has little to do, pro or con, with actual Christianity.
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Originally posted by @fmfThe Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew and the book of Proverbs are good places to start.
What can non-believers ~ and contemporary secular society more broadly ~ learn about morality from religious people and religious institutions once the notions of everlasting life, divine law and "sin" are taken out of the equation?
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Originally posted by @ghost-of-a-dukeYou studied theology and have no notion of divine law? Are you kidding?
I have no notion of divine law but that doesn't mean my morality is a personal preference. Far from it.
Unless you think a person's conscience is governed by personal preference? (As opposed to the way they were brought up).
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Originally posted by @rajk999You really hate people who go to church. What a pity you’re castigating and denigrating tens of millions of people based on your perceptions of a few.
A decent moral law abiding atheist will be disgusted by what goes on in many churches. If you remove the things you mention, then the teachings will go the other way.
Remove God from the equation and these church people will have to learn how to live normal lives of truthfulness, honesty, hard work, self reliance, integrity and a whole long list of virtues which are in the bible but which they ignore because they are saved.
Sick!
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Originally posted by @fmfThe OP, imo, may have been better worded if it referred to the Bible instead of religious people and religious institutions, since the Bible is the basis of two of the three major religions and is the source of wisdom and eternal truths.
What can non-believers ~ and contemporary secular society more broadly ~ learn about morality from religious people and religious institutions once the notions of everlasting life, divine law and "sin" are taken out of the equation?
Originally posted by @romans1009Theists (or anyone else, for that matter) can address the OP through the prism of whatever religion or religions they want.
The OP, imo, may have been better worded if it referred to the Bible instead of religious people and religious institutions, since the Bible is the basis of two of the three major religions and is the source of wisdom and eternal truths.
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Originally posted by @fmfWell, as I said, the Sermon on the Mount and book of Proverbs are good places to start for non-believers interested in what they can learn of morality through religion.
Theists (or anyone else, for that matter) can address the OP through the prism of whatever religion or religions they want.
15 Apr 18
Originally posted by @romans1009If you understood what Jesus was saying in the Sermon on the Mount and elsewhere, you'd be opposed to Donald Trump and those who hold similar beliefs. Based on your posting style, it would seem that you are an admirer.
Well, as I said, the Sermon on the Mount and book of Proverbs are good places to start for non-believers interested in what they can learn of morality through religion.
Originally posted by @romans1009I don't see why studying theology would make an atheist see any laws observed by or imposed upon a group of people as being "divine".
You studied theology and have no notion of divine law? Are you kidding?
Originally posted by @romans1009Do the Sermon on the Mount and the Book of Proverbs create any moral obligations?
The Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew and the book of Proverbs are good places to start.