Strega

Unseen wrote:
You have to remember the difference in what they may believe to be moral.

I think religious morality has plus and minus points.  “To please God” or “to get into heaven” aren’t bad reasons for doing moral things.

But like you say, different people think different things are moral.  The biggest drawback with religion is its t…[Read more]

Reg the Fronkey Farmer wrote:
“Name one moral action performed by a believer that could not have been done by a nonbeliever.”

Ummm… Bombing an abortion clinic? Murdering a doctor who performs abortions in their driveway in front of their wife/husband and/or their children?

You have to remember the difference in what they may believe to be moral.

Yeah, they can’t seem to grasp that “judgement day”, as administered by the omniscient one, is just a symbolic formality.

However, Satan may have some accommodation issues if he doesn’t have advanced knowledge of our final verdict. It would seem he should at least have a very educated guess since he was causing all that temptation. Exactly how…[Read more]

Here is a question I like to ask theists in a “morality debate”. It usually goes along these lines:

Why is your god “always watching” you.

Pray tell Reg but whatever do you mean?

Can you please answer a straightforward question with an answer for once.

Our God is always with us so He sees all the deeds we do.

But why does He have to watch…[Read more]

Simon Paynton wrote:

Reg the Fronkey Farmer wrote:
“Name one moral action performed by a believer that could not have been done by a nonbeliever.”

I think that’s not the point. It’s not either/or. It’s good that both exist.

Simon, which is the more moral choice? The one a person makes because they are afraid an authoritarian god is watching…[Read more]

Reg the Fronkey Farmer wrote:
“Name one moral action performed by a believer that could not have been done by a nonbeliever.”

I think that’s not the point.  It’s not either/or.  It’s good that both exist.

@Simon – But when they do moral and ethical behavior well, they do it as well as or better than anyone else.

The Hitchens Challenge;

“Name one moral action performed by a believer that could not have been done by a nonbeliever.”

_Robert_ wrote:
Simon, isn’t the main point of Christianity to evade responsibility for immoral behavior? No matter what you do, just believe and you will be OK. That’s why Jesus lives mostly in prisons. It’s why evangelical preachers do the shittiest things…and then often issue a statement and then just get on with the grifting.

It’s not news th…[Read more]

Simon Paynton wrote:

Reg the Fronkey Farmer wrote:
Your point about Christians and the stereotype of atheists lacking a moral compass is a bugbear of mine.

Our motivation to be moral is the same as that of Christians: i.e., 1) conscience – the motive to follow moral and ethical principles; 2) consequences of our actions for ourselves and o…

[Read more]

Reg the Fronkey Farmer wrote:
Your point about Christians and the stereotype of atheists lacking a moral compass is a bugbear of mine.

Our motivation to be moral is the same as that of Christians: i.e., 1) conscience – the motive to follow moral and ethical principles; 2) consequences of our actions for ourselves and others.

Reg the Fronkey Farmer wrote:
• When someone doesn’t conform to the group’s moral norms (in this case, religious belief), our brains flag them as risky.

• That “risk” is translated into perceived harm.

• Result? Atheists are not just “wrong,” they’re “dangerous.”

That makes sense.  I’d never thought of it that way.  On that basis, there’s a ver…[Read more]

Just another right wing christian who uses religion as an identity and gets taken down hard. Exhibit A: JP, the anti-woke savior of young American boys. You wanna talk about identity politics? This is the bulk of it, right here. Prayer sessions in the white house that has become a church. The hypocrisy is up to their…[Read more]

I heard Trump laid a wreath at the tomb of the unknown bone spur and then was talking-up his military-style birthday parade.  Us tax-payers are gonna gift that diaper-wearing, shit-stain of a draft dodger a dictator’s parade. Thanks to all the right-wingers for being so generous with the deficit!

@Simon – In many cultures, morality is subconsciously equated with the prevention of harm. When someone is perceived as “immoral,” they’re often assumed to be capable of causing harm, either emotionally, physically, or spiritually. In moral psychology harm/care is one of the foundational pillars of moral judgment. Moral Foundations Theory covers…[Read more]

Speaking of Poe, he is a total one-off, no other poet coming close to being even vaguely like him. For me, much as I love The Raven and Annabel Lee, my favorite poem by Poe is “Alone” (his quotes, and the only time he framed a poem’s title in them). It’s unlike his other poems in terms of being so deeply reflective.

“Alone”

From childhood’s h…[Read more]

Reg the Fronkey Farmer wrote:
Yes, theists think I am hard-hearted at times.

From the second paper:

Christians’ negative impressions drew primarily from the Authority foundation, and both groups drew heavily from the Care foundation in both their positive and negative depictions.

In human moral psychology, immorality is perceived as physically h…[Read more]

Simon, I would be opinionated and confrontational. My opinions are “strong” but they are loosely held. I am open to changing them if and when I am persuaded to do so. For me there is no such thing as negative feedback. I am not looking for a pat on the back for holding them. I have no allegiance to them and will discard them whenever I am…[Read more]