Is there an absolute morality?

[Bradskii]

Are acts wrong in themselves? Or does it depend on the context?

 

[Mclachlan]

Is it wrong to rape and murder a child?
It is a universally accepted truth that doing such an act is wrong.

 

[Mclachlan]

Therefore, absolute morality exists.

 

[Bradskii]

Is it wrong to rape and murder a child?
It is a universally accepted truth that doing such an act is wrong.

If I may take one of those acts - murder. It is very specifically defined. That is, taking another life is wrong only under certain conditions. It's relative by definition.

 

[Sabertooth]

Are acts wrong in themselves? Or does it depend on the context?

Some acts, like sexual assault, are always wrong.
Others, like lying, stealing & killing, can be context-specific, but are generally wrong.

Right vs. wrong is not the basis for entry into Heaven, though.
Washed vs. unwashed is.

 

[Larniavc]

Is it wrong to rape and murder a child?
It is a universally accepted truth that doing such an act is wrong.

God murdered children when he order a few genocides and dashed skulks and great floods etc.

 

[Bradskii]

Some acts, like sexual assault, are always wrong.
Others, like lying, stealing & killing, can be context-specific, but are generally wrong.

Right vs. wrong is not the basis for entry into Heaven, though.
Washed vs. unwashed is.

How would you define sexual assault?

 

[disciple Clint]

God murdered children when he order a few genocides and dashed skulks and great floods etc.

Who provided those people with life?

 

[Larniavc]

Who provided those people with life?

Irrelevant. My wife and I provided my son with life. I don’t get kill him and claim an objective moral right by doing so.

 

[Mclachlan]

If I may take one of those acts - murder. It is very specifically defined. That is, taking another life is wrong only under certain conditions. It's relative by definition.

What about if we used the other example, rape. A predator sexually penetrating an innocent and helpless child. Is that wrong? Or does it depend? @Larnievc I'd like to hear what you have to say on this too.

 

[Larniavc]

What about if we used the other example, rape. A predator sexually penetrating an innocent and helpless child. Is that wrong? Or does it depend? @Larnievc I'd like to hear what you have to say on this too.

I’d say so. But we all know that there are people in the world who disagree.

 

[Mclachlan]

I’d say so. But we all know that there are people in the world who disagree.

Why is it wrong? Is it your opinion?

 

[disciple Clint]

Irrelevant. My wife and I provided my son with life. I don’t get kill him and claim an objective moral right by doing so.

you have the power to provide life?

 

[o_mlly]

God murdered children when he order a few genocides and dashed skulks and great floods etc.

For an atheist, the above is cognitively dissonant.

My wife and I provided my son with life. I don’t get kill him and claim an objective moral right by doing so.

Good. That's cognitively harmonic.

I’d say so. But we all know that there are people in the world who disagree.

Did you know that we really haven't landed on the moon?

 

[Tom 1]

Are acts wrong in themselves? Or does it depend on the context?

The most useful definition I've come across is that good acts are those that promote life and wellbeing, and bad those that have destructive effects and lead to death. Of course there's variation in what that means in practice. Some things according to this definition are universally bad but may be outweighed in some contexts, e.g. you could say killing someone is the ultimate application of 'bad' but it may be necessary sometimes to kill one person or persons to avoid a higher number of deaths.

Love on the other hand is the ultimate good, as in love as a verb, the behaviours associated with efforts to do what seems best for others to promote their wellbeing and experience of life.

 

[Larniavc]

you have the power to provide life?

Of course. I built up the various molecules in my testicles to provide the sperm that delivered my genetic material to the ova my wife built up in her ovaries.

Did you not know that?

 

[honestal]

Are acts wrong in themselves? Or does it depend on the context?

A little of both.

If you're just walking down the street minding your own business and I come up and kill you, that's wrong. But if you're in the process of shooting at a crowd of people then it's right for me to come up and kill you.

On the other hand, I can't see how it would ever be right for anyone to have sex with a three year old.

 

[VirOptimus]

Are acts wrong in themselves? Or does it depend on the context?

Its all in the eye of the beholder.

 

[Mark Quayle]

God murdered children when he order a few genocides and dashed skulks and great floods etc.

God is not us. Wrong is crime against God. He doesn't operate against himself.

 

[Mark Quayle]

If I may take one of those acts - murder. It is very specifically defined. That is, taking another life is wrong only under certain conditions. It's relative by definition.

I can specifically define 'taking another life', too. Shooting a gun, or making a stabbing motion into with a knife is only wrong under certain conditions, too. Picking up a gun or knife is only wrong under certain conditions.

Murder is always wrong. Killing is not always wrong.