Are we ready?

[yasic]

Today in college, I got in a discussion over religion with someone. We argued over the reasons as to why God would allow and encourage people like moses to kill innocent children after a war, possibly endource raping them (As in Numbers 31: 15-18, however this verse may be interpreted to mean something else... if you really try hard), and slavery.

Nowadays, we know this type of action is wrong. People who commit this type of actions (Such as Suddam) deserve nothing less then a life sentence. However back in the days, it was supposivly ethical.

I was given the arguement, that "Perhaps back then, humans were not that along in development, and simply were not ready for the truth we now have. We were allowed to eradicate whole nations becuase God knew it was the best moral code we could have at that time. He knew we would be better off with slavery back then, then now without, even though in absolute truth, slavery is wrong."

Well... what if we dont have the full truth now. What if some of the ethical codes God gave us, such as allowing us to dominate over animals, or that homosexuality, are simply codes we have to now follow, becuase were not ready to accept the truth? Can it be that in 1000 years, man will look back at us, and wonder in shock how we could have been so unaccepting and unloving as we are today?

 

[mnbvcxz87]

If that justification for religious endorsed immorality is good enough for you then you don't need to ask this question. Make up your own rules. God kills a million people, make up your own reason why that's fine. God tells people to rape young children, come up with a reason.

The religions are barbaric, the content is testament to that. They are of a low morality, not one which should be an example for others or one for anyone to aspire to.

 

[MoonlessNight]

Interestingly enough I just got done reading "The Valley of the Worm" by Robert E. Howard which is a story that reaches the furthest back into the origins of man of any of the stories that I have read by him. He makes great pains to note that men of this time were much more savage (I'm sure that there's no better adjective) and could not even comprehend notions of mercy. But they also could not comprehend cruelty, and there is a line where he specifically notes that the world of today is full of wanton cruelty which would be totally alien to men of that day.

Of course that has no direct relation to what you asked, but I thought I'd just throw it out there.

 

[Texas Lynn]

Can it be that in 1000 years, man will look back at us, and wonder in shock how we could have been so unaccepting and unloving as we are today?

One can hope...or it could be another dark age then.

The world is alwys one step from barbarism.

 

[MoonlessNight]

The world is alwys one step from barbarism.

Or perhaps my Howard references wasn't too far off.

 

[The Nihilist]

yasic, I don't think I need to tell you this, but the reason the Jews had different rules than Christians agree with today is that different people made them up and the Jews had more intestinal fortitude. You have to admire an ancient people's strength if they're willing to eradicate their neighbors. Comparatively, Jesus and Paul were both wimps.
Oh yeah, and morality is a made up social convention designed to keep people from raping each other's wives and murdering their children.

 

[quatona]

Today in college, I got in a discussion over religion with someone. We argued over the reasons as to why God would allow and encourage people like moses to kill innocent children after a war, possibly endource raping them (As in Numbers 31: 15-18, however this verse may be interpreted to mean something else... if you really try hard), and slavery.

Nowadays, we know this type of action is wrong. People who commit this type of actions (Such as Suddam) deserve nothing less then a life sentence. However back in the days, it was supposivly ethical.

I was given the arguement, that "Perhaps back then, humans were not that along in development, and simply were not ready for the truth we now have. We were allowed to eradicate whole nations becuase God knew it was the best moral code we could have at that time. He knew we would be better off with slavery back then, then now without, even though in absolute truth, slavery is wrong."

Well... what if we dont have the full truth now. What if some of the ethical codes God gave us, such as allowing us to dominate over animals, or that homosexuality, are simply codes we have to now follow, becuase were not ready to accept the truth? Can it be that in 1000 years, man will look back at us, and wonder in shock how we could have been so unaccepting and unloving as we are today?

Or, vice versa: What if the development of our moral code was in fact a degeneration, and eradicating nations, killing innoncent children after raping them, slavery, stoning gays to death etc. were closer to "the truth"?