Gilberto, At 09:25 PM 1/24/2005, you wrote: >>I would probably prefer to discuss this point with an issue that wasn't so >>emotionally charged because because it can be sensitive for alot of folks. >>But I would say, no. I think that tastes and expectations can change over the >>years, norms of behavior. But that doesn't make them moral issues, no.<<
If an adult marrying a child in 21st c. Kansas (or NYC) is not a moral issue, then what *is* a moral issue? Obviously, it was not a moral issue in 7th-century Arabia, which is why it is unfair to judge Muhammad's marriage by contemporary mores. However, perhaps you mean something different by morality than myself. I am using the term with its usual sociological definition (esp. from Emile Durkheim). In that context, morality is a neutral, culturally relative concept which understands "morals" as norms and values. >>I think there is a difference between saying something is immoral and saying >>that something is popularly perceived to be wrong or disgusting.<< I suppose you regard morality as an unchangeable absolute. To me, morality is always relative, whether to a particular Revelation or culture. The first expresses God's standards, which change. The second involves human standards, which both change and vary from place to place. >>Maybe a decent example would be the kind of stuff people do on Fear Factor. >>It's basically a game show where part of the competition might include dares >>to eat some kind of disgusting substance. Even though most people are on a >>very visceral level disgusted by the act of eating bugs or horse intestine or >>whatever, it's not clear that its a moral question.<< Well, now I suppose I do not understand you at all. Are you saying that Muhammad's marriage to Khadija, while disgusting by contemporary standards, would not be immoral? >>So, if someone unearthed persuasive evidence which proved that Bahaullah had >>been involved in certain kinds of unsavory and conventionally immoral >>behavior it wouldn't play a role in or affect whether you believed in him?<< I would hope not. Regards, Mark A. Foster � http://markfoster.net � [EMAIL PROTECTED] "Sacred cows make the tastiest hamburger." ---- Abbie Hoffman __________________________________________________ You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:[email protected] To unsubscribe, send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, use subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Baha'i Studies is available through the following: Mail - mailto:[email protected] Web - http://list.jccc.edu/read/?forum=bahai-st News - news://list.jccc.edu/bahai-st Public - http://www.escribe.com/religion/bahaist Old Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]
