On 30/07/2006, at 2:25 AM, Brother John wrote:
It seems to me that most of the atheists I know are just as
ethical as anyone else, and spend a lot of time thinking about
social responsibility and equality issues.
We have to spend a lot of time thinking about ethics because we're
unlucky enough not to know with absolute certainty from God
Himself that eating shellfish is an abomination(*) or that it's
okay to keep slaves as long as they're from other tribes or...
Atheists are ethical because they were raised in a religious
culture and have adopted the values of that culture while rejecting
the religions that were the source of those values. Put them in a
nation or community of other atheists where they can rear their
children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and so forth with
atheist values, and in not too many generations they will all have
painted faces, grass skirts, stone tipped spears and be jumping
around fires in the jungle after a meal of human flesh.
What are "atheist values"? In other words, what values do atheists have?
Where do you think our primitive cultures came from? They are all
descended from higher cultures, descended from the drop outs and
"hippies" of prior civilizations. Do you suppose that the Maya are
the only illiterate natives descended from high culture? If we had
the written history to prove it, which we don't, we would find that
virtually all primitive cultures are like the Maya in that respect,
fallen from a higher culture.
I'm beginning to think you're pulling my leg, rather than engaging in
a real discussion. Which is fine, but a smiley would be nice.
Charlie
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