DP wrote:Christian Smith offers a short list of measures that might potentially be proposed — they are not his proposals — to improve society. I provide an abridgment of his list here:
“All inveterate drug addicts, incorrigible drunks, and long-term homeless people” should be either forcibly enslaved or euthanized."
"Babies who are born with incapacitating mental or physical defects, or who, though healthy, are unwanted, should be allowed to die."
"Elderly invalids and long-term patients in mental hospitals and insane asylums who show no promise of recovery should be permitted or assisted to die."
"Serious repeat criminals, if allowed to live, should be sterilized."
DP wrote:For most of us — including me and Christian Smith — such suggestions would be abhorrent. But why? And on what naturalistic basis could one rationally argue against them? Smith is unpersuaded that, in an atheistic, naturalistic world, there would be rational grounds for opposing these and similar policy suggestions.
...rejecting the existence of God comes at a substantial cost.
There's a very simple rebuttal to this, specifically towards Mormons.
Unfortunately, basing your morality on the teachings of men who claim to speak for God comes at a substantial cost.Mormonism offers a list of measures that were proposed, and implemented, to improve the church. I provide an abridgement of that list here:
"Persons with any black African ancestry may not hold the priesthood in the LDS Church and may not participate in most temple ordinances, including the endowment and celestial marriage.
"Children of parents who identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender may not be blessed as infants or baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day saints."
"Sexual relations are reserved for a man and woman"