Killing in the name of...

[_brade]

This is a bit of a spin-off from the this thread. Discussions about Abraham and Isaac often focus on questions like, "What would you do?". In fact, I asked that question in the other thread. But it occurs to me that that's not the interesting question. I'd like to focus here on a few questions that sound similar but which seem to be more interesting. These are for believers and non-believers alike. Take it as a true/false quiz:

(1) If God commands you to kill your own child, then you should do it.

(2) If God commands somebody to kill their own child, then they should do it.

(3) If you sincerely believe that God has commanded you to kill your own child, then you should do it.

(4) If somebody sincerely believes that God has commanded them to kill their own child, then they should do it.

If you're not a believer, assume for the sake of answering the questions that God exists and that he's good.

[_Tarski]

You must first fix your avatar before I can take you seriously again.
(it is a mere red x)

[Guest]

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[_Jersey Girl]

brade,

Swear. I spent 15 minutes looking at and thinking about these questions. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say "false" to all of them.

[_The Dude]

This is a bit of a spin-off from the this thread. Discussions about Abraham and Isaac often focus on questions like, "What would you do?". In fact, I asked that question in the other thread. But it occurs to me that that's not the interesting question. I'd like to focus here on a few questions that sound similar but which seem to be more interesting. These are for believers and non-believers alike. Take it as a true/false quiz:

(1) If God commands you to kill your own child, then you should do it.

(2) If God commands somebody to kill their own child, then they should do it.

(3) If you sincerely believe that God has commanded you to kill your own child, then you should do it.

(4) If somebody sincerely believes that God has commanded them to kill their own child, then they should do it.

If you're not a believer, assume for the sake of answering the questions that God exists and that he's good.

I'm not a believer.

So you are saying I have to assume God exists and he is "good" while commanding me to kill my own child?

Excuse me while I blow my brains out. WTF? I don't want to live/exist in a universe where these assumptions are true.

Or can I just be like Jersey Girl and say false all the way through?

[_Tarski]

This is a bit of a spin-off from the this thread. Discussions about Abraham and Isaac often focus on questions like, "What would you do?". In fact, I asked that question in the other thread. But it occurs to me that that's not the interesting question. I'd like to focus here on a few questions that sound similar but which seem to be more interesting. These are for believers and non-believers alike. Take it as a true/false quiz:

(1) If God commands you to kill your own child, then you should do it.

(2) If God commands somebody to kill their own child, then they should do it.

(3) If you sincerely believe that God has commanded you to kill your own child, then you should do it.

(4) If somebody sincerely believes that God has commanded them to kill their own child, then they should do it.

If you're not a believer, assume for the sake of answering the questions that God exists and that he's good.

I'm not a believer.

So you are saying I have to assume God exists and he is "good" while commanding me to kill my own child?

Excuse me while I blow my brains out. WTF? I don't want to live/exist in a universe where these assumptions are true.

Or can I just be like Jersey Girl and say false all the way through?

Your avatar is not showing up either.

[_brade]

You must first fix your avatar before I can take you seriously again.
(it is a mere red x)

I'm back.

[_Jersey Girl]

Dude,

I think you can do whatever you wish. :-) I might take a few more minutes to share my reasoning. It's kinda late though...we'll see.

[_Tarski]

I'm back.

Yay!


Now if only The Dude and a dozen others would realize we can't see their avatars either.

[_brade]

So you are saying I have to assume God exists and he is "good" while commanding me to kill my own child?

Yes. If God exists, and he is good, and he appeared to you and told you he wanted you to kill your own child, should you do it?

I don't want to live/exist in a universe where these assumptions are true.

Fair enough.

Or can I just be like Jersey Girl and say false all the way through?

Sure.