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Forums → WEPR → Modern Morality: Christianity against Greek Mythology
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Some theist state that there religion is good because it gives them a moral code. But if that is the case, then why let a religion with a good moral code die? The Greek Myths may not have a set moral code, but I will use the examples set by the Greek heroes as morals.
On killing:
The Greek heroes had no aversion to killing, at least to there enemies.
Christianity swings both ways on this one. They say "Thout shalt not kill" but have billions killed in holey ways.
I will consider this one a tie, as it depends on how you look at it.
On Woman:
The Greek myths value women to a degree. There were several goddesses and some Greek heroes even went to the extend of going into the land of the dead to save there wives.
The Bible regards women as less then men. The characters tend to not care when there wives are turned into pillars of salt and have multiple wives.
Point for the Greek.
Homosexuality:
The Greek seemed to have no problem with it, in fact, Apollo swung both ways and had male lovers.
The Biblical god hates homosexuality.
Point Greek.
Researching and gaining knowledge:
The Greeks are all for it. Many of there heroes use intellect and wit to get out of sticky situations and they have a goddess assigned to wisdom.
The Bible seems to not care about any wisdom that is not gods and there heroes, such as "Peter and John ... were unlearned and ignorant men", and things telling you to be ignorant.
Point Greek.
lies:
The Greek heroes and gods lie often to save themselves and others trouble. They don't even pretend to be benevolent.
The God of the Bible have harsh punishments for small lies. It once more swings both ways on this, as god and his prophets had lied. "Say, I pray thee, thouart my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee."
So a point to either depending on how you look at it.
Steeling:
The Greeks have little problem with it and actually have a god of thieves.
The Bible still swings both ways. The tend commandments say not to steel, but then god turns around and tells them to "Burrow" the Egyptians things. And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment:
Still depends on how you look at it.
Sex:
The Greek had no problem with sex. It created many of there heroes and filled their stories.
The Bible swings both ways(Surprise surprise!). The ten commandments and other things say it is bad, yet angels, prophets, and ordinary people have sex all the time in the stories. Some times with people they are not even married to or even family members, as in the case of Drunken Lot.
Depends how you look at it still.
Sacrifice:
The Greek sacrificed periodically for the enjoyment of there non omnipotent gods. They did not sacrifice human often in the stories, save if they really pissed a god off, and even then they some times live happily ever after.
The Christian god was not opposed to human sacrifices, he even killed a few for that purpose, yet the newer books state to not sacrifice any more because of the divine human sacrifice.
Still depends on how you look at it...
In conclusion, why choose Christianity from a purely moral bases if other religions that you think are totally preposterous have equil, some times better, morals?
- 148 Replies
Well that analogy doesn't make sense, the pretty crap doesn't make sense. Looks like it's a little past bedtime for lil' old 314. Speaking of which, I'll see you guyzez tommorrow.
Saw four generations of grandchildren. Oh yes God is cruel.
I am not sure what you are referring to, but I will assume it is Job's long life. To that I say, according to the Bible, god has been shortening life spans. The first humans lived nearly a thousand years, lowering slowly. This, of course, goes against what we have observed, but so do many things in the Bible.
@ Orion. I realize the cultures were different, but I am trying to compare them to modern morals. I think Mage's example of Buddhism and Wicken may have been better, but the Greek myths are pretty similar.
From the Bible, it says
David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite. 1 Kings 15.5
Meaning Christians should model themselves after him.
They can not control weather there child is born homosexual, the same way you can not control weather your child is born lame, blind, or dumb. But the Bible says they should all be prejudiced against any way.
God has been shortening lives because were still SINNING. Look it up: somewhere like Genesis 6 or 7. Anyway, good night.
Considering life expectancey rates are increasing I'm going to say this arguement is completely invalid.
Anyways, I find the bibles conflicting and occasionally seriously screwed up moral code to be pathetic. The only proper code is the ten commandments, and those shouldn't even have to be written. THEY ARE COMMON SENSE.
Really it's only the last five, the first five are more about boosting God's ego.
Considering life expectancey rates are increasing I'm going to say this arguement is completely invalid.
Not to mention contradictory to the whole forgiveness bit.
Saw four generations of grandchildren. Oh yes God is cruel.
But first had his original family killed off just to win a bet.
You don't just 'become' homosexual because you only live with a single parent... I really don't see how the two things are connected. Nor do I see how homosexuality and complete families are connected. We still do not know why poeple are homosexual (at least we don't know fully) - but I'm quite sure that having both parents and a sibling won't really affect it.
There is another topic where the Greeks falter: prayer. How many times did God answer prayer in the Bible over the other religions, like he did with Elijah?
Prayer does not effect moral.
Also, 314, people are not born homosexual; the conditions they are being pressed with, along with peer pressure, decides their paths. Do you think living with only a single parent instead of a complete family with two parents (whom he or she is born to) and at least one brother and sister would change things?
To my knowledge there are two forms, psychological and hormonal. Hormonal are defects witch YOU ARE BORN WITH. Psychological is as you say, they are born into a culture that supports homosexuality and become homosexual.
God said that he would only let people live 120 years. Do you know anyone not in the Bible who has lived over 120 years? Besides, people are living longer (still not over 120 years) because of medical advancements. I'm kinda disappointed they knocked out CFC's, but... Still. Did we have helicopters 500 years ago? I somehow think life expectancy has gone down more in 6000 years, according to the Bible.
No, but God would have been able to teach them. The Greek gods taught all they knew to the human. The Christian god knows everything but told nothing.
And yes, the worlds oldest people have lived over 120 years.
homosexual people aren't born because of homosexuality. If it's hormonal, how does it get passed down? I don't see how...
First, homosexual people don't usually have children. Second, the problem is in the genes that create the hormones.
You can't make become a homosexual. Oh and read this on Homosexuality in Animals:
first link
And these one about the bible and age:
refuting a 6000 year old earth
and this one is about the 120 yyears thing in Genesis 6:3
It could've been anyone, including anyone who can say a lie very well. There are many things on wikipedia that are false.
It has 84 sources.
Something tells me it's accurate.
As for homosexuality, people are most likely born with it. The don't just one day decide to go and love on people of their own sex. In fact many of them struggle to come to grips with it, doing drugs, drinking, and even killing themselves.
Sound like someone who chose to be a homosexual?
The number of sources for it almost eradicate any possibility of the article being a lie. Even if 1 example is wrong - then there are more than enough sources to prove the rest right.
Why are we arguing about religion? Geez. Everyone has their own, personal morals. You can't really say one moral is better than another. Morals are humans' jugdements of what is right or wrong. Judgement is just a fancy word for opinion, and no opinion is right or wrong.
Convincing others that their opinion is wrong and your opinion is right is futile.
God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him ... Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering. Genesis 22:1-2
Another contradiction, Ah?
They are born with it, at least the majority are. I do not see what you are getting at, but they are born with it even if the Bible says it is wrong. I don't think they have any way of changing it, and go threw life with it, often using drugs and such as previously mentioned...
Why are we arguing about religion? Geez. Everyone has their own, personal morals. You can't really say one moral is better than another. Morals are humans' jugdements of what is right or wrong. Judgement is just a fancy word for opinion, and no opinion is right or wrong.
Convincing others that their opinion is wrong and your opinion is right is futile.
After I posted this, it seems as if you paid no regard to this statement and continue on your little path to proving that Greeks were either better or worse than Christianity. I suppose you can lead a horse to a river but you can't make him drink.
Why are we arguing about religion? Geez. Everyone has their own, personal morals. You can't really say one moral is better than another. Morals are humans' jugdements of what is right or wrong. Judgement is just a fancy word for opinion, and no opinion is right or wrong.
Convincing others that their opinion is wrong and your opinion is right is futile.
After I posted this, it seems as if you paid no regard to this statement and continue on your little path to proving that Greeks were either better or worse than Christianity. I suppose you can lead a horse to a river but you can't make him drink.
There is not much to argue here, it is just childish whining. You are correct in saying that morals are relative, but we have general morals such as "Killing is bad". We are going along with the general morals here.
Then why are you attempting to convince me that your opinion about my subject is wrong and that you are right? Isn't that Hippocratic?
You just stated that you can not influence my judgment, yet you still try? Have you been paying regard to anything that has been said in your own post?
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