Absolute Morality

[vhawk01]

On another forum I post on, we are having a debate about absolute morality. I'm pretty much the only atheist there, so I'm a little outnumbered. But the question I seem to keep asking is, why do we care about an absolute morality? I mean, they are saying that morality, in order to be absolute, must be compared to some absolute standard, i.e. God. Ok...and then? Why is this a beneficial approach to morality? It seems to me they are terrified that someone might come along and say 'Rape isn't wrong.' By holding on to absolute morality with their fingernails.

Whats the big deal? We wouldn't be able to tell the difference between a universe WITH an absolute morality and one without anyway.

[mbillie1]

There is no difference, people just like to claim to have absolute grounding for their opinions so they can moralize at others... it's not worth discussing it with them anyway. Anyone in 2007 who knows anything about philosophy and accepts absolute morality is obviously impervious to any argument you're going to make to them.

[SitNHit]

I think with Morality comes sacrafice, which is for a ultimate good which is believed by most to be rewarded with happiness , which if you want happiness and if indeed this is how you get it, then absoulte morality is important. Or im just crazy [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[samsonite2100]

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Whats the big deal? We wouldn't be able to tell the difference between a universe WITH an absolute morality and one without anyway.

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Because without the backing of a (preferably Christian) deity, moral standards obviously cease to have any meaning, and you'll have folks raping and murdering each other willy-nilly. You know, the way atheists do. I mean, go to any supermax prison and it's like, all atheist-types in there, just about.

[vhawk01]

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Whats the big deal? We wouldn't be able to tell the difference between a universe WITH an absolute morality and one without anyway.

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Because without the backing of a (preferably Christian) deity, moral standards obviously cease to have any meaning, and you'll have folks raping and murdering each other willy-nilly. You know, the way atheists do. I mean, go to any supermax prison and it's like, all atheist-types in there, just about.

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Well, I think thats part of it, its used as a weapon to denigrate atheists. But the people I associate with concede that obviously most atheists are at least average, morally.

Is it an attempt at increasing the Might in their Might Makes Right?

[Prodigy54321]

lets say that a god exists.

this god thinks that having gay sex is wrong
I think that having gay sex is not wrong

is "absolute morality" that having gay sex is wrong?

the problem is that "absolute morality" is a meaningless phrase.

it does not change the fact that there are differing moralities here.

the only possible difference here is that this being can force us to go along with his morality or face the punishment.

if god believes that playing bingo after 10pm is wrong, but every other being doesn't believe that it is wrong...is it "absolutely" wrong?

call it what you will, but calling it something different does not change anything.

you are correct that it makes no difference...there is only what is true and what is not.

I know we've been over this subject many times before..and I think you are correct that people are generally terrified that something can't be considered as "absolutely" wrong...curiously enough, every person seems to posess the information on what is "absolutely" right and wrong..I think it's just a way of reinforcing their own beliefs...there's nothing more powerful than believing that the greatest possible being agrees with you.

[SitNHit]

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lets say that a god exists.

this god thinks that having gay sex is wrong
I think that having gay sex is not wrong

is "absolute morality" that having gay sex is wrong?

the problem is that "absolute morality" is a meaningless phrase.

it does not change the fact that there are differing moralities here.

the only possible difference here is that this being can force us to go along with his morality or face the punishment.

if god believes that playing bingo after 10pm is wrong, but every other being doesn't believe that it is wrong...is it "absolutely" wrong?

call it what you will, but calling it something different does not change anything.

you are correct that it makes no difference...there is only what is true and what is not.

I know we've been over this subject many times before..and I think you are correct that people are generally terrified that something can't be considered as "absolutely" wrong...curiously enough, every person seems to posess the information on what is "absolutely" right and wrong..I think it's just a way of reinforcing their own beliefs...there's nothing more powerful than believing that the greatest possible being agrees with you.

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If you think that Gay Sex and playing Bingo are the same thing morally then you will think like you do. Which if you can't see how thats so insanely stupid that thinking is, then, well, God Bless Ya.

[Duke]

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On another forum I post on, we are having a debate about absolute morality. I'm pretty much the only atheist there, so I'm a little outnumbered.

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Masochist.

[vhawk01]

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On another forum I post on, we are having a debate about absolute morality. I'm pretty much the only atheist there, so I'm a little outnumbered.

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Masochist.

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[img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] Its a medical student forum. As shocked as I was by the ridiculously high level of intelligence, humor, and insightfulness when I started posting on 2p2, I am just as amazed by the low levels of these attributes found on the website for doctors and doctors to be.

Either way, it serves as a better test of my ideas and beliefs when I don't have all these intelligent, likeminded individuals to back me up when I say something stupid.

[Prodigy54321]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
lets say that a god exists.

this god thinks that having gay sex is wrong
I think that having gay sex is not wrong

is "absolute morality" that having gay sex is wrong?

the problem is that "absolute morality" is a meaningless phrase.

it does not change the fact that there are differing moralities here.

the only possible difference here is that this being can force us to go along with his morality or face the punishment.

if god believes that playing bingo after 10pm is wrong, but every other being doesn't believe that it is wrong...is it "absolutely" wrong?

call it what you will, but calling it something different does not change anything.

you are correct that it makes no difference...there is only what is true and what is not.

I know we've been over this subject many times before..and I think you are correct that people are generally terrified that something can't be considered as "absolutely" wrong...curiously enough, every person seems to posess the information on what is "absolutely" right and wrong..I think it's just a way of reinforcing their own beliefs...there's nothing more powerful than believing that the greatest possible being agrees with you.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you think that Gay Sex and playing Bingo are the same thing morally then you will think like you do. Which if you can't see how thats so insanely stupid that thinking is, then, well, God Bless Ya.

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SitNHit, I've been very patient with you, but you're testing me...

your complaint is irrelevent to the point of my post..the specifics are arbitrary.

I'm going to say this one time.

the people in this forum are some of the most reasonable people I have ever come into contact with..they attempt to make arguments with the utmost respect for logic and understand the need for logical discourse. The simple fact is that you are not as smart as the people in this forum..probably not even as smart as I am (and I'm no genius).

Since you have come into this forum, you have sent me a very rude PM (No matter how much we disagree with eachother in here, I doubt anyone has ever sent such a bizarre PM to another poster.)

you have also managed not make a single decent argument..I understand that your english is not very good, but it goes much deeper than that.

Make no mistake about it, you are not up to the level of intellect that most of the posters in this forum are. Your posts thus far have contributed nothing to the forum. But I don't mind either of these things..the same could be said about me when I first started posting here..but I was rarely arrogant and never rude.

judging by the fact that your posts have largely stopped getting responses, people are basically through with you.

I suggest that you apologize to the forum for insulting several members when unprovoked other than that they hold a different view than you..and make a resolution to get some logic and reason into your posts.

otherwise, I'm done responging to you and I'm done attempting to be nice as well.

Chris