Prostitution, Adultry and Christianity

[Toffler]

Many years ago I knew a successful single man. He suffered a freak accident where a book case fell onto his head and he was left in a condition known as "locked in syndrome." He could only move his eyes, but unlike most quadriplegics, he could feel everything normally.

His brother was his caregiver. This unfortunate man had one thing that gave him great pleasure, sex. Once or twice a month, his brother would buy him a prostitute.

I asked my Christian friends at work if they thought this OK, not sinful. They felt it was sinful and that this poor man should find a spouse. They would not condone this behavior and even said if it was their friend or brother, they would not provide him with the prostitute.

Such is the irrationality Christian's exhibit.

Toffler

[Matt R.]

What? So if a non-Christian forms the opinion that prostitution is immoral and does not condone it in this case, his opinion is totally cool and rational right? I am pretty sure "your Christian friends at work" or whoever had their reasons for thinking prostitution was wrong even in this case. Just because you disagree with them does not mean they are irrational.

Also, maybe I am misunderstanding your conclusion, but from this: "Such is the irrationality Christian's exhibit." it appears you are stating that because you quizzed a few random people who happen to be Christian at work, and you disagree with them (and this automatically makes their opinion irrational), that all Christians exhibit irrationality. If I find a few atheist friends who think prostitution is always wrong under any circumstances, would I be correct to say "such is the irrationality atheists exhibit"? Think about this for a second.

[SNOWBALL]

[ QUOTE ]

What? So if a non-Christian forms the opinion that prostitution is immoral and does not condone it in this case, his opinion is totally cool and rational right? I am pretty sure "your Christian friends at work" or whoever had their reasons for thinking prostitution was wrong even in this case. Just because you disagree with them does not mean they are irrational.

Also, maybe I am misunderstanding your conclusion, but from this: "Such is the irrationality Christian's exhibit." it appears you are stating that because you quizzed a few random people who happen to be Christian at work, and you disagree with them (and this automatically makes their opinion irrational), that all Christians exhibit irrationality. If I find a few atheist friends who think prostitution is always wrong under any circumstances, would I be correct to say "such is the irrationality atheists exhibit"? Think about this for a second.



[/ QUOTE ]

Matt,

Atheism isn't a belief system. Christianity is. And any reading of the NT will prove that the dogmatic viewpoints discussed in the OP are rooted in christian teachings.

Like any cookie cutter, your argument applies to some things, but not others. Guess which one this is?

[Toffler]

You are correct. To deny this man one of the few things left to gives him pleasure would be irrational, atheist or Christian. He is, of course, not capable of hiring a prostitute on his own.

The problem is my friends come to their conclusion without thinking. The Bible says it is wrong, therefore it is. There is no need to think as long as they have their cookbook. Just follow the directions. Even though it makes a miserable life even more miserable, they would not change their opinion regardless of the argument.

Now these particular Christians are of the fundamentalist stripe. They believe the Bible literally and this is common in my area of the country. One of them told me that no evidence could persuade her that the world is not about 7,000 years old and that dinosaurs did not roam the earth with humans. This person is a nurse with a BS degree.

She also feels global warming is not a threat. Her reasoning is not that the evidence is poor, but rather that global warming is not part of God's plan.

So, the point I was trying to make was that the conclusions are reached not by reason, not by concern for the welfare of others, but simply because the Rule Book says so. Arguments contrary to their beliefs are rejected out of hand if they do not resonate with the Bible.

Toffler

[Archon_Wing]

People aren't supposed to feel pleasure. They're supposed to suffer to pay for that apple LDO.

[luckyme]

[ QUOTE ]
The problem is my friends come to their conclusion without thinking. The Bible says it is wrong, therefore it is. There is no need to think as long as they have their cookbook. Just follow the directions.

[/ QUOTE ]

Which is why their actions are immoral. In most cases, following the Rules will have them taking the same action a moral person would, yet they would still not be moral in making them because they are merely roting it.

luckyme

[tarheeljks]

how is atheism not a belief system? it may not draw its "doctrines" from a single text, but it is certainly based on a fundamental belief.

@toffler: you make it sound as though if your friends weren't christians, they would not deny this man sex. if the man's desire was something completely reprehensible, would they be wrong to do so "just b/c the bible says so." would you have less of a problem with their decision if they were atheists/agnostic?

[MidGe]

[ QUOTE ]
how is atheism not a belief system? it may not draw its "doctrines" from a single text, but it is certainly based on a fundamental belief.

[/ QUOTE ]

It certainly is not. It is based on an absence of belief.

[FortunaMaximus]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
how is atheism not a belief system? it may not draw its "doctrines" from a single text, but it is certainly based on a fundamental belief.

[/ QUOTE ]

It certainly is not. It is based on an absence of belief.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's the ideal though. It's not difficult to notice that there is sort of an "fundamental atheist" collection around these parts.

Ironic, isn't it.

[Alex-db]

Its not ironic, its like criticising an "a-racist" for being fundamentalist - they should respect the opposite opinion right?