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Permalink Reply by davesnothome on December 11, 2008 at 5:22pm

This is a difficult question to debate in my opinion as I have been convinced for a while that the Bible offers nothing of value to anyone seeking answers or truth. I am inclined to be patient and tolerant of all people and lifestyles but I think my bitterness towards all faiths taints my objectivity on this one. I don't deny that there are good ideals in the Bible but which ones can we parse away from the bad ones. The sad part is, there is so much in the Bible that will lead a person to put himself in judgment over others and there is so much that will lead a person and/or a society to violently enforce random interpretations and translations of the ancient text, that it's just too dangerous to consider a viable possibility. Men inherently know what's right and wrong and they form their societies on that basis.
So my conclusion is NO although I'm very curious about anyone's ideas regarding how this might be possible.

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Permalink Reply by Kenndy on December 11, 2008 at 6:32pm

There is not much we can learn from theists. simply put. All we can do is point out all the mistakes/flaws and learn from them. For example this image

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Permalink Reply by Andrew the Fluffer on December 28, 2008 at 10:42am

There is plenty of good in the Bible, but there is just as much rape, slavery, murder, genocide, et cetera.

Why not take your morality from common sense?

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Permalink Reply by River Otter on January 6, 2009 at 11:51am

http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/good/long.html

The link above will show you the many good things that are in the Bible. These are the things that we could live by everyday.

I am with Andrew, I do the good things listed in the bible because of common sence. I don't need to be a Christian to know these are good things to do.

Check out the link. This website also lists a lot of vile things the bible has in it too. The main reason I dislike Christianity.

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Permalink Reply by Frink on January 6, 2009 at 1:52pm

I think this is sort of a moot discussion, and actually corroborates the unjust misinterpretation on the part of Christians that atheists have no morals. Secular humanism seems to be the popular choice for most atheists, and is far more developed than the Christian moral code. Consider some form of Humanism instead of a paradigm shift if you must, but I think the discussion itself is detrimental to our interests.

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Permalink Reply by Nelson on January 8, 2009 at 2:41am

i agree with this.
besides, though there are some good moral teachings in the new testament they are not original. the golden rule for example was already a well known ethical and moral principal for hundreds of years before the Christ figure ever was purported to have said it and even well before the jewish sages. the writer of Matt, whoever he/she/they were, even acknowledges that the golden rule was already a well known and accepted principle. Matt 7:12-- "so in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the law and the prophets." the writer(s) makes it clear that the golden rule was already the law of the hebrew prophets.
check this list out to make the point further. http://www.religioustolerance.org/reciproc.htm

our morality has been selected in due to it's benefit to the species. it is innate in us. neither the hewbrew bible nor the new testament say anything new or interesting on morality. the stories simply codified existing morality through the use of allegory thereby making for an easy to follow, easy to pass on, easy to remember prescription- albeit one based on the superstitions and ignorance of credulous bronze age desert dwelling goat herders.

for what it's worth, besides the golden rule which we've established as being unoriginal to even the hebrew prophets, i don't think there's anything moral or ethical Jesus said. if someone physically harms you you're to let him do so and even offer more of your body up for harm? (Matt 5:39, Luke 6:29) are we really to be expected to love our neighbors just as we would love ourselves? (Matt 19:19, Mark 12:33, Luke 10:27) sure i'm going to do my best to be a good person to all humans but why must i love them like i do myself? and since when is it moral to convict people of thought crimes? (Matt 5:28) why is it moral to demand that people stay in marriages that they're simply unhappy in? (Matt 5:32) why is it moral to allow people to take from you whatever of your belongings they might wish without your objecting? (Matt 5:40) and finally why is it moral to say that if you love your mother, your father, your son, or your daughter more than you love Jesus then you are not worthy of him? (Matt 10:37)

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