Why do Christians claim to get their morals from the bible?

[The People of George]

It allows people to 'justify' their positions without actually having to think.

Perhaps more importantly, it let's you get away with just about anything, because you can always blame/give credit to your 'boss'.

What do you mean?

You can justify pretty much anything by appeal to scripture.

Get caught doing something naughty? Find the right verse, and that's okay - you were serving a higher power.

^this

Slavery for instance, bible approves (quran does too).

The bible preaches you follow the laws of the land...it is saying if slavery is legal and you ARE a slave then you are to serve your master...just as in any job, you do what your boss tells you to no matter how ridiculous, unless of course it is illegal or goes against your morals.

[NERVUN]

I think you're confusing commandments with morals, which aren't the same.

in the context of revealed religion, how do you figure?

Because commandments tend to be hard and fast statements that don't cover everything. Morals can be derived from commandments, yes, but it's hard to make a moral judgement about, oh say, which charity is more deserving of a limited amount of aid when the commandment is to give to the poor.

[Super penguin marines]

It allows people to 'justify' their positions without actually having to think.

Perhaps more importantly, it let's you get away with just about anything, because you can always blame/give credit to your 'boss'.

What do you mean?

You can justify pretty much anything by appeal to scripture.

Get caught doing something naughty? Find the right verse, and that's okay - you were serving a higher power.

I changed my mind about posting on this but it won't let me delete it so ignore this post

[Grave_n_idle]

It allows people to 'justify' their positions without actually having to think.

Perhaps more importantly, it let's you get away with just about anything, because you can always blame/give credit to your 'boss'.

What do you mean?

You can justify pretty much anything by appeal to scripture.

Get caught doing something naughty? Find the right verse, and that's okay - you were serving a higher power.

Umm no...Christians who believe that way are wrong...there is no justifiable reason for sin...if you do it you're wrong point blank.

I've met maybe a whole handful of Christians who lived honest, non-hypocritical, christlike lives.

Most are much more human.

Show me a Christian that doesn't sin, and I'll show you a dead Christian.

Show me a Christian that claims not to excuse their sin, and I'll show you a liar.

[The People of George]

I think you're confusing commandments with morals, which aren't the same.

in the context of revealed religion, how do you figure?

Because commandments tend to be hard and fast statements that don't cover everything. Morals can be derived from commandments, yes, but it's hard to make a moral judgement about, oh say, which charity is more deserving of a limited amount of aid when the commandment is to give to the poor.

What do you mean? It does say we should help the poor, there are services that aid the poor. And it is not just about money, but also about giving time and energy

[Grave_n_idle]

You can justify pretty much anything by appeal to scripture.

Get caught doing something naughty? Find the right verse, and that's okay - you were serving a higher power.

Umm, can one not do this with anything? "Oh, it's ok that I conquered that city, and burned it to the ground, slaughtering every citizen... Genghis did it, and he's remembered in the annals of history."

So, your point seems a bit too general as it relates to this context specifically.

"I do it because the Mongols did it" isn't half as good as an excuse as "God Told Me" (or the other favourite, "the Devil Made Me Do It").

[The People of George]

It allows people to 'justify' their positions without actually having to think.

Perhaps more importantly, it let's you get away with just about anything, because you can always blame/give credit to your 'boss'.

What do you mean?

You can justify pretty much anything by appeal to scripture.

Get caught doing something naughty? Find the right verse, and that's okay - you were serving a higher power.

Umm no...Christians who believe that way are wrong...there is no justifiable reason for sin...if you do it you're wrong point blank.

I've met maybe a whole handful of Christians who lived honest, non-hypocritical, christlike lives.

Most are much more human.

Show me a Christian that doesn't sin, and I'll show you a dead Christian.

Show me a Christian that claims not to excuse their sin, and I'll show you a liar.

Never said Chirstians don't sin, everyone does something wrong. I don't excuse my sin, so i'm not a liar. I know exactly what i do and would never excuse it as right, i find that pathetic. We should all fess up to when we do wrong, take ownership. Not just Christians, but everybody..

[The People of George]

You can justify pretty much anything by appeal to scripture.

Get caught doing something naughty? Find the right verse, and that's okay - you were serving a higher power.

Umm, can one not do this with anything? "Oh, it's ok that I conquered that city, and burned it to the ground, slaughtering every citizen... Genghis did it, and he's remembered in the annals of history."

So, your point seems a bit too general as it relates to this context specifically.

"I do it because the Mongols did it" isn't half as good as an excuse as "God Told Me" (or the other favourite, "the Devil Made Me Do It").

People have their own free will, the devil may tempt you to do something but ultimately it is up to you to follow through...and when people say "God told me" if it doesn't line up with with the Word says then they didn't hear it from God.

[JuNii]

It allows people to 'justify' their positions without actually having to think.

Perhaps more importantly, it let's you get away with just about anything, because you can always blame/give credit to your 'boss'.

What do you mean?

You can justify pretty much anything by appeal to scripture.

Get caught doing something naughty? Find the right verse, and that's okay - you were serving a higher power.

you know... for that which breaks the law... I've almost never hear that the "God told me to do it" defense works.

[Sci-fleet]

It allows people to 'justify' their positions without actually having to think.

Perhaps more importantly, it let's you get away with just about anything, because you can always blame/give credit to your 'boss'.

What do you mean?

You can justify pretty much anything by appeal to scripture.

Get caught doing something naughty? Find the right verse, and that's okay - you were serving a higher power.

^this

Slavery for instance, bible approves (quran does too).

My opinion is that they were more like unpaid servants than slaves because I doubt most were treated with real cruelty. and the the first half of the book of excodus is about the hebrews escaping from slavery.

[Blouman Empire]

That is what I wonder.

They say atheists don't have morals, but if we followed the morals from the Bible we would all be murderers, we would be stoning people, burning "sorceresses." It's weird isn't it? The bible tells people the disobey the Ten Commandments.

Mainly, "Thou shalt not kill"

Do they?

[Grave_n_idle]

^this

Slavery for instance, bible approves (quran does too).

Actually, not this. The Bible could be used to justify slavery, by taking verses out of context, but I think the message of equality would seem to conflict with your claim... but that's taking an accurate context into mind, which you seem so far unprepared to do.

Out of context?

Exodus 21:20 tells you you're not allowed to kill your slaves.

Exodus 21:26-7 tells you not to harm your slaves, and what to do if you do happen to harm one.

Exodus 23:12 tells you what days off your slaves have to have.

Deuteronomy 23:15 tells you you shouldn't return escaped slaves.

Leviticus 25:39 talks about how to treat debtors as slaves.


I could go on. It's not a matter of taking stuff out of context - it's explicit in the text.

[Blouman Empire]

Well even the teachings of jesus aren't too helpful. If christians only did what jesus said, then they would own nothing but the colthes on their back and they would would hate every person in their family just so they could love jebus.

I can to an extent see the first one but the second one makes no sense at all.

[Dark Side Messiahs]

The Bible is the most distorted and misused book ever, all religious books are abominations to the true message of God. In the Bible, everyone claims to be righteous while they commit atrocities on their fellow man. The only 'decent people' are persecuted and killed or have miserable lives until they get on God's good side. Even then, its not a given.

(Old Testament)
If you cling to the morals from the Bible, it means you cling to a narrow perspective of the world around you. If you follow those morals get ready to stone your little sister to death when she comes home from prom minus her hymen, stoning is rampant for such disgrace and sin. Get ready to cut off your neighbor's hand if he steals your BBQer. Its what the Bible tells us to do... an eye for an eye, sin must be punished, you will all burn.

(New Testament)
Same crap only instead of an angry and vengeful God, you have happy 'I Love You' God.

[Grave_n_idle]

You can justify pretty much anything by appeal to scripture.

Get caught doing something naughty? Find the right verse, and that's okay - you were serving a higher power.

Umm, can one not do this with anything? "Oh, it's ok that I conquered that city, and burned it to the ground, slaughtering every citizen... Genghis did it, and he's remembered in the annals of history."

So, your point seems a bit too general as it relates to this context specifically.

"I do it because the Mongols did it" isn't half as good as an excuse as "God Told Me" (or the other favourite, "the Devil Made Me Do It").

People have their own free will, the devil may tempt you to do something but ultimately it is up to you to follow through...and when people say "God told me" if it doesn't line up with with the Word says then they didn't hear it from God.

People say that 'god' and 'the devil' told them to do things for exactly the saem reason - it's easy to blame someone who isn't there to call you a liar.

[The Deus Corporation]

If you read the bible then you will clearly see that if people actually got thair morals from it....

Well to put it simply the world would be more fu*ked up than it already is.

I'd like to hear what all of you have to say on this topic.

all the Christians I know (not including those of the Interwebs) claim they get their morals from the Teachings of Jesus. not from 'The Bible' in total.

Well even the teachings of jesus aren't too helpful. If christians only did what jesus said, then they would own nothing but the colthes on their back and they would would hate every person in their family just so they could love jebus.

That's definitely false.

Have you read the bible? Or more importantly the New Testament?

[Grave_n_idle]

It allows people to 'justify' their positions without actually having to think.

Perhaps more importantly, it let's you get away with just about anything, because you can always blame/give credit to your 'boss'.

What do you mean?

You can justify pretty much anything by appeal to scripture.

Get caught doing something naughty? Find the right verse, and that's okay - you were serving a higher power.

you know... for that which breaks the law... I've almost never hear that the "God told me to do it" defense works.

Doesn't mean people don't claim it.

[Grave_n_idle]

My opinion is that they were more like unpaid servants than slaves because I doubt most were treated with real cruelty. and the the first half of the book of excodus is about the hebrews escaping from slavery.

If you find yourself trying to quibble what 'slave' means, you've already lost the highground.

[Blouman Empire]

Have you read the bible? Or more importantly the New Testament?

I would like you to explain your second point and how you got to that reasoning.

[Tekania]

That is what I wonder.

They say atheists don't have morals, but if we followed the morals from the Bible we would all be murderers, we would be stoning people, burning "sorceresses." It's weird isn't it? The bible tells people the disobey the Ten Commandments.

Mainly, "Thou shalt not kill"

Actually, it's more properly "Thou Shalt not murder"...

[Grave_n_idle]

That is what I wonder.

They say atheists don't have morals, but if we followed the morals from the Bible we would all be murderers, we would be stoning people, burning "sorceresses." It's weird isn't it? The bible tells people the disobey the Ten Commandments.

Mainly, "Thou shalt not kill"

Actually, it's more properly "Thou Shalt not murder"...

The irony of this law being delivered via a murderer was always something of an amusement to me.

[New Azura]

"Thou shalt not kill" in the Old Testament (Ten Commandments) comes from the Hebrew word for "kill", rasah, which means "murder". Therefore, the more correct translation of the commandment is "Thou Shalt Not Murder". This is the justification for the "just war" passage in the Old Testament, and was clearly understood by the Hebrews of those times. The problem comes when the Hebrew words are shoehorned to fit our English dictionary, which is where confusion has come from.

The commandment deals with murdering someone out of bloodlust, or greed, or desire. The commandment does not regard killing in self defense, or killing accidentally (such as reckless driver who kills someone behind the wheel). The more pertinent question to the "is capital punishment justifiable" is not found in the Ten Commandments, but rather, if man has the absolute right to pass physical judgment on another man. Of course, no one bothers to examine the issue from this perspective, hardly, but there ya go.

[Blouman Empire]

The irony of this law being delivered via a murderer was always something of an amusement to me.

Moses?

[The People of George]

You can justify pretty much anything by appeal to scripture.

Get caught doing something naughty? Find the right verse, and that's okay - you were serving a higher power.

Umm, can one not do this with anything? "Oh, it's ok that I conquered that city, and burned it to the ground, slaughtering every citizen... Genghis did it, and he's remembered in the annals of history."

So, your point seems a bit too general as it relates to this context specifically.

"I do it because the Mongols did it" isn't half as good as an excuse as "God Told Me" (or the other favourite, "the Devil Made Me Do It").

People have their own free will, the devil may tempt you to do something but ultimately it is up to you to follow through...and when people say "God told me" if it doesn't line up with with the Word says then they didn't hear it from God.

People say that 'god' and 'the devil' told them to do things for exactly the saem reason - it's easy to blame someone who isn't there to call you a liar.

And what i am saying is Christians who do that as a scape goat are wrong...

[The Black Forrest]

They're not morals; more like guide lines