Erik Mesoy
Core Tester / Intern
Based on Perfection's famous thread, which I'n sure I don't need to point to...
The claim is generally phrased in one of these ways:
"There were no morals before <religion X>"
"Morality does not exist outside of <religion Y>
"All the evil and loss of morality in our society is directly tied to increased secularisation and the destruction of <religion Z>"
Sometimes evolution is mentioned too.
REFUTATION 1:
REFUTATION 2: The Abolition of Man by C.S. Lewis.
I'm lazy, go read it yourself, good night.
Oh, and I'm back here at CFC OT. I hope you like my posting frenzy. I'll probably be handing this thread over to someone else just as soon as I get bored with it; hopefully I can at least reduce the number of claims like the ones I listed above. Because they annoy me.
The claim is generally phrased in one of these ways:
"There were no morals before <religion X>"
"Morality does not exist outside of <religion Y>
"All the evil and loss of morality in our society is directly tied to increased secularisation and the destruction of <religion Z>"
Sometimes evolution is mentioned too.
REFUTATION 1:
(This particular Necronomicon is 3500-4500 years old.)The Book Of The Dead (chap. 10) said:Behold, I have come to thee, and I have brought maāt (i.e., truth, integrity) to thee. I have destroyed sin for thee. I have not sinned against men. I have not oppressed [my] kinsfolk. I have done no wrong in the place of truth. I have not known worthless folk. I have not wrought evil. I have not defrauded the oppressed one of his goods. I have not done the things that the gods abominate. I have not vilified a servant to his master. I have not caused pain. I have not let any man hunger. I have made no one to weep. I have not committed murder. I have not commanded any to commit murder for me. I have inflicted pain on no man. I have not defrauded the temples of their oblations. I have not purloined the cakes of the gods. I have not stolen the offerings to the spirits (i.e., the dead). I have not committed fornication. I have not polluted myself in the holy places of the god of my city. I have not diminished from the bushel. I did not take from or add to the acre-measure. I did not encroach on the fields [of others]. I have not added to the weights of the scales. I have not misread the pointer of the scales. I have not taken milk from the mouths of children. I have not driven cattle from their pastures. I have not snared the birds of the gods. I have not caught fish with fish of their kind. I have not stopped water [when it should flow]. I have not cut the dam of a canal. I have not extinguished a fire when it should burn. I have not altered the times of the chosen meat offerings. I have not turned away the cattle [intended for] offerings. I have not repulsed the god at his appearances. I am pure. I am pure. I am pure. I am pure...."
REFUTATION 2: The Abolition of Man by C.S. Lewis.
I'm lazy, go read it yourself, good night.
Oh, and I'm back here at CFC OT. I hope you like my posting frenzy. I'll probably be handing this thread over to someone else just as soon as I get bored with it; hopefully I can at least reduce the number of claims like the ones I listed above. Because they annoy me.