The Irrational Atheist

WorldNetDaily ^ | 11/17/03 | Vox Day

[tpaine]

Some form of the 'golden rule' has been found in all societies that have written or oral traditions. It is a rational part of human nature, learned at infancy..

"Don't bite the teat that feeds you".

[Tribune7]

Perhaps I'm mistaken, but in any of the cases, the reason to obey seems to be that it is the most profitable choice for the believer.

If you're asking for a reason to do something it's obviously going to be answered with a suggested benefit.

Is that any different from the utilitarianism that forms the foundation of athiest ethics, as the author of the article claims?

Yes, it's different. It may not seem so, however, if you only look at the similarities -- namely that both systems make claims that specified behavior is beneficial. The difference is that the utilitarian benefits are solely material and temporal, whereas the Christian ones are spiritual and eternal.

[Hank Kerchief]

Well, I know of one group of atheists ... You're baiting people ...

See Post #22 and Post #67.

Then come back and accuse me, if you like.

Hank

[Tribune7]

"Don't bite the teat that feeds you".

That's not the Golden Rule.

[tpaine]

What is? Give us your wisdom.

[Tribune7]

Do to others as you'd have them do to you.

[Doctor Stochastic]

Do not do unto others as you would they should do unto you.
Their tastes may not be the same.

- George Bernard Shaw

[Tribune7]

Fabian socialists are always the enemy. :-)

[Alamo-Girl]

Out of curiosity, which pre-Christian ideologies supported the concept of "do unto others as you would have them do unto you" based on unfailing love - no matter what the others might say or do, consistently forgiving all such offenses as if they never happened?

[Tuba-Dude]

Although well written, the author has one fact wrong: the thinkers of the Age of Reason were primarily deists, not atheists. Big difference between the two.

[Jorge]

And atheist is simply someone who disbelieves what you claim to be true without proof. So you insult him publicly and claim he’s the “arrogant" one. Nice…

The atheist insistance that God does not exist is an insanely arrogant claim.

[tpaine]

"Don't bite the teat that feeds you."


"Do to others as you'd have them do to you."
-t7-


You'd have them [your nurse] do to you. [feed you]
Thus -- Do onto others [don't bite the nurses teats] as you'd have them feed you.

Are you always this dense, t7?

[Tribune7]

Welcome to Free Republic.

Now what about atheists and agnostics? We tend to rely on science and that which can be proven.

Science says it's impossible for life to come from non-life. How did life get here?

[tpaine]

Alamo-Girl wrote:
Out of curiosity, which pre-Christian ideologies supported the concept of "do unto others as you would have them do unto you" based on unfailing love - no matter what the others might say or do, consistently forgiving all such offenses as if they never happened?

---

Beats me sweetums. Hugs, and thanks for your lovely loaded questions.

[Tribune7]

You'd have them [your nurse] do to you. [feed you] Thus -- Do onto others [don't bite the nurses teats] as you'd have them feed you.

It means that your nurse should feed you -- even if there is no compensation or gain -- because she'd want someone to feed her if she were in your predicament.

Your view seems to be that the nurse shouldn't feed you -- the innocent baby -- unless she can be reasonably certain there is some material benefit to her.

Good night, Tom.

[little jeremiah]

Neither was Nietzsche.

Please justify this statement.

[Alamo-Girl]

You're quite welcome, tpaine! Thanks for the response. Hugs!

[Tribune7]

Out of curiosity, which pre-Christian ideologies supported the concept of "do unto others as you would have them do unto you" based on unfailing love - no matter what the others might say or do, consistently forgiving all such offenses as if they never happened?

That was a lovely loaded question. :-)

Good night, A-G.