Why don't Christians Kill their Children?

Zombrex · 14-12-2009 06:26PM

Joey the lips wrote: »

This is a poor notion after all jesus died on the cross to clense us of our sin.... So on a technacality he gave his life for us already. The bible also teaches us to preserve life.

The Bible teaches also that all adults are sinners and are destined for eternal suffering in hell unless they repent and accept Jesus which lets be honest an awful lot won't.

If you were a parent would you not worry that your child was gong to suffer for eternity? And would you not do something about that if you could, even if it meant that you wound up in hell?

Is your salvation in heaven more important than your children's?

Joey the lips · 14-12-2009 06:34PM

Wicknight wrote: »

The Bible teaches also that all adults are sinners and are destined for eternal suffering in hell unless they repent and accept Jesus which lets be honest an awful lot won't.

If you were a parent would you not worry that your child was gong to suffer for eternity? And would you not do something about that if you could, even if it meant that you wound up in hell?

Is your salvation in heaven more important than your children's?

True and interesting. But am still not convinced. Surely the greatest sin is to kill as it rates high so while techanically your saving the soul of the child you are sinning and then there is the "Gift of life aspect" For if this was reasonable then so would abortions and they clearly are not acceptable. Contraception would be acceptable as its prevention I can go on

The arguement kinda reminds me of pyramid selling. Sometimes its easy to convince the innocent that parting with 3k will yield 30k. This is clearly nonsense. Granted the bible can be though of the same but then again its a question of believing

Zombrex · 14-12-2009 06:41PM

Joey the lips wrote: »

Surely the greatest sin is to kill as it rates high

That is irrelevant isn't it. If you do this you already resign yourself to hell, God isn't going to send you to hell twice. And he isn't going to send your children to hell to punish you.

So again the question is why would you not do this if it insures your children go to heaven?

Joey the lips wrote: »

For if this was reasonable then so would abortions and they clearly are not acceptable.

Where do aborted babies end up after they die?

I think most Christians believe they end up in heaven don't they? I've yet to meet a Christian who thinks aborted babies end up in hell to punish the doctor who carried out the abortion.

Joey the lips wrote: »

The arguement kinda reminds me of pyramid selling. Sometimes its easy to convince the innocent that parting with 3k will yield 30k. This is clearly nonsense. Granted the bible can be though of the same but then again its a question of believing

But no one is kidding themselves that the person who kills the children is going to heaven. They aren't. They are going to hell

The question is why would you not sacrifice yourself for your children?

Would you not feel really guilty if you got in and they didn't, since you had it in your power to ensure they would?

Sam Vimes · 14-12-2009 06:55PM

Joey the lips wrote: »

Surely the greatest sin is to kill as it rates high

Actually no, christianity teaches that we are all sinners and that the wages of sin is death so all sins are equal in the eyes of god or at least the punishment is equal. The greatest sin is not believing that a Jewish guy raised from the dead 2000 years ago because believing that is the only way to avoid being eternally punished for all the other sins that you committed in your life, whether your sins are murdering someone, taking the Lord's name in vain or simply being born, what with original sin.

lmaopml · 14-12-2009 07:05PM

I find this thread increasingly odd. I think the reason is because the whole premise of this guys position and assumption here is that Christians go through life, love, loss etc etc and their entire focus or faith in God is wholly centred around whether they are going to heaven or hell..

..but this just isn't so for ( I think ) most of us...Yes, we live in 'hope' etc. but being a Christian is more than getting in the pearly gates...

It brings to mind a common prayer some of us would be familiar with that we say / sing ..the song of St. Francis.

Basically it starts off..

My God, I love thee not because I hope for heaven thereby, nor yet since they who love thee not must burn eternally....E'en so I love thee, and will love, and in they praise will sing...SOLEY because thou art my God, and my eternal king...SOLEY because thou art my God, and my eternal king.

also,

Make me a channel of your peace,
where there is hatred let me sow your love,
where there is injury your pardon Lord,
and where there's doubt, true faith in you...

O Master, grant that I may never seek,
so much to be consoled as to console,
to be understood, as to understand,
and to love, as to love with all my soul...

Anyway, I think PDN made the most valid point that makes the whole thread kind of moot. Our God doesn't want us to kill anybody, which is one of the huge reasons why we love him...He commands it....and the guy in the video has a strange and twisted idea of what Christianity is, how Christians think, and quite frankly - he gives me the Heeby Geebies on top of it...lol...

Anyway, carry on.....:)

Sam Vimes · 14-12-2009 07:08PM

lmaopml wrote: »

Anyway, I think PDN made the most valid point that makes the whole thread kind of moot. Our God doesn't want us to kill anybody, which is one of the huge reasons why we love him...He commands it....and the guy in the video has a strange and twisted idea of what Christianity is, how Christians think, and quite frankly - he gives me the Heeby Geebies on top of it...lol...

Yes your god commands that you not do a great many things that christians go ahead and do anyway because they're sinners and they do it for far less noble reasons than to save their children and other people's children from damnation. Really that argument can only be used by someone who has never committed any sin and for that matter was born without original sin.

So the question remains: Why wouldn't you sin if it would ensure eternal life for your children (and other peoples' children).

Turtwig · 14-12-2009 07:59PM

lmaopml wrote: »

Anyway, I think PDN made the most valid point that makes the whole thread kind of moot. Our God doesn't want us to kill anybody, which is one of the huge reasons why we love him...He commands it....and the guy in the video has a strange and twisted idea of what Christianity is, how Christians think, and quite frankly - he gives me the Heeby Geebies on top of it

I was quite surprised by PDN's response. Dismissing something offhand without examining it first is very dangerous route to travel. The thread title was provocative so maybe if I'd phrased the argument differently he'd have responded in a more open minded manner. Eitherway, the fact is that this is a difficult question for a Christian to logically answer.
Liamw, brought up the point that some Christians believe that we are all born sinners (I thought it was we are born with the capacity to sin). If they believe so then the argument is m00t, but it does call into question the perfect "justice" of God. All one has to do is consider the cases of new born defects that never become consciously aware - is it fair to condemn these to hell for all eternity because they never got the chance to even accept Jesus?

Anyways, Imaopml, he doesn't have a twisted idea on how Christians think. The reason why it seems twisted is because he tried to consider the various viewpoints a Christian could approach the problem with. Also, I'd highly recommend watching other videos that he made, it should be noted that he does his best to rip apart certain atheist arguments too. Basically he attempts to debunk anything that he thinks is logically invalid. More so, he has a beautiful tendency to address arguments that he, himself, made previously and add improvements to them be they inspired from criticisms made by other viewers, or his own analysis. My confidence is high that he will address this video again in future and consolidate the arguments within. Or who knows maybe even see the errors/misconceptions in his ways and tear them apart.

Sam Vimes · 14-12-2009 08:33PM

Malty_T wrote: »

Anyways, Imaopml, he doesn't have a twisted idea on how Christians think. The reason why it seems twisted is because he tried to consider the various viewpoints a Christian could approach the problem with.

I think you've got that slightly wrong Malty. Christians clearly don't think like that because they're, well, sane. The problem is that these sane people are following a religion that provides a perfectly logical path to doing something that is insane

Lmaopml correctly points out that christians don't believe their children and their neighbours children would be better off if they were killed before they got the chance to reject Christ and sin in general but that doesn't change the fact is that that is a logical conclusion from the teachings of christianity

A better way to put it would be that he doesn't have a twisted view of what christianity teaches, which is quite different to what people who call themselves christian believe

robindch · 14-12-2009 08:36PM

lmaopml wrote: »

Anyway, I think PDN made the most valid point that makes the whole thread kind of moot. Our God doesn't want us to kill anybody, which is one of the huge reasons why we love him...

Er, are you familiar with the (many) parts of the old testament where people are killed all over the place by the deity depicted in it? The book of Job, the plagues in Egypt etc, etc, etc?

lmaopml wrote: »

He commands it.

You think it's reasonable to love somebody because they command it?!

If it's a deistic command, then obviously free-will is violated (again).

robindch · 14-12-2009 08:37PM

Sam Vimes wrote: »

The problem is that these sane people are following a religion that provides a perfectly logical path to doing something that is insane.

Very well put.

Turtwig · 14-12-2009 09:01PM

Sam Vimes wrote: »

I think you've got that slightly wrong Malty. Christians clearly don't think like that because they're, well, sane. The problem is that these sane people are following a religion that provides a perfectly logical path to doing something that is insane

Thanks.
Now it's time to whip out that Weinberg quote again.

With or without religion, good people can behave well and bad people can do evil; but for good people to do evil—that takes religion.

mewso · 15-12-2009 12:23AM

The other question surely is if there is a good chance your children may end up in hell how will going to heaven equate to eternal happiness without your loved ones. Do they believe God will make them forget loved ones who didn't make it as it were so as to enable bliss forever more.

Of course the flip side is that as an Atheist I have to get used to the idea that my only time with loved ones is the here and now and after this life we will never meet again. Probably won't worry too much about it then though.

Obni · 15-12-2009 01:52AM

What a bizarre and pointless thread.

OK, so the mother mentioned in the video clip was either a tragically delusional person, driven to a commit an atrocious act by some misguided reasoning, or was a sociopath claiming her acts were those of a tragically delusional person....etc.
Either way, the distillation of her probable motives into a well presented but flawed bit of youtube sophistry neither adds nor subtracts from the likelihood that god exists. Why is this on A&A?

1. We live in a universe without a god to guide us, protect us or care for us.
2. As my children grow to adulthood, the likelihood is that they will experience the many struggles and pains we all encounter along the way.
3. Worst case scenario they die relatively young from a painful and drawn out illness.
4. Why risk such a dreadful fate? Why not just kill them now? With no eternal judgement to worry about for myself, it's even more attractive than the choice a christian would face sending their kids straight to heaven at the price of going to hell.

So, tell me why don't atheists kill their children?

Turtwig · 15-12-2009 02:21AM

The obvious answer would be that if the atheist agreed with your assessments then there would be nothing to stop him/her from using contraceptives and not having children in the first place.

Obni wrote: »

.
2. As my children grow to adulthood, the likelihood is that they will experience the many struggles and pains we all encounter along the way.

I disagree. In the present environment there is a high probability (assuming my financial situation remains somewhat decent) that the child will enjoy the experience of life as much as I have.
For the Christian, however, the longer the child lives the more prone it is to committing a sin. Hell, the child may even turn out non Christian.

3. Worst case scenario they die relatively young from a painful and drawn out illness.

If the situation were to arise whereby they had a disease that caused prolonged suffering and torment then I would not hesitate in assisting their suicide if they felt that was what they wanted to do.

Turtwig · 15-12-2009 02:24AM

Obni wrote: »

flawed bit of youtube sophistry neither adds nor subtracts from the likelihood that god exists.

Care to explain how exactly it is flawed? Personally I'll be glad if someone can show it to me, because right now I'm not seeing the flaw.:o

chozometroid · 15-12-2009 03:13AM

Sam Vimes wrote:

Actually no, christianity teaches that we are all sinners and that the wages of sin is death so all sins are equal in the eyes of god or at least the punishment is equal. The greatest sin is not believing that a Jewish guy raised from the dead 2000 years ago because believing that is the only way to avoid being eternally punished for all the other sins that you committed in your life, whether your sins are murdering someone, taking the Lord's name in vain or simply being born, what with original sin.

We are going to die because of sin. What is hard to grasp there? There is nothing contrary to reality there. We are fleshly, finite beings. We are going to face death. You are not going to live eternally unless you take on the nature of Christ. You shouldn't expect eternal life, so your efforts to make the "rules" look silly are wasted. Why whine about an opportunity you don't want to seize?

robindch wrote:

Er, are you familiar with the (many) parts of the old testament where people are killed all over the place by the deity depicted in it? The book of Job, the plagues in Egypt etc, etc, etc?

The enemies of God are killed in the Bible, sure. And? The book of Job is filled with the works of Satan, not God. God did not protect Job, that is all. You should appreciate this parental "hands off" approach.

To respond to the OP:

We can't do anything to "insure" our children go to heaven. Only God can allow someone into Paradise.

Also, pleasing God comes before wanting your immature offspring to go to heaven, not even knowing their Savior.
Condemning yourself to hell is condemning a life God created. God wants us all to choose Him. Disregarding His authority and trying to give your children a free pass is not an honorable thing to do. You are just as valuable as your children. You will never know what you did, and the "benefit" will never be seen, by anyone.
This is not logical, either. Who determines that it's better for ten children to go to heaven than one adult? It's not about quantity. God wants people to spend eternity with Him who actually WANT to spend eternity with Him. All that matters is that people have the choice, and make the choice. Killing everyone before they make that choice kinda ruins the whole purpose of why we are here.
This life is a refining process. We develop character, we are tried by fire, we fail, we succeed, and we develop a relationship with God. If we don't want to spend time with God now, there is no point in going to heaven.

Also, a related parable:

Matthew 18
12How think ye? if a man have a hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?
13And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.

And a last note:
I'm not so sure that babies automatically go to heaven. I don't see where the Bible says they will, or why they should. Perhaps it's not fair if they don't get to choose God, but in the end, it's a life God created. It can be ended without injustice being done. If you cease to exist, you don't know it. What can the baby say? "You created me, I lived for 4 months, and then I died. It's not fair that I'm not spending eternity in heaven."
What is not fair about it? A lot of people who are not even created will not get to spend eternity in heaven, either.

Matt 20:1-16
"For the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who was the master of a household, who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. He went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace. To them he said, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went their way. Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. About the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle. He said to them, ‘Why do you stand here all day idle?’ "They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ "He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and you will receive whatever is right.’ When evening had come, the lord of the vineyard said to his steward, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning from the last to the first.’ "When those who were hired at about the eleventh hour came, they each received a denarius. When the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise each received a denarius. When they received it, they murmured against the master of the household, saying, ‘These last have spent one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat!’ "But he answered one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Didn’t you agree with me for a denarius? Take that which is yours, and go your way. It is my desire to give to this last just as much as to you. Isn’t it lawful for me to do what I want to with what I own? Or is your eye evil, because I am good?’ So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few are chosen."

baalthor · 15-12-2009 03:17AM

mewso wrote: »

The other question surely is if there is a good chance your children may end up in hell how will going to heaven equate to eternal happiness without your loved ones. Do they believe God will make them forget loved ones who didn't make it as it were so as to enable bliss forever more.

I think the answer to that is: Being in heaven is the greatest buzz there can be (by definition), so not even knowing that the people you loved most on earth are now experiencing Gas Mark Googleplex in hell can detract from it.

Going in the opposite direction,some answers might be:

1. How old is you kid? If he/she is above the age of reason then there's no guarantee they might not also go to hell if you kill them.
You can't be 100% sure that your child hasn't committed a mortal sin or is really saved (depending on your tradition).
But if they have been baptised and are <7 then they should go to Heaven if you dispatch them (Catholic Theology anyway).

So you need to off your kid early which might lead to the question: Why have children at all?

2. You will spend the rest of you existence (eternity) in hell and knowing your kid is in heaven will be NO consolation since being in hell is the worst thing that can happen to you (by definition).

I'm sure this subject must have come up in the early days of Christianity (definitely heard of early Christians asking "Why not commit suicide and go straight to Heaven?" Maybe the Circumcellions?)

The Circumthingy guys were heretics; Augustine explains why suicide is not justified (Chapters 20-27)

The Catholic Encylopedia on infanticide - no mention of prevention of child going to hell as a reason...

GLaDOS · 15-12-2009 04:17AM

Lot of responses and I kinda skimmed through the last of them so apologies if I'm repeating somebodies point..

From a purely logical Christian point of view (which some might see as ironic

) it does seem to make sense, and his arguments are pretty good in that respect.

However, we are human, and as such I imagine most devout Christian parents have enough faith in their parenting skills (regardless of whether they actually are good parents) to bring them up as a faithful Christians and as such don't see the need to take such drastic action.

And, once again from a human point of view, you'd have to be a completely messed up in the head to bring yourself to be able to kill your children who you love (going by the logic implied in the question) even if you think it's for the best.

Also, I agree with PDN's point here:

As a parent I have more ambition for my child than that she simply makes it to heaven. She has the potential to be a preacher and lead others to Christ, she has the potential to discover a cure for cancer or for AIDS.

No emotionally healthy person wouldn't want to see their child flourish and help other people.

So yes, it makes logical sense from the point of view that reaching heaven is the most important thing possible, but very few people are 100% logical (not even us atheists/agnostics

) And those who are, are probably sociopaths or worse..

Sam Vimes · 15-12-2009 09:04AM

chozometroid wrote: »

We are going to die because of sin. What is hard to grasp there? There is nothing contrary to reality there. We are fleshly, finite beings. We are going to face death. You are not going to live eternally unless you take on the nature of Christ. You shouldn't expect eternal life, so your efforts to make the "rules" look silly are wasted. Why whine about an opportunity you don't want to seize?

A few weeks ago in the christianity forum I saw PDN describe christianity as a party, as in there's a party going on but you have to actually accept the invitation and show up

Well the way I look at the christianity I've shown up at the party but the lights are off and nobody's home and there's a note on the door that says "convince yourself there's a brilliant party going and act as if you're having a great time at it or I'll torture you for eternity"

And of course there are similar notes on every door on the road, all saying that I have to convince myself the party is actually going on at their house or I'll be similarly punished

Personally I'd rather just ignore all these threats and go back home and start my own party

Sam Vimes · 15-12-2009 09:36AM

ScienceNerd wrote: »

So yes, it makes logical sense from the point of view that reaching heaven is the most important thing possible, but very few people are 100% logical (not even us atheists/agnostics ) And those who are, are probably sociopaths or worse..

So what you're saying is that even though the teachings of christianity make it so that killing your children makes perfect sense, they don't do it essentially because their common sense overrules it. I wish the same could be said for so many other christian teachings

Zombrex · 15-12-2009 11:17AM

lmaopml wrote: »

I find this thread increasingly odd. I think the reason is because the whole premise of this guys position and assumption here is that Christians go through life, love, loss etc etc and their entire focus or faith in God is wholly centred around whether they are going to heaven or hell..

No it isn't

I find it increasingly odd that people cannot just discuss what this person is actually saying, rather than going off on tangents of other tenets of Christian belief that are easier to justify

This guys is saying that the odds that your children will wind up in hell suffering eternal torture greatly increase the older they get and thus are responsible for their own decisions.

This guy is asking why if you had the power to ensure that would not happen, that your children would not end up in hell, would you not take it?

It is not the premise that you would want to get your children to heaven as quickly as possible skipping out all this Earthly stuff, rather the premise that you would want to ensure your children do not end up in hell.

I think the fact that a few posters are trying to make this about heaven when it is really about the horrors of hell, demonstrates that the point has hit a nerve.

lmaopml wrote: »

Anyway, I think PDN made the most valid point that makes the whole thread kind of moot. Our God doesn't want us to kill anybody, which is one of the huge reasons why we love him...He commands it....and the guy in the video has a strange and twisted idea of what Christianity is, how Christians think, and quite frankly - he gives me the Heeby Geebies on top of it...lol...

Again that is another deflection from the point.

This guys isn't suggesting that God wants you to kill your children. He doesn't want you to and will condemn you to hell for doing so. He is asking why would you not kill your children anyway if it ensures that they do not go to hell?

You will certainly end up in hell, but isn't that a worthy price to pay in order to ensure your children don't. Or is your place in heaven more important than your children's place?

liamw · 15-12-2009 11:22AM

Sam Vimes wrote: »

So what you're saying is that even though the teachings of christianity make it so that killing your children makes perfect sense, they don't do it essentially because their common sense overrules it. I wish the same could be said for so many other christian teachings

Technically it doesn't though because of the fact you're born a sinner. To summarize, Christianity is messed up. Every Christian seems to have their own interpretation of it. They dismiss and accept certain parts of it willy nilly (example: lmaopml with her hallucinations), slavery - out, kill children - out, be generous - in, love thy neighbour - in.

What really bugs me about it all is the fact they don't realise that they're picking and choosing all the time and at the end of it all they end up with a set of core principles that are just like the athiest's!

The reason I'm on this forum is to try and understand what's going through the head of a religious person. Trying to find some logic in their belief. But I can't find any.. it's baffling

pH · 15-12-2009 11:25AM

Wicknight wrote: »

You will certainly end up in hell, but isn't that a worthy price to pay in order to ensure your children don't. Or is your place in heaven more important than your children's place?

I don't think that Christians actually believe this, most believe that God will forgive them anything (except maybe denying the Holy Ghost!), couple that with the fact that you slit your children's necks for good intentions and are suitably regretful and contrite, many Christians would believe that you could end up in heaven with your murdered kids.

Sam Vimes · 15-12-2009 12:00PM

pH wrote: »

I don't think that Christians actually believe this, most believe that God will forgive them anything (except maybe denying the Holy Ghost!),

That's true. Good works aren't what get you into heaven and evil deeds aren't what keep you out. The only thing that matters is that you pick their particular branch of bronze age mythology and believe it to be true over all others. Jesus died for your sins so you don't have to. So really there is no trade off here. You kill your children before they have a chance to do the only unforgivable act, reject Christ, and then God forgives you because you believe in Jesus. It's win-win.

On a separate note, let's forget about killing children for a minute and think about the children of people of other faiths. If I found out that, say, my next door neighbours were sexually abusing their child I would feel absolutely morally bound to do something about it. Short of walking in there with a baseball bat I would at the very least call the gardai and have the child taken away from that family and placed with a family that wouldn't abuse him. But what worse abuse can there possibly be than dooming your child to eternal torture by raising him in the wrong faith? This isn't like your own kids where you can do your best to raise them christian and possibly fail, these children have almost no chance as it's extremely rare for people to defect from the faith they were raised with.

So why don't christians feel duty bound to take the children of people of other faiths away and save their souls, as the church officals did for Edgardo Mortara? How can you look those children in the eye knowing that their parents have doomed them to eternal hell-fire?

MrPudding · 15-12-2009 12:17PM

Sam Vimes wrote: »

On a separate note, let's forget about killing children for a minute and think about the children of people of other faiths. If I found out that, say, my next door neighbours were sexually abusing their child I would feel absolutely morally bound to do something about it.

In the UK I believe it is a criminal offense to have knowlegde of the abuse of children and not report it. I am surprised it is not the same in Ireland.

MrP

cruizer101 · 15-12-2009 12:20PM

Why don't christians kill their children?

Because it is wrong to.

At the end of the day most christians have enough sense of morality not to follow a silly argument like this, they can believe in and worship a God but still use their own judgement as to what is truly wrong and right.

Panrich · 15-12-2009 12:21PM

MrPudding wrote: »

In the UK I believe it is a criminal offense to have knowlegde of the abuse of children and not report it. I am surprised it is not the same in Ireland.

MrP

I'm not.

Sam Vimes · 15-12-2009 12:26PM

cruizer101 wrote: »

Why don't christians kill their children?

Because it is wrong to.

At the end of the day most christians have enough sense of morality not to follow a silly argument like this, they can believe in and worship a God but still use their own judgement as to what is truly wrong and right.

That's pretty much what we're trying to get people to admit here. When it suits them they'll use the "it's wrong because god says so" type of arguments such as with abortion and homosexuality but when a christian teaching means it makes perfect sense to kill your children, suddenly their own judgement comes into play. They're all cafeteria christians to some extent if only they'd admit it, they're pretty much the same as atheists except we use our own judgement on a little bit more of it and say that the supernatural elements are unlikely to have happened

robindch · 15-12-2009 01:19PM

cruizer101 wrote: »

At the end of the day most christians have enough sense of morality not to follow a silly argument like this, they can believe in and worship a God but still use their own judgement as to what is truly wrong and right.

Which violates the general christian belief that their deity provides an absolute morality to which they're expected to adhere.

Zombrex · 15-12-2009 01:41PM

cruizer101 wrote: »

Why don't christians kill their children?

Because it is wrong to.

You wouldn't do something "wrong" to save your children from eternal torture?

Would you steal to save your child from suffering?

Would you lie to save your child from say the torture of a paedophile?

cruizer101 wrote: »

At the end of the day most christians have enough sense of morality not to follow a silly argument like this, they can believe in and worship a God but still use their own judgement as to what is truly wrong and right.

That is sort of the point. These concepts are not rational factual ideas. They are abstract comforting concepts. Heaven as a concept exists because most people are afraid of death and like the idea of continuing after you die.

Hell exists to stablises this idea (no such thing as a free lunch)

People tend not to take that idea as rational concepts. People treat them as seriously as they can to believe they are real and they will help them but not seriously enough that they start considering the factual ramifications of such concepts existing.

That is the whole point of such thought experiments, and why they get the backs of believers up so much. They know killing their children is wrong but they can't articulate why it is wrong within the framework of their children going straight to paradise once they kill them because they don't take the concept of paradise seriously enough that they would work this out.

Why don't Christians Kill their Children?

Comments