It's just psychological scarring
You’ll grow out of it.
Today it’s the tale of Abraham and Isaac. God tells Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, but only stops him in the nick of time and supplies a sheep instead. I’m sure Isaac was only psychologically scarred for a few decades. Anyway, because God told Abraham to do it, I’m sure it was all right. That’s why insane axe murderers just need to say that God made them to it, because then it’s all right.
“But God intervened before Abraham sacrificed Isaac,” said the judge suspecting some sort of sophistry.
“Very true, m’lud,” said the accused gravely, “but since you aren’t God, how can you predict God’s will?”
“That observation I cannot gainsay. But fortunately, God’s telling me to sentence you to life.”
“Bugger.”
Such situations reveal just how nonsensical religions are because if God is the source of morality, but directs people do behave unethically, then they have the ultimate sanction to do evil. (The action is unethical, but the consequence is beneficial.) In reality, though, it’s the powerful who decide when God is directing the action. Think of the Crusades, for example, and the power of the Catholic church throughout Europe before the Reformation. The Pope and the church hierarchy could claim that anyone who opposed them opposed the will of God just as the Protestants could claim that they were right and the Pope was the Antichrist because they were doing God’s will.
“But God intervened before Abraham sacrificed Isaac,” said the judge suspecting some sort of sophistry.
“Very true, m’lud,” said the accused gravely, “but since you aren’t God, how can you predict God’s will?”
“That observation I cannot gainsay. But fortunately, God’s telling me to sentence you to life.”
“Bugger.”
Such situations reveal just how nonsensical religions are because if God is the source of morality, but directs people do behave unethically, then they have the ultimate sanction to do evil. (The action is unethical, but the consequence is beneficial.) In reality, though, it’s the powerful who decide when God is directing the action. Think of the Crusades, for example, and the power of the Catholic church throughout Europe before the Reformation. The Pope and the church hierarchy could claim that anyone who opposed them opposed the will of God just as the Protestants could claim that they were right and the Pope was the Antichrist because they were doing God’s will.
He had to come calling some time. It’s the Good Samaritan.
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