Atheos Dialogue: Morality Comes from God

Jesus & the Bible tell us what's right & wrong.

Select an ideal response for:

The Christian God is the source of human morality, without Him we would have no morals. Only through Him can we know goodness.

What would make you think that? You must be sheltered.

Non-Christian & pre-Christian cultures established moral codes. How did they know what was good?

Religions like Christianity poison everything.

How do you know that?

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God is good. Those with open hearts seek to know God.

God is dead.

Are there values that would be good whether or not God exists?

Hearts can't be open. Why don't you open your mind?

How is it possible to determine that God is good?

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Good is what God commands. Without Him there's no good.

No one so commanding could be good.

Is something good because God commands it? What if he commanded me to kill an innocent stranger?

So killing people who work on Sundays is good?

So good is defined by God's decree? That seems sort of arbitrary.

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Good is part of God's nature. He wouldn't give evil commands.

So God is not all-powerful & limited by his nature?

Does that mean God's power is limited by his nature? Is He unable to command evil?

So He can't command evil? Not so all-powerful after all, huh?

So I guess you reject most of the Old Testament, then?

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God is capable of anything, but He has supreme knowledge of what's good, infinitely superior to ours.

God is made up & made up things aren't capable of anything.

Then isn't it conceivable that humans could discover moral knowledge without relying on God?

Can God make a rock so heavy that He can't lift it?

Morality is something God 'knows?' Could you explain what you mean by that?

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Perhaps so, but we are limited in our knowledge so putting faith in God is the best strategy.

Maybe you are limited in your knowledge.

That strategy is doomed to fail.

How can someone be sure they are following the right God who has privileged access to the good?

How would I know my faith is in the right God?

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You'll know it in your heart.

Is heartburn a sign from God?

David Koresh knew it in his heart too.

Shouldn't we want a more open & trustworthy means of knowing what is moral?

Since we can't know what people feel in their hearts, shouldn't we study morality with more reliable means?

Select an ideal response for:

Perhaps. I have to leave now but I'll put some thought into what we've talked about..

Maybe you could pray that God convinces me of your terrible argument.

Thanks! So will I.

That's great. I will too.

Ha! I doubt it. Christians generally don't think.