Christians! : What would you do if....

What would you do if?

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Would you kill an innocent child if God demanded it of you?

No - but I would still be devoted to him
6
13%
Yes
14
30%
Yes - if it meant safe passage into heaven for me
0
No votes
No - and turn your back on God
27
57%
 
Total votes: 47

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VermilionUK
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Christians! : What would you do if....

Post #1

Post by VermilionUK »

Hypothetically speaking, and assuming God exists:
If you were demanded- by God - to kill an innocent child, would you do it?
When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth
- Sherlock Holmes -

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madfrog
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Post #81

Post by madfrog »

I have to say it: the story of Abraham disgusts me. I would, without question, take care of my family before submitting to some voice in my head. The fact that the Bible suggests that God would possibly tell someone to kill his own son is revolting enough in its own right, but the fact that Abraham's actions are portrayed in a good light is even more disturbing.

Christians do things every day than go against the word of the Bible. For example:
For if a wife will not cover her head, then she should cut her hair short. But since it is disgraceful for a wife to cut off her hair or shave her head, let her cover her head.
-1 Corinthians 11:6

I don't see very many women who keep their head covered.
You shall not round off the hair on your temples or mar the edges of your beard.
-Leviticus 19:27

Most religious men, even church leaders, shave.
Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.
-Third Commandment

People say "Oh, God," or "Jesus," etc. all the time.

If religious people are willing to break these small rules every day, what's to prevent them from standing up to moral atrocities such as murdering innocent young children?
‎"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don''t matter, and those who matter don''t mind." -Dr. Seuss

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Post #82

Post by Doogles »

VermilionUK wrote: Perhaps you would expand your answer to cover these points:
- The child has not done anything negative: ie: It has not sinned
- You are killing the child for no reason other than because God told you
- The child has been denied the chance of "real" physical life

Also, something that is puzzling me:
Why would you not say "no" to God's demands, what stops you from saying "no, I don't think the child deserves to die just because you demand it"?

But yes, an interesting mix of responses to the poll
I voted "yes." I base my answer on three theological premises. 1. no child, or adult, is innocent. 2. What is moral is what God does, nothing "above" or "beyond" God, which isn't possible. 3. YHWH would never ask someone to kill a child unless it worked out for the best in the end.

The whole point behind the Abraham/Isaac story is to underscore God's justice, not his desire for child sacrifice.

sarabellum

Hi....

Post #83

Post by sarabellum »

So far I've made it through my life without the need to kill any children.
I would like to continue the streak.
(even the really unpleasant children )

I think God needs to man up and do his own killing....
I will not lend my aid.....

Thou shall not murder!
Bad God!

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Re: Christians! : What would you do if....

Post #84

Post by EduChris »

VermilionUK wrote:Hypothetically speaking, and assuming God exists:
If you were demanded- by God - to kill an innocent child, would you do it?
Many muslims obviously are willing to kill innocent children because that is what they believe they are commanded to do in the Qur'an and by the example and teaching of Mohammad.

By contrast, the Christian New Testament makes it completely impossible for me to believe that God will command me to kill an innocent child. Therefore, your hypothetical makes absolutely no sense to me as a Christian.

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nygreenguy
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Re: Christians! : What would you do if....

Post #85

Post by nygreenguy »

EduChris wrote:
VermilionUK wrote:Hypothetically speaking, and assuming God exists:
If you were demanded- by God - to kill an innocent child, would you do it?
Many muslims obviously are willing to kill innocent children because that is what they believe they are commanded to do in the Qur'an and by the example and teaching of Mohammad.

By contrast, the Christian New Testament makes it completely impossible for me to believe that God will command me to kill an innocent child. Therefore, your hypothetical makes absolutely no sense to me as a Christian.
The christian new testament? So suddenly god changes his temperament? He had no problem asking Abraham to kill his son as a test.

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Re: Christians! : What would you do if....

Post #86

Post by Goat »

nygreenguy wrote:
EduChris wrote:
VermilionUK wrote:Hypothetically speaking, and assuming God exists:
If you were demanded- by God - to kill an innocent child, would you do it?
Many muslims obviously are willing to kill innocent children because that is what they believe they are commanded to do in the Qur'an and by the example and teaching of Mohammad.

By contrast, the Christian New Testament makes it completely impossible for me to believe that God will command me to kill an innocent child. Therefore, your hypothetical makes absolutely no sense to me as a Christian.
The christian new testament? So suddenly god changes his temperament? He had no problem asking Abraham to kill his son as a test.
It seems to me that God the father had no trouble killing his own son either.
“What do you think science is? There is nothing magical about science. It is simply a systematic way for carefully and thoroughly observing nature and using consistent logic to evaluate results. So which part of that exactly do you disagree with? Do you disagree with being thorough? Using careful observation? Being systematic? Or using consistent logic?�

Steven Novella

NMSquirrel

Post #87

Post by NMSquirrel »

dunno if this has been addressed..

I don't believe God would tell me to do anything against my nature..if i did hear God tell me to kill a child, i would automatically assume it was not God, but satan pretending to be God..

BUT

the underlying point, is a point i try to make alot..

what if God was proven a fact?
God created us with the ability to choose, would we lose our desire to choose ?
how long would it take God to get fed up with so many 'needy' humans, if he were to prove himself..

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Serpent Oracle
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Re: Christians! : What would you do if....

Post #88

Post by Serpent Oracle »

VermilionUK wrote:Hypothetically speaking, and assuming God exists:
If you were demanded- by God - to kill an innocent child, would you do it?
I am not a christian (although I was one once) so I probably shouldn't respond here...but I had to, apologies.

I was very disturbed but not too surprised to see a high percentage of Yes responses to the poll.

I could not tolerate the physical presence of someone who believes that they should murder (sacrifice) a child if God commands it.

That is irrelevant of course but I should point out that in my religious beliefs children are sacrosanct, human sacrifice (this is what we are discussing in reality) is an abomination that only a false God would demand.
To sacrifice a child to a godling would in my view be among the most 'evil' acts imaginable.

Anyway sorry about that...ahem...

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Serpent Oracle
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Post #89

Post by Serpent Oracle »

Pastor4Jesus wrote:
JoshC wrote:Milgram's study on obedience sheds a lot of light on this stuff.

26 out of 40 people administered a 450 volt (the maximum) shock to another person just because a figure of authority told them to. The rest went most of the way.
That's true and it didn't even take into account the sadistic nature of humans.

P4JC

It doesnt have anything to do with sadism, they don't need to take that into account.
The experiment reveals that most humans consider orders from a superior or authority to take presidence over their own will, to overrule their own moral and ethical standards.
Humans submit all to easily to an authority..and allow abominations like the Holocaust as perpetrated by the Nazis.
Humans submit to religous authority just as readily as they do to the secular as you have resplendidly demonstrated with your obvious choice of vote.

It is said that disobediance is the fountain of liberty and this infamous experiment shows why.
Some volunteers refused to administer high voltage shocks, a small number refused to administer any shock which was painful...it is these believers in their own personal values willing to disobey authority that make the changes to this world for the better.

I salute the disobediant and the rebellious, if their hearts and minds are one.

I tell those that would sacrifice a child, should God will it and somehow convey that wish to you, just to remember that even if God does tell you to do something so vile and heinious he would probably despise you for your own blind sycophantic-like readiness to submit your will and ignore everything your heart and soul might scream against anyway.
The God of abrahamic tradition is not a particularly easy God to understand...but we understand that he is at least intelligent, smart enough to know that asking someone to do something extremely traumatic that is against all instinct and reason is an act of torture...like making Bears dance....

The shining star of Lucifer is a beacon in the darkness.

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Re: Christians! : What would you do if....

Post #90

Post by Braveheart »

VermilionUK wrote:Hypothetically speaking, and assuming God exists:
If you were demanded- by God - to kill an innocent child, would you do it?
I'm going to say yes...because if God wanted me to kill an innocent child, it would, by Christian teaching, mean that most likely the baby would not go to heaven if it lived to manhood. So really, you would be saving this baby.
I am not afraid... I was born to do this.
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Peace if possible, truth at all costs.
Martin Luther

The Church of God she will not bend her knees
To the gods of this world though they promise her peace
She stands her ground
Stands firm on the Rock
Watch their walls tumble down when she lives out His love
Rich Mullins

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