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

Post #91

Post by Goat »

Braveheart wrote:
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.
Me, coming from the Jewish tradition, I would say no. I would view it as a test of my common sense and of justice. There is the concept of 'wrestling with God', and I would see that as just another thing to disagree with him on..
“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

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

Post #92

Post by Braveheart »

Goat wrote:
Braveheart wrote:
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.


Me, coming from the Jewish tradition, I would say no. I would view it as a test of my common sense and of justice. There is the concept of 'wrestling with God', and I would see that as just another thing to disagree with him on..


There is also the chance that it's one of those Abraham sacrifices Isaac things, where God is going to, at the last minute, stop you.
I am not afraid... I was born to do this.
Joan of Arc :2gun:

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

Post #93

Post by Goat »

Braveheart wrote:
Goat wrote:
Braveheart wrote:
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.


Me, coming from the Jewish tradition, I would say no. I would view it as a test of my common sense and of justice. There is the concept of 'wrestling with God', and I would see that as just another thing to disagree with him on..


There is also the chance that it's one of those Abraham sacrifices Isaac things, where God is going to, at the last minute, stop you.
Well, the whole Issac thing was explained to me this way (mind you, this is just one way).

It wasn't just God testing Abraham, but Abraham was testing God. There is also the view point that Abraham put that Ram there, so he would have a sudden suitable sacrifice to substitute for his child.. ..
“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

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

Post #94

Post by Braveheart »

Goat wrote:
Braveheart wrote:
Goat wrote:
Braveheart wrote:
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.


Me, coming from the Jewish tradition, I would say no. I would view it as a test of my common sense and of justice. There is the concept of 'wrestling with God', and I would see that as just another thing to disagree with him on..


There is also the chance that it's one of those Abraham sacrifices Isaac things, where God is going to, at the last minute, stop you.


Well, the whole Issac thing was explained to me this way (mind you, this is just one way).

It wasn't just God testing Abraham, but Abraham was testing God. There is also the view point that Abraham put that Ram there, so he would have a sudden suitable sacrifice to substitute for his child.. ..


The usual argument is that God was testing Abraham's faith, since the bible tells us that. Abraham was like, bringin' the knife down baby! He was going to kill Isaac, his only son, to please God. Good choice. Don't want to get on the wrong side of God, oh my no. You see, God, "He is not a tame Lion." To quote Narnia.
I am not afraid... I was born to do this.
Joan of Arc :2gun:

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

Post #95

Post by Goat »

Braveheart wrote: The usual argument is that God was testing Abraham's faith, since the bible tells us that. Abraham was like, bringin' the knife down baby! He was going to kill Isaac, his only son, to please God. Good choice. Don't want to get on the wrong side of God, oh my no. You see, God, "He is not a tame Lion." To quote Narnia.
That is one.. and is the mainstream Christian. Ir is, however, just one of the many interpretations and arguments about it in the Jewish faith.

The Jewish attitude to God seems to be much different that the attitude of Christians.
“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

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Jake
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Post #96

Post by Jake »

If God was real and I was a Christian (which I would be because I wouldn't want to go to Hell), I would be forced by my own cowardice to kill the child to avoid Hell. However, if by "turning my back on God" I could somehow avoid Hell (even if I was banned from Heaven) or somehow overthrow God (for if he was the same god as from the Bible he would certainly be evil) I would not kill the child.

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Post #97

Post by Serpent Oracle »

*Looks at voting results*

36% of people who voted should be permanently incarcerated as they are clearly dangerous.

They also illustrate what is so dysfunctional about faith and how it erodes sanity and concience.

A message for all those Christians that voted yes...This is only one drop in the ocean of reasons to hate your beliefs and do all that is possible to limit their deletrious effects. ;)

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Jake
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Post #98

Post by Jake »

Exactly what Serpent Oracle said. My take on the issue is that if I actually had proof that God was telling me to do it, and there was no way I could resist him, I would do it. However, if it was just a voice in my head, I'd probably warn my family that I was suffering from delusions and that they should keep small children away from me. The problem is that when Christians hear the voice in their head, many of them don't act sensibly and see a doctor like an atheist would do.

I voted to turn my back on God, since I'm envisioning this happening when I'm still an atheist, in which case I would seek psychological treatment for my delusions.

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Post #99

Post by Serpent Oracle »

Jake wrote: I voted to turn my back on God, since I'm envisioning this happening when I'm still an atheist, in which case I would seek psychological treatment for my delusions.
Even if God does exist there is no reason to believe that the Christians have built a vision of God that remotely resembles Him/Her in character and/or nature.

I find it unlikely that the creator of a trillion worlds would be exactly as a group of bronze age talking Chimps describe Him/her to be from 'divine' revelation.

I imagine a number of other alien species have their own ideas about God should they be religious and theistic...and I am sure they would think the Christian God is nothing like how God actually is.

You don't have to travel to Alpha Centuri to see that difference of religious opinion...just get a fanatical Muslim and a zealot Christian in a room together.

When ancient man first constructed the monotheistic God of Abraham...he made God in his own image.

Petty, tyrannical, jealous, vengeful, murderous, genocidal and many other things.
Yawah is quite a horrendous character...a terrifying monster of a God...reveals a lot about the dark side of humanity.

The Christians and Muslims went one step further, they worship and or venerate dead humans as avatars of God, their intercessory to He who must be feared and obeyed.

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Jake
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Post #100

Post by Jake »

And the worst part is, some Christians realize this. They're just too entrapped in their delusions that they continue to worship God out of fear, because even if they are made to see he is evil, they can't be made to realize there is also no evidence for his existence.

People use the argument from popularity fallacy to say "Well...if God didn't exist, why do so many people believe in him?" But that raises the question, why do people buy into the insane beliefs of Scientology? Why do people believe in the gods of any of the other theistic religions? If people would just step back and look at the big picture, they would realize that Christianity is only one drop in the ocean of theism, and there's really no guarantee they're making the right choice in which god to follow.

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