Does human life have value?

[lastcallhall]

Christians base right and wrong on the Bible and a belief that human life has value because we are all made in God's image and that alone makes everyone worth something. For this thread let's assume the Bible is not worth the paper it is printed on. Let's also assume that there is no God at all and when you die the lights go out, the music stops, and the party is over. That being said here are my questions and please remember that for this thread God does not exist.

1. What gives human life value? If we evolved from the same thing everything else did are humans worth more than anything else?

2. If human life has value, why?

3. Can a secular government enforce a murder law because the majority of people think it's wrong? Why or why not?

4. Last question if I did not think human life had any special value would I be justified in being an assassin to get as much money for myself in this life so I have as much fun as I can before I die?

[Filthy Tugboat]

Thanks for the answer, the one question I have from your reply is do you value human life more than an animal (any animal no one am I thinking of) and should punishments for killing either be the same or similar?

I personally think it depends on the situation, hunting for food - no. Hunting for fun - yes. Killing a rodent in your house - no. Killing your own or a neighbors pet - yes.

The reason I differentiate between pets is because you basically make a promise to care for that animal when you buy it, if you do not care for that animal then that is serious negligence and it should be punished severely.

[lastcallhall]

Thanks for the answer, the one question I have from your reply is do you value human life more than an animal (any animal no one am I thinking of) and should punishments for killing either be the same or similar?

I personally think it depends on the situation, hunting for food - no. Hunting for fun - yes. Killing a rodent in your house - no. Killing your own or a neighbors pet - yes.

The reason I differentiate between pets is because you basically make a promise to care for that animal when you buy it, if you do not care for that animal then that is serious negligence and it should be punished severely.

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I agree 100% any animals that we keep for pets that trust us for care and love and anyone that would do intentional harm to them should be a crime with big consequences.

[Choir Loft]

Christians base right and wrong on the Bible and a belief that human life has value because we are all made in God's image and that alone makes everyone worth something. For this thread let's assume the Bible is not worth the paper it is printed on. Let's also assume that there is no God at all and when you die the lights go out, the music stops, and the party is over. That being said here are my questions and please remember that for this thread God does not exist.

1. What gives human life value? If we evolved from the same thing everything else did are humans worth more than anything else?

2. If human life has value, why?

3. Can a secular government enforce a murder law because the majority of people think it's wrong? Why or why not?

4. Last question if I did not think human life had any special value would I be justified in being an assassin to get as much money for myself in this life so I have as much fun as I can before I die?

In the eyes of man, life is cheap and easily taken.

Only among those who possess wealth does the illusion of 'value' have meaning.

[#1 & #2]
The heathen know that murder and killing are merely actions justified by a goal.
The religious know that murder and killing are actions both sacred and profane, justified by God and man.

[#3]
"All governments ultimately rely on the consent of the governed."
Ludwig von Mises

[#4]
You equate murder with fun and profit? Obviously human life has little value for you. As I wrote earlier, human life has value only for the wealthy. Your statement reinforces that axiom.

The 'value' in human life is not that which humans grant or deny.
It is that value which is given by God, that which He has created.
He weighs its coming and going with unimaginable attention and consideration.

When men hold God's view of human life in little regard, their own is cheapened.

[lastcallhall]

You equate murder with fun and profit? Obviously human life has little value for you. As I wrote earlier, human life has value only for the wealthy. Your statement reinforces that axiom.

I do not hold the view of murder is fun or should be done for profit I was merely asking the question based on my post assumption that God did not exist at all. I want to know just based on a totally secular society does human life have value and why.

[Goat]

You equate murder with fun and profit? Obviously human life has little value for you. As I wrote earlier, human life has value only for the wealthy. Your statement reinforces that axiom.

I do not hold the view of murder is fun or should be done for profit I was merely asking the question based on my post assumption that God did not exist at all. I want to know just based on a totally secular society does human life have value and why.

Don't you know that Morality is a culturally conditioned response

That's one view.

Another view is that is that societies evolve to have reciprocal behavior. People value their own lives, and because of empathy, they will value others.. if those others are value them in return. It causes the society to be stable. Societies that are not stable do not survive.

[nygreenguy]

I want to know just based on a totally secular society does human life have value and why.

We, like nearly all other social animals, are born with a broad set of innate morals.

What you are really asking is if atheists value life. Well, do you see atheists out running around killing everything in sight? Do atheists talk about doing this? Do we talk about wanting to do this?

What about a religious society? I see lots of total disregard for life in religious circles. I see lots of pro-war, pro-death penalty, anti social welfare folks. I see actual actions from religious folk that show me they dont value human life.

What examples from atheists have you seen?

[lastcallhall]

What you are really asking is if atheists value life. Well, do you see atheists out running around killing everything in sight? Do atheists talk about doing this? Do we talk about wanting to do this?

What about a religious society? I see lots of total disregard for life in religious circles. I see lots of pro-war, pro-death penalty, anti social welfare folks. I see actual actions from religious folk that show me they dont value human life.

What examples from atheists have you seen?

Please don't take my question the wrong way on this I am not trying to say atheists are worse people or do not value human life. I just was having a conversation with someone who did not believe in God and he asked me why I value human life and I said because we are all made in the image of God and that one of the commandments is to not murder. I asked him the same question and he said he didn't know why he valued life.
I just wanted to know if you take God totally out of the equation what gives a human life value? No shots just in my mind a legitimate question.
There have been many in history that have murdered in the name of God and that is wrong but so did the USSR and China which are atheistic. There is evil in all walks of life.

[nygreenguy]

Please don't take my question the wrong way on this I am not trying to say atheists are worse people or do not value human life. I just was having a conversation with someone who did not believe in God and he asked me why I value human life and I said because we are all made in the image of God and that one of the commandments is to not murder. I asked him the same question and he said he didn't know why he valued life.

I didnt think you had any ill intent, I was just trying to take your statement to its logical conclusion.

I just wanted to know if you take God totally out of the equation what gives a human life value? No shots just in my mind a legitimate question.

Do you really think that the only reason you value life is because of religious reasons? How many things do you not do, because you know they may be wrong, that the bible doesnt even mention?

Think about being a kid. How many times do we disobey our parents by doing things they told us not to do? How many times did we skip doing our homework? Why did we do it? Well, we were just told not to. We didnt understand, we didnt care and we couldnt relate. When you are just told to do something, it doesnt matter unless there is either a punishment involved or you really understand why you shouldnt do something.

God telling you something in a book can not make you value life. Look at how many atheists out there do NOT go out killing because they dont value life.

Why is that?

It is innate in all of us. Every single one of us are born with many of our basic more engrained in us already.