For the love of Facebook
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Monday, September 12, 2011
Objective Morality
I'll take it you can't demonstrate that morals exist objectively.
But, you should make sure you differentiate between a "moral fact" as in "something that exists objectively, metaphysically in the absence of any consciousnesses" and "moral fact" as in "something we all (mostly) agree to". Good luck (chuckle...)
The problem is that we need to define terms. I would argue that there is no morality in the absence of any consciousness. When Christian theists say morality is objective, that is not what we mean. Objective Morality is independent of the human consciousness. It is objective with respect to those who live under it. It is true no matter the opinion of those living under it. As long as those who live under it decide what is right and wrong, then you have question as to what is right or wrong and who has the right to determine that. A "moral fact" dependent solely on what we agree on means nothing because we can't all agree - and never will. How do you know you are right and those you disagree with are wrong?
Without an objective standard, how do you know tell? Anderson is trying the old Atheist tactic to get out of the force of the moral argument for the existence of God by arguing that a morality that God is not subjected to is no absolute standard and morality without a consciousness is a logical contradiction. However this argument is truly silly. In order for morality to be objective for human being it merely has to be true independently of us. That morality is the standard by which we will be judged against by our maker whether or not we agree to be judged by that standard. That morality is based on God's character and by which He says. If we base morality on what most of us agree on then it's only relative with respect to one another.
Often times attempt to define morality apart from God lead to basing it one of four ideas or utilitarianism or some combination of them:
a. Beneficience
b. Non-Maleficience
c. Respect for Autonomy
d. Justice.
The problem is that even the most ardent skeptic admits his or her own finitude and being prone to making mistakes. Given this inescapable conclusion, why would anyone think they know what is best for any given person in any given situation? Or how would we know what justice is when often times we are merely blinded by our own self-interest? The "respect for autonomy" part really amuses me because where does it end and what does it mean? Does it end when one person's autonomy is misused to hurt others? Who decides when that is? What happens when you disagree?
It is an example of extreme hubris to think that just because we can't think of any reason why God would allow reality to work out as it has that there isn't a reason. That is arguing in the gaps of your ignorance. God is not subjected to Morality. How can you be limited by what you have decreed? There is no dilemma. here. IF there is a God then Morality is grounded in his consciousness. Without God, there is no consciousness in which to explain what Morality is or where it comes from. All we have is our own predilections and preferences without God. And who's to say yours are better than mine when we disagree? The fact that we will disagree on some points is a given.
Here is the bottom line: when I, as a Christian theist, argue that there exists a objective morality, based on God, I am not saying that God is limited or subjected to that standard. This is not saying that God can or does anything against that standard. God follows those standards because they are based on who God is. Anytime it seems like God has commanded anything that goes against that standard, one of two things is true: either we didn't understand the command or we don't understand the standard as well as we like to pretend we do. In addition, we need to keep in mind that the Bible is God's revelation of that standard. And looking into it there is more than enough about that standard that I would not have come up with on my own. And neither would you. I will discuss this more in an upcoming post about a study that suggests that when people think they are following God's commands, they are really only doing what they want to do.
A Defense of Antony Flew’s “There is a God” from his Own Letters | Athanatos Christian Apologetics Ministry
A Defense of Antony Flew’s “There is a God” from his Own Letters | Athanatos Christian Apologetics Ministry
Do Minorities Receive More College Scholarships? - Education - GOOD
Kantrowitz crunched data (PDF) from both the 2003-04 and 2007-08 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study, which showed that white students are 40 percent more likely to win private scholarships than non-white students. And Kantrowitz finds several college-specific scholarships only for white students, like UCLA's 66-year-old Werner Scott Scholarship, worth $4,000, which is "restricted to Caucasian students from Hawaii who are not of Polynesian blood."
Duh? If minority obtained more scholarships than white students, wouldn't it mean that there will be less white students in American universities than "minorities"? I would think so. However it's not. Strange. Read the whole article at the following link.
Do Minorities Receive More College Scholarships? - Education - GOOD
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Calvinistic Cartoons: Calvinists - You Should Love This!
Calvinistic Cartoons: Calvinists - You Should Love This!
John MacArthur Predicts Reversal of the Reformed Revival « Reformed Baptist Fellowship
What Are You Groping For?
What Are You Groping For
Faithful Thinkers: Video: God is Not The Source of Evil
I do not agree completely, but I've got to admit Geisler's and Ankerberg's answer does fit what a lot of people believe. The problem is that I don't think the Bible supports the answer. I think what it comes down is that God has allowed things to happen, things that we don't like and things that are also against his character, however God allowed it for reasons that are not clear to us now. Loving God means trusting Him even when we don't understand what he is doing now.
Faithful Thinkers: Video: God is Not The Source of Evil
Divine Commands Post 9/11 | MandM
Divine Commands Post 9/11 | MandM
Animators Help Families Retell the Stories of Loved Ones Lost in 9/11 - ComicsAlliance | Comic book culture, news, humor, commentary, and reviews
StoryCorps is an independent nonprofit whose mission is to provide Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs with the opportunity to record, share, and preserve the stories of our lives. Since 2003, StoryCorps has collected and archived more than 30,000 interviews from more than 60,000 participants. Each conversation is recorded on a free CD to share, and is preserved at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. StoryCorps is one of the largest oral history projects of its kind, and millions listen to our weekly broadcasts on NPR’s Morning Edition and on our Listen pages.
StoryCorps has taken some of those stories and animated them. Comics Alliance has posted 3 of them and I will post 2 of them here. You can see many of them on YouTube.
When Richie Pecorella met Karen Juday, she captured his heart and changed his life. They were engaged and living together in Brooklyn when Karen was killed in the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, where she worked as an administrative assistant. Here, Richie remembers Karen, his love and inspiration.
Directed by: The Rauch Brothers
Art Direction: The Rauch Brothers & Bill Wray
Animation: Tim Rauch
Producers: Mike Rauch, Lizzie Jacobs & Isaac Kestenbaum
On the morning of September 11th, Michael Trinidad called his ex-wife, Monique Ferrer, from the 103rd floor of the World Trade Center's North Tower to say goodbye. In the wake of his death, Monique tells the story of Michael's lasting legacy—the family they built together.
Directed by: The Rauch Brothers
Art Direction: Bill Wray
Producers: Lizzie Jacobs & Mike Rauch
Animation: Tim Rauch
Audio Produced by: Michael Garofalo
Animators Help Families Retell the Stories of Loved Ones Lost in 9/11 - ComicsAlliance | Comic book culture, news, humor, commentary, and reviews
I'm Glad We Didn't Have Facebook or Twitter on 9/11 - Technology - GOOD
That’s the real problem with attempting to make sense of 9/11 using social media: The former requires deep thought while the latter feeds on immediacy. Ten years and millions of articles after 9/11, we’re still trying to come to terms with what happened that day. We’re still sifting through the debris and our collective emotions in order to find whatever it is we lost, or to explain why things are the way they are now. I have a hard time believing 9/11 tweets or Facebook updates would have changed any of that for the better. And by now they’d be forgotten anyway, buried under 10 years of more shouting into the abyss.
Check out the whole article.
I'm Glad We Didn't Have Facebook or Twitter on 9/11 - Technology - GOOD
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Resources on the Problem of Evil - Apologetics 315
Resources on the Problem of Evil - Apologetics 315
Friday, September 9, 2011
Teacher's iPad Experiment Shows Possibilities for Classroom Technology - Education - GOOD
Teacher's iPad Experiment Shows Possibilities for Classroom Technology - Education - GOOD
President Obama: Pass This Jobs Bill (The Damn Is Implied) - The Snob Blog - Danielle Belton's The Black Snob
President Obama: Pass This *Damn* Jobs Bill (The Damn Is Implied) - The Snob Blog - Danielle Belton's The Black Snob
Obama to Congress: “Pass This Jobs Bill!”
Do Something! Obama's Five Main Proposals for Fixing the Jobs Crisis
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