In a message dated 01/26/2001 12:29:46 PM Pacific Standard Time,
glenn.morton@btinternet.com writes:
<< >GM: No, you have precisely engaged in circular reasoning. YOu assume
> 1. Judaic ethics are the true and superior.
> 2. Babylonian theology didn't live up to judaic ethics
> 3. therefore Babylonian theology is inferior.
>
> You have assumed the conclusion--perfect circularity.
>
> PS: It is not circular reasoning. Instead of gods, lets us say the issue
is
>>From the standpoint of character (broadly ethics) which man is superior as
a
>husband? Suppose you say to a woman, You can have one of two husbands: One
>works half a day; the other works a whole day. One is capricious, the other
>repects a sense of fair play. One is scared to death of thunder and
>lightning; the other remains calm and in control. One relies on welfare
for
>food; the other sustains himself.
>
>Are you telling me that the woman would have to have a Judaic ethic; or she
>might just as soon choose the weak, capricious, scaredy-cat bum as the
>strong, just, self-controlled reliable man?
GM: This is a non-sequitur. In your claim that the Biblical theology is
superior, one must assume some standard of superiority. Your standard is
that theologies are better if they are most closely akin to the Judeo
Christian theology.
In your example above the woman will chose the industrious man ONLY if she
is using a standard that industrious men are next to heavenliness. But she
very well may decide that the guy is a geek, and she wants fun/good sex
rather than some boring clog in the corporate world. And I can assure you
from many years of observations, that women don't always chose the guy you
would have them choose. Often they want adventure, or think they can tame
the wild beast in the man or whatever. Or have you never heard of women
marrying the bum?
PS: I am accepting as a standard what most adult human beings would agree is
a standard of superiority: working all the time (vs. sleeping on the job);
treating people fairly (vs. capriciously); having self-control or bravery
(vs. being a scaredy cat); working for a living (vs depending on others when
you are perfectly capable). These are four differences between the biblical
account of God and the Babylonian gods; and, it does not take an assumption
of the truth of the Judaeo ethic to see that there is a superiority to the
biblical theology. Virtually, any adult in any culture at any time in history
would agree.
Just because a small minority of people are ignorant or emotionally messed up
enough to choose the worse of the two is irrelevant. It is just a matter of
time before their choice teaches them better.
Paul
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