Radorth

Amazing how the Christian kids, or all races, behave compared to the ones in secular schools. From reading this site, you might think they invented little games like "Slave Trader" or "Spanish Inquistion"

Strict rules. Sure consequences. Calling a sin a sin, while you love the sinner unconditionally. Plenty of forgiveness and mercy when the kid stops. Call it God's "velvet lined steel box." Works every time.

Rad

Philosoft

Unbelievable. Let me understand; you assert "Judeo-Christian culture" invented the behavioral norms that societies promote? That the civilizations that existed more than 2000 years ago contributed practically nothing to human social behavior? Do you have any idea of the obviously false implications this makes about pre-Christian society?
Hey, that's a great idea! I'll go tell scigirl her research is all for naught because we can't prove the evolutionary foundation for biological science. And you know, since prayer has been shown to have a measurable effect on the well-being of cancer patients, we probably should reconsider all the naturalistic medical science we're teaching. You might want to forego your kids' next MMR booster - I hear the science underlying that isn't proven either. :banghead:

Buffman

The fact is, most of behavioral norms are born of a Judeo-Christian culture, and we have gone to far in questioning them.

Let me see if I have this straight. Radorth has just inferred that every single culture/society/civilization that existed before, or since, the compilation of the Judeo-Christian Bible was/is behavorially abnormal if they didn't/don't practice "his" interpretation of the collective, Christian, wisdom of humankind that finds selective expression in those biblical writings.

Additionally, if anyone dares to question "his" interpretations then they have gone "too far." Is that correct?

If it is correct, then I wonder if Radorth can explain why only some of the biblical writings of ancient times were selected and declared, by mortals, to be divinely inspired? Further, I wonder if he can explain why not all self-declared Christian Sects accept the identical writings as divinely inspired? I even wonder if he knows which ones were declared to be "divinely" inspired...and why they were or weren't?

Toto

Remember, this was written some time ago, before the Supreme Court extended most of the Bill of Rights to the states through the 14th Amendment. It was attacking laws that have been repealed or abolished since then.

There used to be Blue Laws which forced stores to close on Sunday, and there are still laws prohibited alcohol sales on Sunday. There used to be state laws prohibiting blasphemy.

The big category of laws based on Christian morality are laws involving sexual conduct between consenting adults.

Toto

Rad - you and I live in Los Angeles. You know that those gangs who run the drug trade are not run by secular humanists - they are mostly from Catholic families, and they have a Catholic priest who continually defends them.

You also know that there are lots of Buddhists in LA, who are not a notable problem for the police. There are lots of well behaved Muslims. Your simplistic idea that all morality is Judeo-Christian does not jive with the facts.

braces_for_impact

Perhaps Rad can prove his assertions. How about a nice linear graph showing how "judeo/christian values" evolved into the laws and freedoms that are considered moral by the majority of people today.

Here's a nice starting point for you. Just begin with the various laws and freedoms listed in Leviticus

Philosoft

More than that, Radorth has asserted that said values originated in Judeo-Christian society. It wouldn't surprise me if versions of the values we have today were present in thousand-year old J-C society, but the assertion that the values themselves didn't exist until J-C society invented them is astonishing.

Radorth

I know some of them existed before, but I can show at least that a Christian virtually always set the highest and purest example of following them. Give me your examples and I'll give you mine, anytime. (We would have to move to the "morals" forum though I assume).

Anybody here know why the Roman blood-games came to an end?

No, it's not in the skeptics.org library. But then, neither is anything else I pointed out on my "Authentic Disciples" thread.

Rad

Mageth

I know some of them existed before, but I can show at least that a Christian virtually always set the highest and purest example of following them.

OK, show it.

Philosoft

I have no idea what you are asking for. Are you talking about individuals or societies? Do they have to be widely-held values? What if I said "pacifism"? Is that an acceptable value? Can you show me a Christian society that was "the highest and purest example"?

I foresee this line of questioning deteriorating rapidly. I don't think there's any possible way you can show what you claim you can show.