Christianity, Judaism, and Islam all acknowledge the righteous pagans, who know the moral law through reason alone, rather than revelation
Most "Christians" I have met are righteous pagans. That is my understanding of the patchwork quilt we know as Christianity. This is particularly evident in the gnostic gospels.
If you are speaking to the scholarly arms of these belief systems, I can agree that in many cases the church leaders will acknowledge those you are calling "righteous pagans" as having a derived morality. I am also aware that there are huge numbers to represent the less tolerant opinion, that those outside of their belief system are no better than dogs. These teachers and soldiers of God exist in all these groups.
It is true of Christians, Jews, and Muslims, that God is beyond any representation
Again, this may be true at some levels of scholarship, but personal experience suggests that the walking talking smiting God of scripture is alive and well in the fancies of people everywhere. A short time ago I read of a preacher who was arguing the case that God had a human body, and that it was His fundamental nature. I could probably find it for you on the net if you like. He is not unique amongst the educated, and he is less so amongst the laity.
Since, as cited, the Rabbis understood there to be righteous non- Jews, and St. Paul understood there to be those non- Jews who had the moral law "written in the heart", the idea that morality is not specific to a particular revelation is widespread.
Is Paul a recognized scholar in the field of morality? Is this "written in the heart" attribution more authoritative than the far more poetic and moving words of many who worshipped the Great Manitou, Aakuluujjusi, Akycha, Isakakate, Ketchimanetowa, Wakan-Tanka, Maho Peneta, Napi--or hundreds of others??
Matters like sacrifice are cultic.
I'm sure you are aware of the nuances involved in defining "cult". Do you mean sacrifices such as God prescribed as a cure for leprosy as representative of "cultic", or do you perhaps refer to the symbolic rituals of drinking the blood of Jesus--or perhaps you are referring to practices of religious groups with less visibility and power? Do you approve of cultic practices?
I am merely saying that, since for theists the moral law is inherent in the nature of things
You have stated this before in different words. I also recall you stating on more than one occasion, that you were a theist. What then is your reason for believing that moral law "is inherent in the nature of things"? You have just seen an essay that explained moral codes and practices without resorting to mysticism. What knowledge do you have which makes it necessary or incumbent upon you to proffer the explanation stated above??
moral insight is available through reason, without recourse to revelation.
We are in entire agreement on this. |
