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Pastimes : Let's Talk About Our Feelings!!! -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Ilaine who wrote (40589)	6/15/1999 6:25:00 PM
From: The Philosopher	Read Replies (4) \| Respond to of 108807

can an idea, unacted upon, be immoral? Now that is a really great question. This is the middle of the working day and so I have not time to treat this with the respect it deserves. But I simply HAVE to start a discussion on it. Because of time pressures and the absolute need to finish a declaration and file it before the end of the day and a client coming in less than an hour, this is a VERY PRELIMINARY NOT WELL THOUGHT OUT response, offered TO ENTICE DISCUSSION AND NOT TO PRESENT POSITIONS I AM NECESSARILY GOING TO SUPPORT OR DEFEND WHEN I GET MORE TIME TO THINK ABOUT IT!!!! [THE ABOVE IS A LEGAL DISCLAIMER, AND ANYONE NOT WILLING TO TREAT THE REMAINDER OF THE MESSAGE IN THESE TERMS SHOULD PUT THE SHRINK WRAP BACK ON THIS MESSAGE AND RETURN IT FOR A FULL REFUND. END DISCLAIMER AND LEGAL NOTICE] First, of course, you have to define immoral, which will take this thread about two hundred posts without reaching any conclusion, but will open up some very interesting ideas. But for my noting to Chuzz that I never quoted the Bible, I would quote the Bible on adultery in one's heart and say that for Biblical Christians, the answer is definitely yes. One can certainly sin in one's heart. Simply failing to love God is a sin all by itself, since it is disobedience to God's commandment. (But then, no self-respecting Biblical Christian would consider me any kind of Christian, Biblical or not, so that argument doesn't convince even me as a universal answer.) I'm not familiar enough with Judaism, Buddhism, etc. to know what they would say about the question. An ancillary question is whether an aethist can act immorally, and if so how. Those on this thread who avow aethism will, I am quite certain, say of course he or she can. But what does morality mean to an aethist? I will be intentionally provocative here and offer the thesis, for discussion, that a purely atheistic society can no morality or immorality. Provocative enough for you? I MUST go back to work, and so will address that this evening if I get time. Meanwhile, let the flames begin! ...... I trust that this won't come between us. Good heavens, whyever should it? (This came first in your message so I had it first in my response but then I thought your question was so good I wanted people to read it, and thought people might skim past the message if this were first, so I moved it to the end.)