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Politics : Should God be replaced? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Solon who wrote (17310)	4/27/2004 5:26:06 PM
From: Greg or e	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 28931

"It saddens him (as it does many others) that fundamentalist fanatics cannot internalize a moral basis beyond "God is watching"." Ignoring the pejorative epithet for the moment, neither you or Dr Taylor has demonstrated a sufficient philosophical basis to ground the morality you have. I can certainly internalize a morality apart from God. I think it's up to you to demonstrate how that can be broadened into a rational system that is universal in scope. "the Buddhist framework for acceptable and good behavior is as democratic and universal as one could hope for in a universe that is composed of myriad life forms (and individuals within forms) competing for physical, social, and emotional resources as a matter of self interest--and (by logical necessity) from a relative and subjective perspective." Isn't that just begging the question of what is good and acceptable behavior? Self interest leads to self gratification unless temporary cooperation produced a more desirable outcome. Nevertheless as soon as it was advantageous to destroy your opponent, destruction would be the logical choice. "A common biology allows people to make similar laws and rules to encourage fair treatment and discourage mistreatment of one another." Biology would have the strong dominate the weak not grant them equal status. Where do you find "fair treatment" in biology? Biology's golden rule is Do unto others before they do unto you. It seems all you are left with is emotive exhortation to "do the right thing" without the ability to define what the "right thing" would be. "Oh, yet we trust that somehow good Will be the final end of ill, To pangs of nature, sins of will, Defects of doubt, and taints of blood;.... Who trusted God was love indeed And love Creation's final law-- Tho' Nature, red in tooth and claw With ravine, shriek'd against his creed-- Who loved, who suffer'd countless ills, Who battled for the True, the Just, Be blown about the desert dust, Or seal'd within the iron hills? No more? A monster then, a dream, A discord. Dragons of the prime, That tare each other in their slime, Were mellow music match'd with him. O life as futile, then, as frail! O for thy voice to soothe and bless! What hope of answer, or redress? Behind the veil, behind the veil." Tennyson