Sunday, September 27, 2020

Morality Warrants Belief in God

Morality itself provides a rational warrant for bleief in God.

Argument:

(1) The normative nature of Moral Axioms is universally Recognized.

(2) Explanations must account for the universal imperative while preserving the normative aspect.

(3) Materialist explanations cannot preserve the normative aspect because they lack a basis for moral moral judgement (they can't supply a justification for the "ought").

(4) The concept of God provides the basis for Moral Judgement since God is omniscient, just, and compassionate.

(5) Therefore,since the concept of God provides the best explaination for the normative nature of moral axioms, and since we asssume the reality of the  we  we have a warrant for beief in God as a regulartoy concept.


Explanation:

Even though the mores may vary, all civilizations and cultures have a strong sense of moral outrage at gross injustice and a sense of fairness and desire for the right to win out. This seems like an innate sense. The real trick is not explaining how this innate sense came to be  but explaining it in such a way that we can still take it seriously as a normative value.

Materialistic and naturalistic explanations can easily explain how the need for the moral dimension arose from naturalistic sources but they cannot explain why we should take it seriously as moral.

The Apostle Paul tells us that there is a universal moral law written upon the human heart (Rm 2:6-14). We can see evidence of this universal law throughout the world. Now social science is quick to tell us that moral codes of all cultures differ throughout the world; some are so drastically different as to allow for multiple mirages, in some cultures gambling and even cheating each other are expected, and in a few cultures there doesn't seem to be any notion of right and wrong. But we shouldn't expect that all the moral codes of the world would be uniform just because there is a moral law. The evidence of a universal law is not seen in structured belief systems but in the humanity of humans. People in all cultures have concepts of right and wrong, even though they may attach different kinds of significance to them. There are a few cultures that are actually pathological examples, but in the main most people are capable of being good, exhibit a basic human compassion, and feel moral outrage at cruelty and injustice.

It is this sense of moral outrage and the ability to empathize and to feel compassion that marks the moral law best of all. In Nicaragua in the 1980s members of the contra army fighting the Sandinistas conducted a campaign of terror to prevent the people from supporting the revolutionary government. To enforce a sense of Terror they cut off the heads of little girls and put them on polls for all to see  [1] The modern equivalent is Issis. People are also repulsed by their doings. There is something about this act, regardless of our political affiliations which fills us with anger and revulsion; we want to say it is evil. Even those who believe that we must move beyond good and evil are hard pressed not to admit this sense of outrage and revulsion, yet if they had their way we would not be able to express anything more than a matter of taste about this incident for nothing is truly evil if there is no universal moral law.

Answering objections

(1) Genetic explanations only provide an understanding of behavior, they do not offer the basis of a moral dimension (trying to turn "is" into "ought").

(2) Social contract theory offers only relativism that can be changed or ignored in the shifting sands of social necessity and politics (this is both a practical issue and a matter of meta ethical theory).

(3) matters of feeling are merely matters of taste and should be ignored as subjective (the atheist dread of the subjective).

(4) God is possessed of a loving nature that makes the good a matter of rational on the part of the creator and his status as creator means he is more than qualified to be judge to translate te good  into moral values.

Notes

[1] Noam Chomsky, Turning the Tide:U.S. Intervention in Central America, South End Press; First Edition edition (July 1, 1999)
 



15 comments:

7th Stooge said...

According to 4), you're saying God is "translating the good into moral values." But you've also said that "God is love" and that 'love is the background of the moral law,' which would imply that God is less of a translator and more of an author. Are you saying that God is the good as well as being love?

Joseph Hinman (Metacrock) said...

yes of course God ordinated morality. The we exhibit that in our own way since we are made in God's image. Then God judges our adherence to it.

7th Stooge said...

It depends on what you mean by 'originate.' God creates the conditions in which the thought "Lying is wrong" can occur, but I don't think he makes lying wrong. Just like the way he creates the conditions in which the thought "1+1=2" can occur in our minds, but he doesn't make it true.

Joseph Hinman (Metacrock) said...

I don't think he sets up an arbitrary rule but he clearly establishes laws such as the 10 commandments. Does God think? I think he just knows he doesn't have to calculate as you or I do. But he must know what is antithetical to love, to his nature. I am sure he has some clear ideas about it.

Cuttlebones said...

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by
(1) Genetic explanations only provide an understanding of behavior, they do not offer the basis of a moral dimension (trying to turn "is" into "ought").
Surely if something promotes overall survival then we "ought" to do it?

Joseph Hinman (Metacrock) said...

That's not a moral reason. If survival is the only ought then murder might be a valid means of survival. Why is it immoral? If you think morality is just some made up idea to get people to do things that's pretty sick.

Cuttlebones said...

So what makes anything a "Moral reason"?
When survival is based on being part of a tribe then murder is not a valid means. At least within your tribe.
I don't know what you mean by "If you think morality is just some made up idea to get people to do things that's pretty sick." Where have I implied that it is made up?

Joseph Hinman (Metacrock) said...

my point was survival is not the only good. I spoke of the editorial you, not you yourself. If one think morality is just a made up idea. ect

Cuttlebones said...

I would suggest that survival is the ultimate good.
What is something moral that doesn't impact directly or indirectly upon survival?

Joseph Hinman (Metacrock) said...

Not necessarily. We must factor in quality of life, If eternal life is separation from God or cessation to exist then sacrifice this life for eternal life,

Cuttlebones said...

How is quality of life not related to survival? Just because it may be above the base level doesn't mean it isn't a factor. Not sure I understand your second point. Do you think there are Christian morals based on the possibility of eternal life?

Joseph Hinman (Metacrock) said...

suppose you must die to be faithful, then die, that's what I meant.

Joseph Hinman (Metacrock) said...

Do you think there are Christian morals based on the possibility of eternal life?

not sure what you mean?

Cuttlebones said...

I thought that was what you were pointing to when you mentioned separation from God.

Joseph Hinman (Metacrock) said...

We are not saved by doing good deeds or by holding right opinion, We are saved by God's grace through our seeking after communion with God. Morality is an out growth of the seeking via our desire to please God.