The Two Sides

[Trish]

But why is it the right thing to do?

Because we're all human, we all feel and hurt. We can hopefully empathize or sympathize with others through our compassion and life experiences.

Although I admit I am not forgiving when it comes to someone intentionally hurting me or a loved one.

[Mister D]

Yes, and because it's the right thing to do.

Right and wrong have no meaning in your world. That's not an attack. It's just the logical conclusion of your own belief system.

[Ethereal]

Because we're all human, we all feel and hurt. We can hopefully empathize or sympathize with others through our compassion and life experiences.

Although I admit I am not forgiving when it comes to someone intentionally hurting me or a loved one.

But some people do not empathize with others. For some people, feeling good means hurting others. So what makes them wrong and you right?

[Mister D]

I disagree. What I decide to do or not do is based on my life code. It makes ME feel good to help someone else or to say a kind word to another person. I don't do it because "God" is watching and I may not get into heaven. To me, that is simply bogus. I don't need an audience to applaud me or thank me when I do something good.

My perception of religion and religious people is that they do acts of kindness for several reasons. 1) to be recognized for that act. 2) to get a tax break.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding your point.

You're right. It is bogus but I don't know anyone who believes that. Christians believe that men were created by God. That entails purpose and order in the world. It means that men have a nature as created beings. It flows logically from there and from holy Scripture that we are to conform to that order.

[Mister D]

That's part and parcel of St. Paul's anthropology.

[Trish]

But some people do not empathize with others. For some people, feeling good means hurting others. So what makes them wrong and you right?

Moral compass. That's why most people don't commit murder or rape. It's commonly understood and accepted that it's wrong to commit these acts.

[Mister D]

Moral compass. That's why most people don't commit murder or rape. It's commonly understood and accepted that it's wrong to commit these acts.

But a moral compass doesn't correspond to reality in your scenario. There cannot be a "right thing to do" if right and wrong are merely human conceptions.

[Ethereal]

Moral compass.

What's a moral compass?

That's why most people don't commit murder or rape. It's commonly understood and accepted that it's wrong to commit these acts.

So right and wrong are determined by what "most people" do or do not do?

[Mister D]

There are exceedingly few true atheists. Most of the "atheists" I have encountered cling to theistic concepts minus the theism which simply doesn't work.

[Mister D]

Logically, that is.