avevale_intelligencer | I really need to be doing things...

...but I can't let this go. Someone (whom I won't name because I don't know if they want their LJ and FB identities linked) just quoted on Facebook:

"Morality is doing what is right no matter what you are told. Religon is doing whatever you are told no matter what is right."

As an example of the statement that sounds good without at any point touching on truth, I don't think that can be bettered, and it shows up how insidiously persuasive a nice jingly Wildean paradox can be--I almost found myself nodding sagely at it for a second. But good grief, morality is *all about* what we're told--morality is tribal. And as for the stupid, facile old canard about religion being mindless obedience, I don't even need to bother refuting that, do I? I'm sure I've done it before, anyway, and I haven't got the spare computer time right now.

So, let's compose some nice jingly Wildean paradoxes.

"Bacon and eggs are tasty without being healthy. Muesli is healthy without being tasty."

See how it works? You have a try. See how convincing you can make any old rubbish just by balancing two phrases one against the other.

I'll check back tonight. I may award points.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I've stated my position on religion many, many times in these pages, and I can't right now find a way of restating it that doesn't bore me rigid and won't get me into another godsawful argument. Give me a few days, and I'll try and have another go at it, but I suspect your preconceptions and mine are too widely separated for there to be any meeting of minds. I'll just say that I don't automatically look down with a sneer on people I never knew, and leave it at that.

"Serfs," by the way. They didn't make waves...

Well, according to one of the religious books a Son of God did actually calm the waves, or "keep the surfs under control" *g*.

:-)

I really need to be doing things...

Re: Morality V Religion

Re: Morality V Religion

Re: Morality V Religion