THE ROBERT W. WHITAKER ARCHIVE

WHAT'S IN IT FOR ME? | 2005-07-02

Christian morality is an oxymoron.

If an animal learns that it will get food if it does one thing and a painful shock doing another, it will do the thing that gives it food. This is not morality.

Christianity offers the Big Payoff for being what it says is good and the ultimate pain for what it considers bad. This involves not the slightest hint of morality. If it is true, there is no morality involved.

"What must I do to be saved?" What must I do to enjoy eternal bliss and avoid eternal agony. This is a Pavlovian choice. To call it a morality is a joke.

Before you think I am siding with the atheists, let me add that most of the self-styled "practical thinkers" are exactly the same way.

I am a moral person. I do things because they are right. The Practical Person asks me what I get out of it.

I have paid a huge price in my life and have gotten nothing out of it personally. But I couldn't live any other way. Most of the pleasures people pay so dearly for don't impress me. I love to do good things for people. I love to spread ideas that help.

You might say I love power, real power, the ability to change things for what I consider the better. That is my reward.

I was talking to a multimillionaire on the phone and described what I was doing for the cause while I was moving. He sounded a little puzzled and said, "Well, if you enjoy it, fine."

Rich people enjoy big cars and boats. To me, having a boat is about the most boring thing in the world.

From any practical point of view I have wasted my talents. There was nothing in it for me.

From the Practical Person's point of view, there was nothing in it for me. From the Christian point of view, there was nothing in it for me.

But I AM me, and I'm glad I did it.

A moral person acts on his morality. That is very hard for anyone else to understand.

COMMENTS (4)

#1 Peter | 2005-07-03 02:02

Bob,

You confused two ideas.

One is morality, the other is justice.

Christianity requires moral behavior because it is the right thing to do. That is morality.

Christianity promises an appropriate reward to sin. That is justice.

For those who are unable to behave appropriately, eschatology promises punishment. I have met diagnosed sociopaths who claim they have constrained their behavior for that reason. They can constrain some of their behavior if there is the threat of consequences, such as jail time. Eternal damnation is another. (Although I speculate this works better with more marginal types.)

For those who do behave appropriately, divine justice brings confidence to their behavior.

I shouldn't have to say that by "Christianity," I don't mean the abortion (as you say) that many churches are.

I think this is simple enough.

#2 Derek | 2005-07-03 02:39

Bob-

You have to be the most interesting and faithful Christian I know of. I am thinking of converting...and I am atheist.

Respectfully,

Derek

#3 H.S. | 2005-07-03 13:48

Derek, have you thought enough to answer just what is it that you are "thinking of converting" to?

#4 Derek | 2005-07-03 15:12

Indeed I have. I am hesitant about aligning myself with any cause or group of people, much less one that involves contrasting what I consider to be logic or reason. It is just the time in my life where I should be doing something positive and meaningful rather than moping around about how there is so much 'wrong' in the world. I have met very few christians that have ever made any sense about their religion. The few exceptions are the ones that make me think differently Bob is one.

~Derek