Question for people who get their morality from the Bible and think those of us who don't are "immorral"

Question

I don't get my morality from the Bible. So my question to those of you who do,

Do you require a book to tell you that killing is wrong?

The Bible authorizes slavery in Leviticus 25.44. Is God wrong?

The Bible teaches that when the law requires stoning, that the person who is without sin is to throw the first stone.

If there were an adulterous couple, or a homosexual couple for example, in my neighboorhood, could I use the Bible as my example of morality and bring them to the public square, and have my son, who is 3, and without sin, throw the first stone, and then have the rest of the village I am in throw stones?

There are places on Earth that still throw stones, at adulterors and homosexuals, predominantly these are Muslim countries, but shouldn't we be able to (those who follow the Bible) obey the rules that still permit stoneing also if we are in those countries?

Could I go to Iran and throw stones too?

Answer 1

God gave us a conscience.it is our sense of right and wrong.if you are not in God's will,your conscience will be polluted.as believers,our Bible guides us towards God's will in our lives.yes,we refine our conscience by reading his word.does a soldier go into battle by sword alone?never! marines go into battle by the spirit of a warrior!.what refines this spirit of warrior?rehearsing battle drills,studying technology found in what?,books of course.so,just like our conscience guides us,its our Bible that refines our conscience in direction with the will of God.
God Bless

Answer 2

Leviticus 25:44 is a Mosaical Law and NOT APPLICABLE in Christian Era.

The Bible NEVER teaches that when the law requires stoning, that the person who is without sin is to throw the first stone. If you are refering to JOHN 7:53-11 (specifically verse 7), sorry to disappoint you but these verses were added by tactless modern translators and not part of original scripture, thus not part of the bible NOR of Jesus' teachings.

But, YOU ARE RIGHT. You don't need a book to tell you that killing is wrong because God inscribed laws in the heart of man as written in Romans 2:11-15 specifically (verse 15).

Answer 3

1. The Bible itself tells you that you don't need a book to KNOW killing is wrong. The Bible tells you that right and wrong is written on your heart. You only have to ask yourself, "Would I like this done to me?"

2. Leviticus 25:44. You've read and mistranslated, and taken out of context. Leviticus 25 contains law on how to treat slaves and bondmen. "Slaves" in Biblical times were most often voluntary bondmen, i.e., servants. Yes, there were slaves also and the Bible tells you how to treat them along with the bondmen. Read and see for yourself: there is much fairness in this law, regardless of your personal feelings on whether slavery is right or wrong. It is not a matter of your preference for or against slavery, but whether God's Law treats with fairness those slaves you may have. This is the correct mindset when reading Law.

3. About stoning, you again misinterpret. Read Deuteronomy and you will see that Jewish Law sets up an administration of justice. It is NOT correct for people to simply pick up stones and start throwing. That is murder.

4. You misinterpret the story of Jesus and the prostitute. The crowd was ashamed because they realized that they were administering justice without authority. They would be murderers. Thereafter, Jesus tells the prostitute, "Go and sin no more." In other words, leave here and change, because you're neither legal in your activity nor safe. Your 3-year-old son would not be able to administer justice. Neither could Jesus, for He was without sin. Therefore, logically, HE should throw the first stone. Do you understand?

5. If Muslims administer justice as vigilantes, this is against God's Law. If you go to Iran and do this, you might do it legally according to the state, but not according to God. You have no authority to administer punishment. You only have authority to report offenses.

Answer 4

Great question. A verse in the Bible actually supports your point. It is Romans 2:14 which says:

"Indeed, when Gentiles (people without the biblical laws of God), who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, 15 since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them."

So, the point is that YES it is possible to have morality apart from the moral codes found in the Bible. The issue isn't whether or not people without biblical codes have morality. The issue is that all people, with or without the biblical codes, fail to live up to the morality that they have.

To go into a Christian perspective from this point would be to ask questions like "Is God holy?", "have all men offended God with their sinful behavior?" and "will there be final justice someday?" (i.e. will all of the horrific crimes and offenses of mankind face justice someday?). The fact that we believe in and even demand justice at times is an indication that the One who made us is Himself a just God.

There is a beautiful story in the Bible of a woman caught in adultry in the Gospel of John, chapter 8 (some Bibles exclude it because it's origin is quesitonable). And, in this passage the woman is about to be stoned for her "sin". Jesus challenges these very religious leaders by saying "let him who is without sin cast the first stone." I think this is a strong message to the Christian community not to be so freakin judgmental at times. It should also send strong message to everyone that true Christianity is not about being the moral policemen of the planet. It's about compassion, love and forgiveness. Something that all of us need more of it seems. Like Dion Warwick put it so many years ago . . . "what the world needs now is love."

Best wishes for success and happiness.

Hesed

Answer 5

Personally, I don't need a Book to tell me right from wrong. But, the bible helps reinforce that what my conscious tells me is correct. There are a lot of people in the past and also today who can not read. So, the Bible is not where they get all the answers. We get most of beliefs from our parents, they give us a basis and we build on that basis the rest of our lives.
Of course, if you wanted to you could bring sinners into the public square and have your 3 yr old throw stones at them but why would you? The 3 yr old doesn't understand all your concerns. Yes, you could go to Iran and throw stones if you so choose. But, again why would you. You are suppose to be enlightened enough to not need to do these violent acts
All this sounds a bit immature to me.

Granny


Granny

Answer 6

Morality was formed from the Bible. Yes, it took "Holiness" and the Bible to tell people that killing is wrong.

Slavery in those days, if you study further, was nothing more than employment. They were paid for their services.

The stoning "teaching" was not what you're supposed to do, but rather a lesson: no one is without sin.

Your 3 year old son is without sin, yes, but he is in no place to execute judgement, as the bible is also very big on earning your position. He's 3. He's not old enough to earn such a position.

Again with the stone issue: the point is, no one (maturely, & old enough to "know better") is without sin, thus, no one is in the position to throw the first stone.

Answer 7

First of all, I think you are talking to the wrong people to get such a bad impression of Christians. It seems as if you have had an experience with someone who made you resent Christians, or Christianity. Secondly, Christians don't use "a book" to tell them how to live. Most Christians turn to the bible for moral, hard, or deep questions, but it is to be seen as the word of God. If you can't get your question answered through the word of God alone, many turn to pastors. Sometimes the Bible doesn't make sense to me, i am a fairly new believer, but when it doesn't, i do question it. It is not wrong to have questions. I cannot answer the stoning question from a Biblical standpoint, but I can tell you that not one person is without sin, so no one would be able to throw any stone. Also, as far as adulterors, they are sinners like the rest of us, and in reference to homosexuals, i personally believe that if they are in a commited relationship, like a marrige, or a marrige, where it is allowed, i feel this is ok. Many Christians would disagree with me, but those are my personal views. I would suggest that maybe you find a nice chuch, or pastor to help you with these questions, and i will pray that you may be saved. I was a little while ago, and it is a free gift, that feels amazing, and is a miraclous experience. One last thing i would like to share with you is one of my favorite scriptures:"If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved" -Phillipians 4:13
If you would like to talk more, my e-mail is [e-mail]

Answer 8

Man you sound like a christian! Harp Harp Harp... Whine whine whine! Why are you so pre occupied with them? Youth catholic camp for boys perhaps?

Have you ever actually READ the bible? Or is everything you believe of it something someone else told you? From a preacher then to a college professor then to some athiestic or agnostic activist? Why don't you try actually READING the words and then you tell me where the "morality." in it lacks. You don't live in some white lodge, pure air, no swearing, Bio-dome where everyone is always cordial and wipe their as*ses with "The three seashells" if you know what I mean? "Tell me John Sparton what is a contradiction... We don't have them here in this utopia." Taco Bell anyone? (From the movie Demolition Man)

Tell me where in the bible, the inconsistencies and the contradictions are not right in line with everything a human being is. Your problem with God is you are more than likely a self proclaimed 'perfectionist' and if anything THAT is the myth in this day and age. I can tell you 100 things I feel is wrong with you using a 3 year old child to prove a point... a useless point by the way. How dare you attempt to downplay or discredit another mans belief system. Who in the hell do you think you are to say that people who get their 'morality from the bible or anywhere else are anything but right... FOR THEIR NEEDS AND LIVES. Keep your nonsence to yourself man. No one cares. If you really want attention, try putting on a dress and preaching your garbage on a street corner in thigh high stockings with your three year old in tow... If you're going to corrupt his little mind with your OPINION... DO it all out, do it right!

Answer 9

Actually Judaism and Islamic laws have stopped that practice a long time ago. It is the rebel groups that continue to follow old laws.
As far as the stories in the bible, they are just that, stories through the ages, that have been broken down and amended by the particular religions upper authorities.
As a christian, I guide my life by the commandments given to moses by god. After all, they do make sense.
I do believe in capital punishment, also in an eye for an eye. Those were the old ways. We as conscious human beings have evolved, and in that movement have created newer ways of punishment that aren't much better than stoning etc.
Each person must create their own code of ethics and moral, which are guided by some scripture.
I do believe that killing is wrong, no matter the beast, but yes I do eat meat. It is a twisted vicious cycle, unless you follow the laws of the Torah or the Q'uran.
I say, to each his own, as long as you do not hurt anyone else in your life process.

Answer 10

Sincere inquiry always takes place on the backdrop of peace. Freedom and peace must come first in such explorations. Inquiries made from such a place will always bring something "good" into the lives of those involved. In truth, such inquiries are acts of goodness itself.

On the other hand, if a line of inquiry has as its foundation a surging excitement for conflict and confrontation, that very action IS the division that breeds war and hate. There are no answers for questions asked from this interior state.

Why?

Because the questions secretly serve a dark purpose the questioner himself doesn't even realize. And the purpose? To pull as many people as possible into a "debate" that will do nothing except drain their energy through the pressure of negative, conflict-filled emotions.

Answer 11

The bible is a guideline for what is acceptable and unacceptable to God. We as peoples of countries and nations have adopted many of these laws into our own judicial systems. The new testament of the bible supercedes the laws of the old testament. It is a new covenant between God and his people. You can't quote me Leviticus because I will quote Jesus. "Love the lord your God with all of your heart, mind and strength and love your neighbor as yourself" About casting stones, you are looking for loopholes. Jesus meant that we as individuals should not be the judge, jury and executioner of others. There are courts for that now. Even in the time of Abraham there were appointed judges over the people. Jesus also said "Do not try to remove the speck from your brothers eye until you have removed the plank from your own eye" It goes along with the previous saying that we are all sinful and have no excuse to judge others according to ourselves. We can however point out what the bible says about righteous and unrighteous acts.