Explain: "An act is pious becuase the gods love it and the gods love an act because it is pious"?

Answer 1

Defining piety (and goodness too, for that matter) creates problems for most. Often, circular definitions are the result: an act is pious because the gods love it, and the gods love an act because it is pious, as you yourself cite. In this way, they end up mirroring a classic dialogue of Socrates: "Euthyfro".

In the dialogue, when Socrates asks what it is to be pious, Euthyfro answers that it is to do what the gods will. This proves to be an unsatisfactory answer, however, because of the consequences of that answer. If something is good ONLY because the gods say so, then there is no way for a person to determine by himself what is pious - only a god can say what that is. Likewise, it suggests that piousness and goodness are completely arbitrary - if the gods change their minds, then what's good today may be evil tomorrow. It would mean that there is no absolute morality of any kind.

On the other hand, if piety is NOT what just the gods love but is some remote, pre-existing quality then that creates problems too. A piety removed from the gods implies that gods of any kind are completely unnecessary for piety. Worse yet, it suggests that this quality of piety is the master and the gods are the servants in some ways - in other words if piety doesn't serve the gods, perhaps the gods are serving piety.

Further, if piety were some external quality - a standard that could be achieved - then it would have a description. We all know what it is to be strong or fast or intelligent. Why is it not equally clear exactly what is required to be pious? There are very few pious people who can describe the requirements of piety without reciting a long list of apparently unrelated things... which suggests that perhaps there IS no relationship between all these things.

These lines of inquiry leave Euthyfro (and most theists) in a catch-22 situation. Either morality is completely arbitrary, an indefinable characteristic is the ultimate authority instead of any god, or else god is just simply not completely good or pious.

Answer 2

If you are talking about gods (small 'g', not an ultimate God like that of Christianity) then there really is no good explanation. All you can say is that the statement in toto is untrue - either the gods follow the ultimate good (in which case the good is sovereign), or the good follows the gods arbitrary wishes and desires (in which case it does not deserve to be called "good"). This was a problem with many philosophers throughout the ages.

However, the Christian conception is that the act is pious not only because God loves it, but also because it is right - and this is only possible if God is the absolute definition of what right is. In other words, "good" and "God" are essentially interchangeable. Good is good because it follows or reflects God's character.

The people who have trouble with the concept are seeing the decisions made by the gods as being something arbitrary, something that the god could give or take. The Christian definition of God is not like that - He commands us to be good, not because He simply approves of goodness, but because he is Himself good. In other words, it's not an arbitrary decision, it's a real reflection of the way He really is.

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Answer 3

yet another definition of pious is a Godly act. to reply to your question, confident they are pious because of the fact they are seen by way of others as selfless acts, in in basic terms like Jehovah God.(Or Christ) enable me ask you a query? How generally do you notice humanist doing pious acts of kindness that are no longer self based? everybody may be sort for a 2nd yet pious acts are ones that decision for self sacrifice over a volume of time. Being pious is an characteristic of our nature. this sort of habit comes from a particular heart that desires to place others first. you detect this strategies-set maximum in Christian communities.

Answer 4

The religious actions of a person is loved by gods. Gods love actions done by people that are religious. Summary, be a good person and contribute well to the common good and you will be loved.

Answer 5

Circular reasoning is the best way for smallminded individuals to manipulate the masses! Think outside the box!

Answer 6

pious–adjective 1. having or showing a dutiful spirit of reverence for God or an earnest wish to fulfill religious obligations.

God love it because it ishowing true spirit, it shows true spirit because the gods love it