Atheists... a hypothetical question?

Question

A previous poster calls for action against Christians.

If there were a worldwide edict that all Christians must be executed or be put into concentration camps similar to the holocaust, would you hide one in your home to save his life? This would put your family at risk of similar punishment. What is your stand on this?

Sorry to wake you Fred

Answer 1

I hope so, but it's easy to say that now when you are not in the situation. I have asked myself that question regarding the real Holocaust, particularly as I am German and since my childhood I was somehow confronted with the question if I would have been better than the vast majority of Germans during the Nazi period (including my own grandparents) who did nothing to help Jews. The condition was the same in most Nazi-occupied or Nazi-allied countries, only few people risked their lives to save Jews.

I hope that I would have been among these few, but again, that is easy to say now. Now most people here say they would help, but if the situation was real and their life was really at risk, I think only few of them would really take that risk.

In any case, it would be the right thing to do, no matter if the people who would be singled out for being killed were Jews, Christians, Muslims, atheists, Buddhists or whatever. This should not make any difference. They would all equally deserve help in such a situation.

Answer 2

I most certainly would aid any Christian to escape execution. Nobody deserves to be placed into a concentration camp and then exterminated like a pest. No, not even fundamentalist Christians. I disagree with them over a question of belief, in no way do I want them dead. I might like for them to become atheists but they shouldn't be killed for their beliefs. That would go against the very moral code that I as a freethinking atheist have chosen to follow.

Answer 3

Of course I would try to save another human being.

I would point out, it is likely that another religious group, not atheists, would be the ones to issue such an edict. What you're describing is a new so-called "holy" war and just another reason why everyone, religious and non-religious, should resist extremism in their beliefs.

Whoever called for actions against Christians was either a loony or a troll.

Answer 4

I do not think I would put my family at risk to save just one life. It's an intersting ethical question, though.


It reminds me of the "trolley" question. There's a trolley rolling down some tracks, and a mad philosopher has tied five people to the tracks ahead of it. The brakes are dead. On the trolley with you is a fat man.
You can stop the trolley and save five lives by pushing the fat man overboard. Do you do this?

Then, suppose the same situation, but with no fat man. Instead, you can flip a switch to change the trolley's route. On the other route, the mad philosopher has tied a single man. Is it ethical to change the trolley's route to kill that one man instead of the five?

And what is the difference, morally speaking, between those two scenarios?

Answer 5

Yes I would just because they might be stupid does not mean that they are evil or should be punished for thinking differently from me. It might be a little self-serving, because if I did not do my best to save them then George Bush will be out after me next. The bottom line - yes I would put my life on the line for them.

Answer 6

Of course I would, I'd be fighting in the resistance!

Most (ie the vast majorityof ) atheists don't want and would be absolutely horrified by what you've suggested

Just as most (ie the vast majority of) christians don't want and would be absolutely horrified if it were suggested for atheists or other non christians

Answer 7

I should hope I would do so. I agree strongly with this quotation;

First they came for the Communists, and I didn’t speak up, because I wasn’t a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn’t speak up, because I wasn’t a Jew. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn’t speak up, because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time there was no one left to speak up for me.
Rev. Martin Niemoller, 1945

Answer 8

Just because one is an atheist does not mean that one is immoral. I'm sure there would be some atheists that would hide a Christian in their home.

Answer 9

That all depends. Personally I have no problem with most christians. If it were someone like Jerry Fallwell or any member of the Westboro baptist church, I'd be calling the gestapo myself!

Answer 10

I do not support the taking of human life, from conception to natural passive death.

I would provide any and all assistance I could to end any threat to human life, regardless of the cost to myself.