Isn't a cop out that when a believer does something immoral, believers say he isn't a true (insert religion)

Question

While simultaneously pointing to any atheist monster (ie Stalin) and using it as proof of the lack of morality of atheists?

Answer 1

Hypocritical. Double standard. Sometimes I wonder if those Sunday School classes are really classes teach people to talk in circles.

Answer 2

That would depend on the individual in question. Some people honestly struggle with sin and temptation; a recovering alcoholic is a good example of this. Their faith may be genuine enough, but they haven't matured to a point of being "immune" to the temptation of alcohol, so they need more help in that area.

Some people, however, use religion as a facade to cover up their true intentions. Such posers CANNOT and SHOULD NOT be considered at all any kind of example of whatever faith they proclaim to embrace. It is really all an act! Osama bin Laden is a very good example of this, as are his cronies: they twist the message of their supposed faith into a reason to kill, and brain-wash their followers into non-thinking killing machines. Adolf Hitler did the same thing with Christianity; we still recall how THAT turned out.

The trick is to really know the basic tenants of whatever faith (or lack therof) is being touted or slandered. When you can easily point out that the monster in question is acting in violation of the basics of his "faith", it is easy to cry "FRAUD!", and more than proper to do so.

The problem with applying that measuring stick to athiests is the complete lack of "theology", for lack of a better term. Since, to an athiest, "there is no god", there can be no moral guidance, no right/wrong, no justice, other than whatever any man can create. The creates a moral vaccuum: anything goes, because nothing is "wrong". Whoever has power has the right. On a small scale this creates a personal moral ambiguity: why not lie, cheat, or steal if it is in one's best interest to do so? On a political stage it is a recipe for disaster. The more power the athiest has, the more might he/she can flex, the more it is in his/her best interest to sieze control of the population. THIS is the problem of athiestic governments. Whatever is in the best interest of the machine of governing MUST be done, and to hell with the governed. Since there is "no god" to call the governing powers into check, there is no reason to show compassion or mercy. Monsters like Stalin, while rare, seem to be the ultimate expression of such a philosophical ideal, and not merely the exception to the rule.

Answer 3

i've got self belief my faith is incredibly close to to the certainty, even though it isn't the genuine One. i've got self belief each faith has a bite of the certainty and if we could basically positioned our products at the same time, we would have peace in the international, tolerance in all stages and Love unfold international. We lack humbleness to comprehend that straightforward thought, that we in certainty are actually not the certainty holder... no one human beings is! we are different, we come from different cultures and we've different factors of view and that i've got self belief God meant it to be like that, so as that we study the thank you to advance with the modifications. If each physique in the international had the comparable thought, the comparable faith and the comparable perception, we would have not something to check. I admire all religions and that i see all people in each faith as a brother or a sister, member of the comparable kinfolk. the sole difference is that one chooses a different device to advance spiritually than mine, yet it incredibly is surely ok. Peace!

Answer 4

We are all still sinners and will do and say things that are not glorifying to God (true sin).

To state that someone is not a true (insert religion) is not something that I would use as an indicator of their beliefs.

I would go so far as to wonder if someone were a true believer of whatever way of worship that they have seemingly chosen to follow.
Thankfully, it is not up to me to decide anothers heart. That is the true question that you ask. It is not a cop out, we are told not to judge anothers heart, only their actions.

This is a very important lesson that seems to be taken out of context more frequently lately than it has been before.

God allows us to judge one anothers actions. He does not allow us to judge anothers heart.
If you are sinning outright and I see you doing this sin, its actually a sin for me to stand by and say and do nothing. I must confront you about this open and unrepentant sin. I cannot , however, tell you that you are going to hell for the payment of this sin, only God judges that one, and I am very thankful for that.

Answer 5

Yes! I've had it up to my eyeballs with that "no true Scotsman" fallacy, seriously. So irritating...

Not to mention that people like Stalin DIDN'T do any of the horrible things they did BECAUSE of atheism or in the NAME of atheism. They didn't give a flying f.uck what their victims believed or didn't believe. Their acts were for POWER, not to try and wipe out theism or anything like that. So even on another level those arguments fail miserably.

Answer 6

Stalin never committed his crimes against humanity because he wanted everyone to become an atheist. He never killed people in the name of atheism.

Yes, it is a cop out for believers to disavow fellowship with a former "true" or "real" christian just because his bad behavior has been exposed.

It seems to me that the definition of a "true" christian (aka "real" christian) is a self-proclaimed christian whose bad behavior has not yet been exposed.

Answer 7

Morals are the customs or mores of a culture. Morals change. What God has said is right and wrong doesn't change. When a person does what they know they shouldn't do, and continues doing it and saying that God has changed or that we need to be seeker friendly, etc. then they are saying that they don't believe what God has said, which leaves in doubt whether or not they truly believe what he has said about the way of righteousness, ie. faith.

Answer 8

Yes it is a cop out. But this is nothing new to believers who say the devil made them do it when they do something immoral. It was satans influence and they are in no way responsible for their actions.

Answer 9

Of course it's a cop-out. It's really just lazy thinking....but both sides are guilty of it.

The truth is, IMO, all believers of all religions do immoral things. And do them every day. Even icons like Mother Teresa and Ghandi and Billy Graham. There was only One who ever walked the earth that didn't.

Answer 10

Yes, it is. Especially since theists get their ideas from their "holy" books, while atheists are all individuals, and have no dogma. The only thing atheists have in common is that they believe in no gods.

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a = without
theism = belief in a god or gods

atheism = without belief in a god or gods