Leaderboard

Wierwille: The Bible is my only rule of faith and practice. Interviewer: What does that mean?. Wierwille: It means I let the Bible dictate the way I conduct my life. Interviewer: What about adultery? Doesn't the Bible say adultery is wrong? Wierwille: Well, that's really "spiritual" adultery. Interviewer: Oh, I see. So, then, the rest of the morals in The Ten Commandments are really "spiritual" rules, as well. Like for instance, murder. It's not really murder, it's "spiritual" murder. Stealing isn't really stealing, it's "spiritual" stealing. Wierwille: Well, it doesn't really matter because the Ten Commandments weren't written to the people of today. Interviewer: But, aren't they part of the Bible? Wierwille: Yes. Interviewer: So, then, what's the point of saying the Bible is your only rule of faith and practice if, in fact, it's not?

morals are man-made? Really?!?! please provide some documentation to back up that philosophical assertion. personally i lean toward the christian idea [that does have a biblical basis] that man is made in the image and likeness of God Genesis 1: 26, 27 an image and likeness that man retained even after the Fall of man Genesis 9: 6; James 3: 9 the image and likeness of God in man - though now, like everything else tainted from the fall - still appears to function as a reflection of the Creator. This image perhaps being a template - a pattern cut after a design that mirrors the qualities of the Designer. Hence, the great challenge that Jesus put forth in Matthew 5:43-48, to love not only our neighbors but our enemies - setting an incredibly high standard of perfect love as our heavenly Father is perfect love. And this template seems to have an astounding self-diagnostic feature built in - - the conscience - which serves as an engine trouble light when the integrity of God's image is violated. If morals are man-made with the assumption that they express or teach a conception of right behavior - then who taught Adam such a code so that he felt guilt and shame after he disobeyed God in Genesis 3:8-12 ? i'm also inclined to think that the image and likeness of God is such an integral part of man by merely considering the common threads of morality that strike a similar cord in many cultures throughout history. Laws that prohibit stealing, murder, lying, adultery, etc. are common enough to suggest there's some ideal within man - an internal moral code, if you will. ~~ i think that was the strength of Paul's argument in Romans 2: 14 , 15 - that even though the Gentiles, who did not have the written Law as the Jews did - instinctively followed the things of the Law. imho, this passage makes a very strong case for the conscience of man being a moral template implanted by God Himself: Romans 2: 14, 15 NIV Indeed, when the Gentiles, 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, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness... ~~ As amazingly resilient as the conscience might seem to be - it can become severely damaged as shown in I Timothy 4: 1, 2, where it speaks of some abandoning the faith and following deceiving spirits and things taught by demons; such teachings coming through hypocritical liars whose consciences have been seared with a hot iron. ~~ edited in honor of Jiminy Cricket