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tweakabelle -> RE: Pope Says God is Behind the Big Bang (2/17/2011 8:08:15 PM)
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Here, very briefly, is another argument often presented by those who wish to argue for the proposition that existence of a God-entity is immoral in itself:
Humans are incapable of dealing with the Absolute. Throughout history the worst excesses have always been authorised by an ideology that is absolute in its self-righteousness, that is 100% convinced of its own righteousness.
This is the key element that the Stalins, Hitlers and Pol Pots share with the Inquisition and today's fundamentalists (of every hue). Whenever there is a claim that any given ideology is True, sooner or later some human will interpret this as authorising any action, no matter how barbarous, in the name of that ideology.
Consequently, humans need that essential element of doubt in order to save ourselves from ourselves. By removing that safety valve of doubt, asserting a God-entity ideology opens the way to inevitable butchery and is therefore best avoided.
Any ideology that asserts it is 100% true, the Absolute truth, is therefore immoral - it will inevitably authorise immoral behaviour.
Personally I have considerable sympathy for the argument though I remain hesitant to draw the conclusion outlined above. I find the assertion that Absolutist ideologies are best avoided entirely convincing, but I am not entirely persuaded that such ideologies are immoral in themselves.
I would prefer the term inherently dangerous to inherently immoral. I do admit to being fascinated and intrigued by the ins and outs of this, by the moral conundrums this discussion reveals. It could even be a moral dilemma of the first order itself! [:D]
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