Did Morality Exist Before The Christian Religion?

[Oscar Wao]

Yes, it did.

What's the point of the thread?

 

[Procrustes Stretched]

Yes, it did.

What's the point of the thread?

I was wondering if people actually have an awareness or knowledge of how old morality and democracy are. From statements people make, one would think American morality and democratic values are based on Christian or Judeo-Christian concepts. If those concepts predate Christianity and Judaism, maybe Americans need to reevaluate what it is they think they know.

 

[code1211]

Did morality exist before Christianity? Yes, it was reflected in the religion of the Hebrews.

Did democracy exist before America? Yes, our system is based on the one laid out by the Greeks.

As interpreted by those who accepted and appreciated English Common Law.

 

[code1211]

Did a REPUBLIC exist before the US? NOT a democracy? Yes. The Romans.

Did morality exist, religiously speaking? Yes, in Judaism, the world's oldest organized religion.

Are we just going to ignor the great religions of the East?

 

[Wry Catcher]

Did morality exist before the Christian religion---did the difference between right and wrong exist before the Bible?

It's Greek to me

If yes, how does this square with the idea that America is a Christian nation, founded upon Christianity?

and then there is this idea...

Did democracy exist before the United States of America?

If yes, what examples of democracy was American democracy based on? What were these democracies founded upon if they were founded pre-Christianity?

It's Greek to me

"It is not the Founding Fathers who established America as a Christian nation, but the conservatives of the 1950s – nearly two centuries after the fact." -National Prayer Day: The Myth of a Christian America

"The founding fathers did not intend this to be a Christian nation."

I don't know what the "founding fathers" wanted for us, my guess is that each individual had their own opinion (unlike today when most Americans have opinions prepared for them by talking heads).

 

[Procrustes Stretched]

Did morality exist before Christianity? Yes, it was reflected in the religion of the Hebrews.

Did democracy exist before America? Yes, our system is based on the one laid out by the Greeks.

As interpreted by those who accepted and appreciated English Common Law.

interpreted or understood?

 

[Procrustes Stretched]

Did morality exist before the Christian religion---did the difference between right and wrong exist before the Bible?

It's Greek to me

If yes, how does this square with the idea that America is a Christian nation, founded upon Christianity?

and then there is this idea...

Did democracy exist before the United States of America?

If yes, what examples of democracy was American democracy based on? What were these democracies founded upon if they were founded pre-Christianity?

It's Greek to me

"It is not the Founding Fathers who established America as a Christian nation, but the conservatives of the 1950s – nearly two centuries after the fact." -National Prayer Day: The Myth of a Christian America

"The founding fathers did not intend this to be a Christian nation."

I don't know what the "founding fathers" wanted for us, my guess is that each individual had their own opinion (unlike today when most Americans have opinions prepared for them by talking heads).

I think many of the founding fathers shared ideals with mostly small differences. There were extremists among them, but their views were tempered or locked out by committee.

What the founding fathers wanted for us is clear...they wrote about that. What is unclear is how they would judge us.

 

[Tom Clancy]

Did morality exist before the Christian religion---did the difference between right and wrong exist before the Bible?

It's Greek to me

If yes, how does this square with the idea that America is a Christian nation, founded upon Christianity?

and then there is this idea...

Did democracy exist before the United States of America?

If yes, what examples of democracy was American democracy based on? What were these democracies founded upon if they were founded pre-Christianity?

It's Greek to me

"It is not the Founding Fathers who established America as a Christian nation, but the conservatives of the 1950s – nearly two centuries after the fact." -National Prayer Day: The Myth of a Christian America

"The founding fathers did not intend this to be a Christian nation."

I don't know what the "founding fathers" wanted for us, my guess is that each individual had their own opinion (unlike today when most Americans have opinions prepared for them by talking heads).

Yep, and you're a Prime Example of that.

 

[Procrustes Stretched]

Did morality exist before the Christian religion---did the difference between right and wrong exist before the Bible?

It's Greek to me

If yes, how does this square with the idea that America is a Christian nation, founded upon Christianity?

and then there is this idea...

Did democracy exist before the United States of America?

If yes, what examples of democracy was American democracy based on? What were these democracies founded upon if they were founded pre-Christianity?

It's Greek to me

"It is not the Founding Fathers who established America as a Christian nation, but the conservatives of the 1950s – nearly two centuries after the fact." -National Prayer Day: The Myth of a Christian America

"The founding fathers did not intend this to be a Christian nation."

I don't know what the "founding fathers" wanted for us, my guess is that each individual had their own opinion (unlike today when most Americans have opinions prepared for them by talking heads).

Yep, and you're a Prime Example of that.

 

[Tom Clancy]

I don't know what the "founding fathers" wanted for us, my guess is that each individual had their own opinion (unlike today when most Americans have opinions prepared for them by talking heads).

Yep, and you're a Prime Example of that.

Dante, Dante..

no.

 

[code1211]

Did morality exist before Christianity? Yes, it was reflected in the religion of the Hebrews.

Did democracy exist before America? Yes, our system is based on the one laid out by the Greeks.

As interpreted by those who accepted and appreciated English Common Law.

interpreted or understood?

Probably both.

 

[ABikerSailor]

Did a REPUBLIC exist before the US? NOT a democracy? Yes. The Romans.

Did morality exist, religiously speaking? Yes, in Judaism, the world's oldest organized religion.

Are we just going to ignor the great religions of the East?

Well, if you're going to look at Buddhism, start around 6th or 4th century BCE.

If you're going to check into Confucianism, start 571-479 BCE.

Tao? Been around for more than two millennia.

All 3 religions were very moral. Buddhism taught right living via the noble 8 fold path. Confucianism taught justice and perfection. Tao taught right living by allowing others to follow their path, just as they should allow you to follow yours.

Yep. Morality has been around in many forms OTHER than Christianity for a lot longer.

 

[Procrustes Stretched]

Did a REPUBLIC exist before the US? NOT a democracy? Yes. The Romans.

Did morality exist, religiously speaking? Yes, in Judaism, the world's oldest organized religion.

Are we just going to ignor the great religions of the East?

Well, if you're going to look at Buddhism, start around 6th or 4th century BCE.

If you're going to check into Confucianism, start 571-479 BCE.

Tao? Been around for more than two millennia.

All 3 religions were very moral. Buddhism taught right living via the noble 8 fold path. Confucianism taught justice and perfection. Tao taught right living by allowing others to follow their path, just as they should allow you to follow yours.

Yep. Morality has been around in many forms OTHER than Christianity for a lot longer.

thank you



Do you think those older religions influenced Judaism/Christianity? Do we Americans owe our traditions to those who came before Israel and Rome?

 

[NYcarbineer]

Let's play ask a Founding Father!

Today's guest, Thomas Paine. Mr. Paine, what do you have to say about America being founded as a Christian Nation?

Paine: "The Christian religion is a parody on the worship of the sun, in which they put a man called Christ in the place of the sun, and pay him the adoration originally payed to the sun."

Okay!!! Thanks, Tom. Thanks for playing Ask a Founding Father!

 

[NYcarbineer]

Morality is prehistoric in origin.

 

[Si modo]

Dante loves to tell us that he has never heard of Greek history. Funny stuff.

 

[Procrustes Stretched]

Dante loves to tell us that he has never heard of Greek history. Funny stuff.

fuck off you driveby nitwit.

 

[Procrustes Stretched]

Let's play ask a Founding Father!

Today's guest, Thomas Paine. Mr. Paine, what do you have to say about America being founded as a Christian Nation?

Paine: "The Christian religion is a parody on the worship of the sun, in which they put a man called Christ in the place of the sun, and pay him the adoration originally payed to the sun."

Okay!!! Thanks, Tom. Thanks for playing Ask a Founding Father!

 

[Si modo]

Dante loves to tell us that he has never heard of Greek history. Funny stuff.

fuck off you driveby nitwit.

Irrespective of your sexual fantasies, you're advertizing that you've no knowledge of Greek history.

 

[Procrustes Stretched]

Dante loves to tell us that he has never heard of Greek history. Funny stuff.

fuck off you driveby nitwit.

Irrespective of your sexual fantasies, you're advertizing that you've no knowledge of Greek history.

really? hmmm...


okay.