The bible’s more coherent passages to have pretty strong claims about killing and enslaving people. But disregarding that, you’re probably right. That said, most people are not that creative. Those that are tend to wind up atheists.
The bible’s more coherent passages to have pretty strong claims about killing and enslaving people.
So God frowns upon your sin of mass murder, but you will have saved numerous souls from Hell. “Shut up and multiply,” I think the saying goes. It’s better still if you run a government, and can force conversion by the sword.
Incidentally, similar reasoning applies to infanticide if you believe that dead children go to heaven automatically. In fact, this one is probably a better bet, since small children are easier to take in a fight, and killing them will directly guarantee their salvation.
(I enjoy this topic more than is strictly proper.)
If you believe that god has the authority to define morality, than violating divine edict is immoral, regardless of your feelings on Hell. Although, that has serious problems, since divine commandments are internally contradictory...
The bible’s more coherent passages to have pretty strong claims about killing and enslaving people.
Yes, if you don’t genocide the heathens you can be sentenced to death. I think you are only allowed to enslave foreigners too. The New Testament has a somewhat less positive attitude to slaughter—on the other hand it also says “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” then goes on to say that you just have to repent after you sin. It wouldn’t be ethical to not slaughter all the heathens to preempt their breeding then repenting and feeling some shame about it. Kind of like with masturbation only it provides thousands of infinities of utility.
For a sufficiently fanatical believer the most moral act may be to genocide the heathens and then go to hell for it, thus sacrificing own eternity in order to save the heathens and their children from hell. Similar beliefs were held by the Romanian Iron guard movement (they were willing to go to hell to save their nation rather than the heathens but it’s still sort of impressive).
The bible’s more coherent passages to have pretty strong claims about killing and enslaving people. But disregarding that, you’re probably right. That said, most people are not that creative. Those that are tend to wind up atheists.
So God frowns upon your sin of mass murder, but you will have saved numerous souls from Hell. “Shut up and multiply,” I think the saying goes. It’s better still if you run a government, and can force conversion by the sword.
Incidentally, similar reasoning applies to infanticide if you believe that dead children go to heaven automatically. In fact, this one is probably a better bet, since small children are easier to take in a fight, and killing them will directly guarantee their salvation.
(I enjoy this topic more than is strictly proper.)
If you believe that god has the authority to define morality, than violating divine edict is immoral, regardless of your feelings on Hell. Although, that has serious problems, since divine commandments are internally contradictory...
That’s why some hold all humans are inherently and necessarily sinful.
Yes, if you don’t genocide the heathens you can be sentenced to death. I think you are only allowed to enslave foreigners too. The New Testament has a somewhat less positive attitude to slaughter—on the other hand it also says “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” then goes on to say that you just have to repent after you sin. It wouldn’t be ethical to not slaughter all the heathens to preempt their breeding then repenting and feeling some shame about it. Kind of like with masturbation only it provides thousands of infinities of utility.
For a sufficiently fanatical believer the most moral act may be to genocide the heathens and then go to hell for it, thus sacrificing own eternity in order to save the heathens and their children from hell. Similar beliefs were held by the Romanian Iron guard movement (they were willing to go to hell to save their nation rather than the heathens but it’s still sort of impressive).
Yes. They say killing unbelievers is a duty, and enslaving is allowed within limits (except when killing is mandatory).
They don’t say much about the need to evangelize and convert others, though.
But you can still go to heaven via faith. And even if you can’t, then you’re sacrificing your own salvation to save others, which is very moral.