Ethical question posed to Christians

[kal-el]

I seen something like this on another forum a while back, I don't remember. Anyway, I asked 3 people at my job this question today, and I was shocked at some of the answers I got. Ok, Christians, suppose you open your bathroom door, and lo and behold, God himself is sitting by the bathtub, cuddling a 3 month old infant. Now he tells you that this infant will grow up and be responsible for millions of deaths. He tells you to drown the baby in the bathtub. What would you do?

[k-nug]

double post.

[reality101]

Even if we assume that this kind of scenario could happen, the answer to the question is NO -- as this 'God' would be a demonic spirit of some sort masquerading as God.

God would never ask of anyone to commit murder and break one of the commandments.

What about Abraham?? Didn't God command Abraham to slay his own son? Didn't he let him get as far as the knife is hand ready to murder his own son before sending an angel?

Even though he ended up not doing it, he probably had already resigned himself to the fact he would be killing his own son, therefore he had already committed the sin in his heart, also a sin, correct?

If God was all-knowing surely he would not have to go through this silly experiment to prove Abraham's loyalty. Was he just messing with Abraham? Sick...

I pointed that out in an earlier post to me it does not seem like somthing God would do either
which is why although i am catholic i very often question the reality of old testament

[McCulloch]

which is why although i am catholic i very often question the reality of old testament

Are you really a Roman Catholic? What else do you disagree with your church about?

[reality101]

which is why although i am catholic i very often question the reality of old testament

Are you really a Roman Catholic? What else do you disagree with your church about?

yes i am and i think thats about it
i find that most contridictions in the bible are old testament vs new testament and the old testament seems rather flawed to me like were it often says thing implying tat god makes mistakes when in reality i believe god is infoulable

[McCulloch]

which is why although i am catholic i very often question the reality of old testament

Are you really a Roman Catholic? What else do you disagree with your church about?

yes i am and i think thats about it
i find that most contradictions in the bible are old testament vs new testament and the old testament seems rather flawed to me like were it often says thing implying tat god makes mistakes when in reality i believe god is infoulable

Perhaps infallible.

So did God make a mistake when he inspired various Popes and other church officials to recognize the OT as divinely inspired scripture? You see, if you often question the reality of the OT, then you by extension question the validity of the church's teachings.

[reality101]

which is why although i am catholic i very often question the reality of old testament

Are you really a Roman Catholic? What else do you disagree with your church about?

yes i am and i think thats about it
i find that most contradictions in the bible are old testament vs new testament and the old testament seems rather flawed to me like were it often says thing implying tat god makes mistakes when in reality i believe god is infoulable

Perhaps infallible.

So did God make a mistake when he inspired various Popes and other church officials to recognize the OT as divinely inspired scripture? You see, if you often question the reality of the OT, then you by extension question the validity of the church's teachings.

but you could also take that a step further and ask if the holy pontiff truly has divine inspiration
im not saying He dosnt because i believe John Paul 2 was a incredible man and a messenger of God.
I got to ask my friend, a priest, about the contradictions in the old testament maybe he could clear it up n ill get bak to ya

[McCulloch]

but you could also take that a step further and ask if the holy pontiff truly has divine inspiration

You could. But if you denied it, then you would fit the Roman Catholic Church's definition of a heretic.

[graphicsguy]

I seen something like this on another forum a while back, I don't remember. Anyway, I asked 3 people at my job this question today, and I was shocked at some of the answers I got. Ok, Christians, suppose you open your bathroom door, and lo and behold, God himself is sitting by the bathtub, cuddling a 3 month old infant. Now he tells you that this infant will grow up and be responsible for millions of deaths. He tells you to drown the baby in the bathtub. What would you do?

To me, this scenario would imply that everyone is unavoidably bound to their fate. Let the kid live, millions die. Drown him, those millions live.

Far too simple in my opinion. Would it not make more sense to begin to question God as to WHY this kid will grow up to kill millions?

Is it 100% unavoidable?
Could a different environment/raising change the kids future?
Do I specifically have to be the one to drown the child?
Are those people going to die in a similar fashion anyway?
Will the child be directly responsible for their deaths?
How many lives might the child save because of those deaths?
Will he be a dictator that slaughters millions?
Will he be a revolutionist that brings down a regime?
Will he be a scientist that creates a devastating virus?

I don't know...I can't base an ethical decision based on zero knowledge.

[reality101]

I seen something like this on another forum a while back, I don't remember. Anyway, I asked 3 people at my job this question today, and I was shocked at some of the answers I got. Ok, Christians, suppose you open your bathroom door, and lo and behold, God himself is sitting by the bathtub, cuddling a 3 month old infant. Now he tells you that this infant will grow up and be responsible for millions of deaths. He tells you to drown the baby in the bathtub. What would you do?

To me, this scenario would imply that everyone is unavoidably bound to their fate. Let the kid live, millions die. Drown him, those millions live.

Far too simple in my opinion. Would it not make more sense to begin to question God as to WHY this kid will grow up to kill millions?

Is it 100% unavoidable?
Could a different environment/raising change the kids future?
Do I specifically have to be the one to drown the child?
Are those people going to die in a similar fashion anyway?
Will the child be directly responsible for their deaths?
How many lives might the child save because of those deaths?
Will he be a dictator that slaughters millions?
Will he be a revolutionist that brings down a regime?
Will he be a scientist that creates a devastating virus?

I don't know...I can't base an ethical decision based on zero knowledge.

whether it is unavoidable or not the answer is no, it is not your rite or responsibility because then your just as bad as that kid would be because killin 1 person is just as bad as killing 10 or a million
also what if you were that baby? would you want that person to kill you?
god said do unto other as you want them to do unto you

[graphicsguy]

whether it is unavoidable or not the answer is no, it is not your rite or responsibility because then your just as bad as that kid would be because killin 1 person is just as bad as killing 10 or a million

IF the situation is 100% unavoidable, IF the child is 100% destined to kill millions of INNOCENT people AND I HAVE to be the one to kill him, then I would do so. Otherwise, the deaths of millions is on my hands since the child was only doing what he was destined to do. I was his one and only chance to change his destiny.

also what if you were that baby? would you want that person to kill you?

If I was that baby, I would hope that I would be given the CHOICE to sacrifice myself or not.

god said do unto other as you want them to do unto you

God was the one giving me the choice to drown the baby in this hypothetical scenario. Like I said, I would ask a lot of questions first and ONLY if it was 100% unavoidable would I drown the kid.