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?

[MikeH]

Thankyou for your answer Ncik666. Yes, quite a few Christians at my place of employment answered yes, which I believe is a scary thought. What if you have a dream and you actually think that God is talking to you telling you to kill your friend, your neighbor? Why would a loving God make you a killer, why would he place that burden on you?

Yeah, but you're asking two different questions here, and making the results look bad for christians. The ethical decision of taking a life if you knew it would kill millions is independent from whether God told you or whether you just knew, or whether you came back from the future. It's only as "scary" as you are making it seem when you put God in there. Most people of any belief would choose the greater good, and kill the baby if they knew the future for sure. Your real question should be, "can God be trusted?"

[reality101]

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.

well the whole situation in itself is inpossible

i dont think its fare to say "change his destiny" cause killing him as an innocent child is really changing his destiny its just murder

plus the baby isnt being given a choice to sacrifice himself
you are making a choice to kill an innocent child or not to kill him
babies arnt capable of making those choices thats y they need parents

[john_anthony_gonzalez]

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?

This is against theology and contradictory to the Bible for this scenario to take place. But i would do it because its the same scenario for God and Abraham

[Salt Agent]

Hello Ka-lel

I found the answer you were looking for. The Pharisees were the legal experts of the Torah (Old Testament law) in Biblical times, and they asked very similar kinds of questions to Jesus.

The answer is found in 2 Timothy 2:23 and Titus 3:9. These are both Pastoral letters written by Paul the apostle to these young pastors of churches.

2 Timothy 2:23 "Avoid foolish and unlearned questions for they generate quarrels."

Titus 3:9 " But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law: for they are unprofitable and worthless."



Take care.

[cnorman18]

I would go to the emergency room immediately and tell the nurse that I was suffering from hallucinations.

Alternatively, if I were somehow convinced that I was actually speaking to God, I would tell him to do it Himself, and to get out of my apartment before He did it.

Then I would have a few rather pointed questions for Him, starting with the Holocaust.

[Openmind]

I love that answer - "I'd drown God"

Very funny! (So would I) It would look great on your epitaph

- Died trying to drown God. Presumably in the very, very lowest depths of Hell.

[Cathar1950]

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?

This is against theology and contradictory to the Bible for this scenario to take place. But i would do it because its the same scenario for God and Abraham

I would take the baby and run until God came to His senses.
After putting the child in a safe place that I don't know about I would reaproach Him and asking Him what was he thinking?
Then I would ask why the child's heart will be so hardened by God that he would do such a thing?

[zepper899]

Hello Ka-lel

I found the answer you were looking for. The Pharisees were the legal experts of the Torah (Old Testament law) in Biblical times, and they asked very similar kinds of questions to Jesus.

The answer is found in 2 Timothy 2:23 and Titus 3:9. These are both Pastoral letters written by Paul the apostle to these young pastors of churches.

2 Timothy 2:23 "Avoid foolish and unlearned questions for they generate quarrels."

Titus 3:9 " But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law: for they are unprofitable and worthless."

Take care.
\

remember the pharisees had no belief in teh afterlife. the still believed in sheol, althought they maintained that sicne they couldn't contact YHWH or humans at the sime, the afterlife was semi-nonexistent. this would probably skew their point of view, as teh consequences would likely be different for someone hoping for heaven. they don't even have to worry about it, since the concrete existence on earth has no effect on your future. thses questions show facets of your soul, and (if god judges upon deaht) your likelyhood of getting to heaven (if there is a heaven).

[zepper899]

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?

This is against theology and contradictory to the Bible for this scenario to take place. But i would do it because its the same scenario for God and Abraham

I would take the baby and run until God came to His senses.
After putting the child in a safe place that I don't know about I would reaproach Him and asking Him what was he thinking?
Then I would ask why the child's heart will be so hardened by God that he would do such a thing?

hardened heart, perfect. since god can affect free will (remeber teh egyptian pharaoh), i would just tell him to not make teh baby kill people.