Comments on: An atheistic greater good argument http://bnonn.thinkingmatters.org.nz/an-atheistic-greater-good-argument/ developing the mind of Christ Sun, 11 Dec 2011 00:12:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: Chris http://bnonn.thinkingmatters.org.nz/an-atheistic-greater-good-argument/#comment-771 Chris Fri, 22 Aug 2008 20:15:30 +0000 http://bnonn.thinkingmatters.org.nz/?p=215#comment-771 Thank you so much for your explanation! I'm new to this blog and I"m finding it very helpful. Thank you so much for your explanation!
I’m new to this blog and I”m finding it very helpful.

]]> By: Dominic Bnonn Tennant http://bnonn.thinkingmatters.org.nz/an-atheistic-greater-good-argument/#comment-770 Dominic Bnonn Tennant Thu, 21 Aug 2008 21:03:30 +0000 http://bnonn.thinkingmatters.org.nz/?p=215#comment-770 Chris, thanks for your question. You're right that the objection to hell is often based on a humanistic view of man's worth. However, although a humanistic view which holds man in high regard is wrong, it isn't <em>so</em> wrong that we should conclude that man is <em>worthless</em>. Rather, we know that man <em>does</em> have worth; but that he is not as valuable as he himself would like to believe, because he is not his own sovereign, but is created for a purpose by the sovereign God. So the error of humanism is not in believing that man has worth, but in judging that worth according to the wrong standard. The correct view judges value in relationship to God, rather than in relationship to man himself, because value is underwritten by God rather than man. The Bible does indeed affirm that man has worth. Even though the image of God within him is corrupted, it is still God's image, and is therefore still intrinsically valuable. Furthermore, God has specific purposes for man, and those purposes (because they are God's) are intrinsically valuable; thus conferring intrinsic value to their instruments as well. However, even if this wasn't the case, we still have grounds as Christians for arguing against things like murder (including types of murder such as abortion and euthanasia)—because we have God's moral precepts which forbid these things. So even if we were to erroneously conclude that man is really worthless apart from Christ, we'd still have objective moral grounds for arguing the sanctity of life. They'd just be somewhat incongruous with what we believe about reprobate man. Regards, Bnonn Chris, thanks for your question. You’re right that the objection to hell is often based on a humanistic view of man’s worth. However, although a humanistic view which holds man in high regard is wrong, it isn’t so wrong that we should conclude that man is worthless. Rather, we know that man does have worth; but that he is not as valuable as he himself would like to believe, because he is not his own sovereign, but is created for a purpose by the sovereign God. So the error of humanism is not in believing that man has worth, but in judging that worth according to the wrong standard. The correct view judges value in relationship to God, rather than in relationship to man himself, because value is underwritten by God rather than man.

The Bible does indeed affirm that man has worth. Even though the image of God within him is corrupted, it is still God’s image, and is therefore still intrinsically valuable. Furthermore, God has specific purposes for man, and those purposes (because they are God’s) are intrinsically valuable; thus conferring intrinsic value to their instruments as well. However, even if this wasn’t the case, we still have grounds as Christians for arguing against things like murder (including types of murder such as abortion and euthanasia)—because we have God’s moral precepts which forbid these things. So even if we were to erroneously conclude that man is really worthless apart from Christ, we’d still have objective moral grounds for arguing the sanctity of life. They’d just be somewhat incongruous with what we believe about reprobate man.

Regards,
Bnonn

]]> By: Chris http://bnonn.thinkingmatters.org.nz/an-atheistic-greater-good-argument/#comment-769 Chris Thu, 21 Aug 2008 11:31:55 +0000 http://bnonn.thinkingmatters.org.nz/?p=215#comment-769 I have a question related to this about the possibility that God created many people knowing that he would not intevene to bring them to salvation. You have said in a similar post that any objection to God sending to people to hell is based on a humanistic view of man's worth. I agree with this. But then if we argue that man apart from Christ is worthless, how do we argue for the sanctity of human life and oppose abortion, euthanasia, and murder. Is is because that we are made in God's image, correct? And even though man is worthless apart from Christ, only God should have the power over life and death--it is not for us to decide who lives or dies. I just wonder how you would reconcile man being worthless apart from Christ, but still deserving respect and protection because he is made in God's image. Thanks for any insight you can offer. I have a question related to this about the possibility that God created many people knowing that he would not intevene to bring them to salvation. You have said in a similar post that any objection to God sending to people to hell is based on a humanistic view of man’s worth. I agree with this. But then if we argue that man apart from Christ is worthless, how do we argue for the sanctity of human life and oppose abortion, euthanasia, and murder. Is is because that we are made in God’s image, correct? And even though man is worthless apart from Christ, only God should have the power over life and death–it is not for us to decide who lives or dies. I just wonder how you would reconcile man being worthless apart from Christ, but still deserving respect and protection because he is made in God’s image. Thanks for any insight you can offer.

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