So many toppings we all choose from

To start, I refer my children back to the introduction to a previous post on the topic. This has become a whole thread, you can tell by the photos of letters flying through the air.

In response to Von’s writing.

All the Pizza Toppings

Dear Von,

This has been long overdue, and will be my last direct reply on the topic, although I happily grant you the last word. I feel that we have gone around in circles a bit, and overall you have proved your point that I can only go so deep with a basis for morality without an appeal to God. I have, therefore, come back to reiterating that I do not see how that can be practically useful to those who are not already in the same philosophical camp on the specific issue, Christian morality and the source thereof. The question is not the usefulness of the argument, but the validity of it.

I have re-read your post many times, as I have had intentions to respond for months, although each time I have failed. Each time I read it, I kept coming back to what seems to me to be a glaring contradiction. I will quote, for accuracy:

“There is something unique about ‘truth’. Well, there are lots of things, but the issue I wish to address here is: it is indivisible. Once you start discussing the ‘truth’ of something, you can’t mix and match. The pizza has to have all of the toppings on it.

Jas 2:10  For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

When an engineer goes to build a bridge, he can’t accept some engineering principles, some math, and reject other parts. Oh, he can, and should, decide which principles are actually true but he can’t accept some true principles, and reject others because he doesn’t like them.”
-Von

This revisits a point I made many posts ago, respecting the disregard of multiple aspects of the Law of Moses and Old Testament “truths.” Christianity accepts the Old Testament, to a point, but not entirely. Often one hears this is due to the Law being fulfilled in the culminating life of Jesus, however these same Christians still seem to selectively respect portions of the Old Testament.

I am aware some religions do this by democratic means, literally voting on “truths” and “doctrines.” I reject that outright, truth is not decided by agreement of flawed individuals, regardless of their position in any given church. Some claim divine inspiration and guidance. The veracity of those claims remain to be seen, but theoretically God would be able to continue to dictate this, similar to the claim that he dictated the morality of the Bible. The problem is, most religions reject the idea that other religions are receiving divine revelation to select which portions are “active” and which “outdated.” My point is merely that it does seem a bit like this constitutes choosing bits here and bits there, exactly what I often am accused of doing.

And, yes, I do in fact do that. I just am not sure I fully see the difference between my choosing and anyone else’s.

In one of your later posts you told me, and I am paraphrasing, that I either need to accept that God is the source of morality or there is no such thing and it is all preference. I responded that I may land at the same place, but not yet. That is where I remain. Perhaps there is no God and no morality, perhaps both exist, or perhaps there is some universal basis for morality but it is not God, and I am too unenlightened to see it.

I have made it so far bumping around, trying not to knock too much over as I feel my way through life. I am open to what may come in the future, but am still unpersuaded in the present. A decade ago I never would have believed I would be where I am now.

I suspect that even that would be a personal preference. I am not naturally inclined towards belief, so it would probably be a more proactive choice, but who knows?

I am happy to give you the last word on the topic. As always, I hope you and the family are doing well, and that your Spring and Summer have been enjoyable, productive and memorable. Keep up the great writing. I will continue to try to squeeze mine in, school has made it difficult for the time being.

Love,
Another Dad hoping for the best for my kids and the world