Moral Behavior Encoded Into Humanity
Science may again be catching up with the Word of God.
Scriptures declares that everyman has a conscience.
John 1:9, That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
The conscience is: the inner sense of what is right or wrong in one's conduct or motives, impelling one toward right action.
Scriptures declares that this conscience can be corrupted into not working correctly.
1 Timothy 4:2, Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
In a recent article from the Washingtonpost.com, the claim is “If It Feels Good to Be Good, It Might Be Only Natural”.
Notice the “most likely the result of evolutionary processes that began in other species” is not proven by the study but simply an out to reframe from acknowledgment of a Creator and that it has come from the very Creator Himself as He created us.
The study also shows as any person can attest to that some questions are simply to answer yes or no whereas some take more thought. The examples they give are:
1] “Simple moral decisions -- is killing a child right or wrong?”
2] “Greene asked volunteers to imagine that they were hiding in a cellar of a village as enemy soldiers came looking to kill all the inhabitants. If a baby was crying in the cellar, Greene asked, was it right to smother the child to keep the soldiers from discovering the cellar and killing everyone?”
Just as some of the moral and spiritual dilemmas we have each day, we need that personal relationship with Christ to help guide us to the right actions in our lives. Through prayer, reading and studying the Bible, fasting, and knowing the things that affect us we can make better decisions than we can simply by relying on ourselves and how we perceive the current situation without any external knowledge.
Of course science falls short in acknowledging the depravity of fallen mankind in that there is always a search for a reason as to why people should not be punished for immoral acts simply because “they can’t help themselves”.
So now when someone sins they can blame it on a “bad moral sensor” that evolution has given them. I can see that being the next line of defense in murder cases now.
Man has been given a conscience and man is a sinner. We choose to do right or do wrong, and are ultimately accountable to God, the Creator who has built that internal moral meter in each one of us.
Have you seared yours?
Scriptures declares that everyman has a conscience.
John 1:9, That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
The conscience is: the inner sense of what is right or wrong in one's conduct or motives, impelling one toward right action.
Scriptures declares that this conscience can be corrupted into not working correctly.
1 Timothy 4:2, Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
In a recent article from the Washingtonpost.com, the claim is “If It Feels Good to Be Good, It Might Be Only Natural”.
“Grafman and others are using brain imaging and psychological experiments to study whether the brain has a built-in moral compass. The results -- many of them published just in recent months -- are showing, unexpectedly, that many aspects of morality appear to be hard-wired in the brain, most likely the result of evolutionary processes that began in other species.”
Notice the “most likely the result of evolutionary processes that began in other species” is not proven by the study but simply an out to reframe from acknowledgment of a Creator and that it has come from the very Creator Himself as He created us.
The study also shows as any person can attest to that some questions are simply to answer yes or no whereas some take more thought. The examples they give are:
1] “Simple moral decisions -- is killing a child right or wrong?”
2] “Greene asked volunteers to imagine that they were hiding in a cellar of a village as enemy soldiers came looking to kill all the inhabitants. If a baby was crying in the cellar, Greene asked, was it right to smother the child to keep the soldiers from discovering the cellar and killing everyone?”
Just as some of the moral and spiritual dilemmas we have each day, we need that personal relationship with Christ to help guide us to the right actions in our lives. Through prayer, reading and studying the Bible, fasting, and knowing the things that affect us we can make better decisions than we can simply by relying on ourselves and how we perceive the current situation without any external knowledge.
Of course science falls short in acknowledging the depravity of fallen mankind in that there is always a search for a reason as to why people should not be punished for immoral acts simply because “they can’t help themselves”.
“While one implication of such findings is that people with certain kinds of brain damage may do bad things they cannot be held responsible for, the new research could also expand the boundaries of moral responsibility.”
So now when someone sins they can blame it on a “bad moral sensor” that evolution has given them. I can see that being the next line of defense in murder cases now.
Man has been given a conscience and man is a sinner. We choose to do right or do wrong, and are ultimately accountable to God, the Creator who has built that internal moral meter in each one of us.
Have you seared yours?
11 comments:
"Notice the “most likely the result of evolutionary processes that began in other species” is not proven by the study but simply an out to reframe from acknowledgment of a Creator and that it has come from the very Creator Himself as He created us."
I applaud the scientist behind the study because they exercised restraint when discussing how the process began in our species. They did not attempt to suggest that their reasoning, with regards to how the process began, was the undeniable truth because they lacked the evidence to support it. Science is based upon empiricism and not faith. I wouldn't expect them to say it was imparted upon homo sapiens by a supernatural entity because there isn't evidence to support it.
On another note, the article mentioned psychopaths (people who often feel no empathy or remose ) and also that "patients with damage to an area of the brain known as the ventromedial prefrontal cortex lack the ability to feel their way to moral answers."
I'm not trying to be overly critical, I'm just interested in what the theological explanation would be with regards to psychopaths and people suffering from brain injuries. From a skeptical standpoint it would seem that some people, psychopaths and sociopaths, are not given the "true Light" that you mention. Moreover, in some circumstances it seems as though the "true Light" is taken away from individuals that suffer from brain injuries. How can these people be held to their biblical responsibilities if they are disabled?
Actually, morals also exist in animals, particularly social animals.
I wonder if they have souls as well? Should we pass on the bible to the nearest chimp?
Alpha that is a fair question, so I will give my honest answer. You and/or others may disagree, but all I can give is what I believe.
I believe we live in a fallen cursed world. I still believe Scripture when it says Christ lighteth every man that comes into the world. I believe that every person has a moral conscience.
With this said, I believe although man has a conscience telling them right and wrong we are depraved and do not do what is right over what is wrong. This is why we need a Savior.
As concerning psychopaths and brain injuries and handicapped people, this is a broad area I will do my best to explain my thoughts.
Psychopaths - [1] It could be due to a lifestyle and desire to reframe from good and their conscience is seared, [2] I believe some people they claim insane, mental ward, etc. could be demon possessed as to before they started drugging them there was biblical evidence of such.
Injuries - Because of injury their functionality may be lost or damaged, but as said the built in knowledge of good and evil does not guarrentee good actions.
Handicapped - I still believe are born with a conscience. They misunderstand it or sear it because of their mental compacity. I will give an example. I have two cousins that are brothers, lived in the same house with the same parents. One acts like a Christian and enjoyes church etc. whereas the other goes to church but does not act like a Christian.
Let me say this - As a Christian I believe Christ can surpass all of these issues and still save or even heal any of these. Although we may not beable to communicate on the level of some, I believe God the Creator is able and does.
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Beast,
Honestly some Christians believe animals do have souls and Scripture actually says, "preach the gospel to every creature" [Mark 16:15; Colossians 1:23].
Ha ha ha ha ha!!!!
If possible, kindly give me your address, so that I can send you my house cat, my pet parakeet, and my pet hamster for a healthy dose of proselytisation!!!!
I didn't say I believe animals have souls. I said some do.
But how else can people have intelligent conversations unless they are honest with others to what they truely believe?
Whether correct or mistaken, unless a person is honest to what they believe how can one ever discover if what they believe is correct or mistaken?
Ah, ok, so you don't believe animals have souls.....are you saying that the bible verse you quoted was.......wrong? How would you justify, as a fundie, that the bible must be taken word for word.......that every word is a factual up to the very last letter?
[1] It does say to preach to every creature.
Romans 8:22
For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
[2] I do not see a verse that claims animals have a soul.
"preach the gospel to every creature" [Mark 16:15; Colossians 1:23].
You posted this. Explain.
Question: If animals do not have souls, why does God want to preach to every creature? To save their asses from eternal damnation?
"Question: If animals do not have souls, why does God want to preach to every creature? To save their asses from eternal damnation?"
Even if animals do have souls, Christ died for mankind not animals. Also there is no biblical record of animals going to hell, but there is mention of animals in the new heaven and earth.
I gave you the verse: Romans 8:22, For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
It could be that the creation desires to hear that Christ is returning to remove the curse.
But also the definition of "creature" can be anything created, including mankind. So it could be the translation from the original means mankind.
I never claimed to know everything there is to know. You asked, "I wonder if they have souls as well?" and I simply told you that some believe they do, but I do not.
As for why two verses in Scripture mention "preach to every creature" accept my answer or mock it, it makes no difference to me for most likely no answer would be good enough for you unless science gives one.
Well. You are right on the last one.
Religion, to me, is like a disgusting, slimy worm that has no place in modern civilization.
As we live in the 21st century, civilization has reached a point whereby we must question whether religion is still relevant in the context of usefulness, relevance and viability, to which my answer to all three is a dead no.
Society cannot be dictated by archaic religious concepts and rules that have no bearing in society. Morals and laws should be based on humanity and the world around us, not just mere doctrines and religious nonsense.
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