There's really actually no such thing as property, we just like to pretend that there is. This is a Christian belief, actually, that A) Everything is really God's, so B) People actually don't own anything, so C) We are therefore obligated not to hoard shit we don't actually have any right to and give to those in need etc.
Hmm, I didn't realize there was a theological background to the charity teachings other than the "don't be a jerk" thing. Interesting, and yay new opinions for my poll! Isn't that how some people have justified the idea that people who commit suicide go to hell; because they don't really own their own bodies? I mean, I know there's a whole other side to that argument, but I've definitely heard that claim before. Probably from a Catholic or something, IDK. And then there's the whole argument about whether God gave us the Earth to use however we want, or just to be stewards of it. I swear, I heard my cousin justify the killing of a beetle that wasn't even bothering him with "God gave us the whole world, so I can do whatever I want with it". That was freaky, but hey, he was ten and it was just a beetle. I seriously hope that his thinking gets a bit more complex when he gets older, though.
...but hey, I'm an atheist, so arguing this stuff seriously always seems kind of weird to me.
Wow, I'm rambling. You can ignore me if you want. :) I'm just still a bit startled that like 16 people have taken this so far and I'm actually getting serious comments. Yay!
No it's cool. The argument for suicides going to hell is that self-murder is still murder, but because you die you don't have time to repent, so you die with the sin on you. So you go to hell.
Re: the morally obligated/legally obligated question: I put morally obligated because I only think one of the three things you listed ought to be legally obligated, and that is paying more taxes. Giving to charity and giving back to one's community are moral obligations. Paying your taxes is a legal one. So technically my answer is a mix of those two options.
I think the last question was interesting, especially since you didn't follow it up with or relate it to owning humans. I don't know, I always feel uncomfortable answering questions about animals because I've never had pets or been around them so I know I think about them differently from people who grew up with them.
Comments 27
Reply
...but hey, I'm an atheist, so arguing this stuff seriously always seems kind of weird to me.
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
-no
-no
-hell no
-are you kidding?
-no
so I didn't.
How do you feel differently about animals, exactly?
Reply
( ... )
Reply
( ... )
Reply
Leave a comment