Morals and the Bible

The idea of getting your morals from the bible is an unsettling one for me because I understand them to be based on a patriarchy. Not to say that it is totally bad, but I think the bible rather contradicts itself when it comes to morals. I agree with some of the morals stated in the bible such as, refraining from murder and honoring your father and mother. The vast majority of the bible however poses a major problem for me.

The most "popular" view of morality in the bible is the Ten Commandments. For example, taking the lords name in vain is said to be immoral, but I see this as a way to take away free thought and expression. Blasphemy is punishable by death according to the bible and to me, that's a little harsh. What kind of a true "God" would kill you for questioning his authority? Are we supposed to be mindless drones? (That's rational.) But the bible does not simply tell you what you can't say; it also suggests to you some things that you ought to be saying and how many times to say them. I guess one of the positive aspects of this is the implementation of rules to keep people with a weak sense of morality in check.

Honoring your father and mother is a moral I agree with. I think it is important to honor and respect your parents. The sanctity of life should be respected, and of all of life the people that gave you your life should be given the utmost respect. Without life you could not appreciate the things that are the most important. Obviously you would not appreciate anything on earth without a life here but who is to say you don't exist elsewhere before or after you are "alive".

In the Old Testament Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid; for God has come in order to test you, and in order that the fear of Him may remain with you, so that you may not sin." (Exodus 20:20) "Do not be afraid but fear God" is just a little on the confusing side. Hey, you don't need to be afraid of me as long as you do everything I tell you to weather you consent to it or not and I won't punish you. I have found that condemning people tends to have negative effects on their emotional and psychological wellbeing. In children especially, condemnation plants the seeds of rebellion and disobedience. These "morals" are taught at a young age and receive lifelong reinforcement through the revision and repetition of the same scriptures. The word test sends a message to most people as being an uncomfortable thing to have done to you. I think this kind of thought would make people neurotic.

"You shall not murder." (Exodus 20:13) This is a pretty basic moral rule in all cultures and religions. Maliciously taking life is definitely not something to be done. The bible does have different things to say on the punishments of murder. Some people embrace the Old Testament view of an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, while others hold the belief that death is a release and not a punishment. I myself agree with the latter, but I do hold that a murderer should be punished. How a murderer is punished should fit the nature of the murder. I don't like to contradict myself if I can help it, and it seems that killing as a punishment for murder does just that.

Thou shall not covet is another moral I have problems with. Now we are not supposed to want anything. Possessions are a necessity of life. Why is it so bad to want the things you have, and to strive for the things you want that you don't yet have? This tells me that being successful is a bad thing. To not use your skills and efforts to better your own life is to be a slave to the demands of those with numbers and power but without reason. It is to be a slave to every "greater need" that comes along and that is always for the betterment of someone else. It cannot be moral for others to lay claim to your efforts, and the fruits of your labor can only be harvested rightly by your own hand.

In Ruth chapter one verse 16 it says "for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people and your God my God." If I had a favorite "moral" from the bible, this would be it. Loyalty is of great importance to me, for without loyalty there can be no trust. If I can't maintain loyalty to those around me who deserve it, then I feel as though I have failed in my attempts at being a good person. I think being a "good" person means to be someone who can be relied and counted upon for the things they are needed for, and is known for consistently building upon their character through the things they say and more importantly, the things they do.

Granted the bible has some validity in stating what is right and wrong, but anyone who gets their morals from straight up fairy stories is a fool. Anyone who is an intelligent and rational person will form their own opinion. They would also understand punishment for free thought and basic human traits is corrupt. The problem I have with getting your morals from the bible is not only just in the bible, but in the people who wrote and supported the information in it. The bible was written by heretics and revised by heretics, but being a heretic is punishable by death. In the days of Constantine it was considered treason. These people all questioned religion and what the bible said and they are great for having done it.