Atheists are having it too easy.

[ibis]

Moralism. Absolute or Relative. Are morals relative or absolute? Are all behaviours covered by Relative Morals or Absolute Morals?

Using the extreme, what is the moral "standard" (relative or absolute) of sex with a child by an adult? Absolute or relative?
To me, that would be an Absolute, something that must not happen.

Another 'extreme'. Killing another person. Absolute or Relative?
I would see that as a Relative because there potential mitigating circumstances involved, defense, accident, etc, something that should not happen.

That's not quite what's at issue, though - the question is whether a prohibition like "thou shalt not have sex with a child" is a prohibition that is true for everyone, because it's objectively right no matter what one thinks of it, or whether it's simply an expression of the cultural values of a particular society.

To put it another way, is a statement like "thou shalt not kill" a statement of fact, or of opinion? Is it a statement containing an objective truth (like stating the boiling point of water), or one telling us what kind of society we are aiming towards?

(Note that it's not a question of whether the particular prohibition is right - one can mis-state the boiling point of water, but that doesn't change the fact that water has a particular, objectively determinable boiling point.)

[myksav]

If Paul is no better than the average peasant at the time then he can't really be described as being inspired by an omnipotent being now can he?

Oh dear, Paul an average peasant? Paul, previously known as Saul, was a
Pharisee by birth.

And why do you claim that a peasant, average or not, cannot be inspired by God? Societal levels are a human creation, not a divine creation.
Are you saying that a 'peasant' is of less "value" to God than a king or Pharisee? That would be contradictory to what Jesus told his disciples to do, go out and teach the people. Regardless of 'station'.

[myksav]

Which brings us back to the question: How do we know which bits of Paul we should read, and how should we read them?

Should the bits we whose literal content we shouldn't consider as divinely inspired be excised from the Bible, or should we search for a hidden meaning lurking in them?

If so, how in the name of Jaysus do we do it?

Ah, a simple question. Take what Jesus said, compare it with what Paul says. Where they mesh fully, fine. Where they don't, ignore Paul. Paul, after all, was just a man, and like all 'men' is prone to mistakes.

[Garland Names the Planets]

Oh dear, Paul an average peasant? Paul, previously known as Saul, was a
Pharisee by birth.

And why do you claim that a peasant, average or not, cannot be inspired by God? Societal levels are a human creation, not a divine creation.
Are you saying that a 'peasant' is of less "value" to God than a king or Pharisee? That would be contradictory to what Jesus told his disciples to do, go out and teach the people. Regardless of 'station'.

Except that this was a thing supposed to have guided all societies for all time not just the one he immediately occupied. Do you see the problem?

[myksav]

Oh I'm afraid they are all relative because you failed to define "Adult"

Oh dear, if morals are all Relative because no precise definition of adult is given that would imply that it is acceptable for children to have sex with whomever they wish, regardless of age of either.
That was a fail on your part, Garland.

(Try this. Define Child. What is not "child" is adult. And for Ireland, Child is defined in Law.)
You can stop playing dumb.

[myksav]

Except that this was a thing supposed to have guided all societies for all time not just the one he immediately occupied. Do you see the problem?

You're playing dumb again. Paul wasn't the Christ.

[Garland Names the Planets]

You're playing dumb again. Paul wasn't the Christ.

What use is he then?

[myksav]

What use is he then?

To put it in logical terms, extra data points.

[Garland Names the Planets]

To put it in logical terms, extra data points.

And what data would that be?

[myksav]

And what data would that be?

Read both and compare. But don't expect me to hold your hand while doing so, you're intelligent enough to do this yourself.