The Religious Double Standard
Isaac Zamora went on a shooting rampage last week in Washington. He killed 6 people. His reasoning was “I kill for God. I listen to God.” His attorney, Keith Tyne, said “Clearly there are significant mental health issues at play.”
If you do something good in the name of “God” you are praised, but when you do bad it is “mental health issues”. Why do people who believe in God believe it when someone says God spoke to them and they did something generous but they refuse to believe God would have someone take out a few lost souls?
You can’t have it both ways. Either you believe God talks to people or you don’t and just because the action is bad doesn’t give you the right to reject it as crazy. If a person who does something bad in the name of God is considered crazy then that would also apply to anyone who does something good in the name of God.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080911/ap_on_re_us/shooting_rampage
Tags: Killing For God
This entry was posted on Friday, September 12th, 2008 at 11:21 am and is filed under Religion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
September 13th, 2008 at 8:11 am
Likewise, when a patient in a hospital dies, the doctors and nurses get blamed and probably sued, but when the patient recovers and is healthy, God gets all of the credit.
September 13th, 2008 at 9:51 am
Yeah, I don’t know. Although it used to be the case that “the Devil made me do it” was an affirmative defense…
September 14th, 2008 at 6:07 pm
“Lord, You said that once I decided to follow You,
You’d walk with me all the way.
But I have noticed that
During the most troublesome times in my life,
There is only one set of footprints.
I don’t understand why when I needed
You most you would leave me.”
The Lord replied, “My precious, precious child,
I am just a voice in your head,
there never were any footprints but your own,
when you saw the second set you were only hallucinating.
You are afflicted with multiple personality disorder,
for there is no God.”
September 25th, 2008 at 9:46 pm
Hi Rob
I am new to your blog, I saw you started following me on Twitter so I checked it out. Nice blog! You’re honesty is appreciated. However, I do think you’re argument is missing the point a little bit. I think the issue is a little bit deeper.
Out of complete curiosity, and please do not take offense, but where do you get your opinion of right and wrong anyways? You kept talking about what is right and what is wrong, but if there is no God, than who decides what is right and wrong?
I do not say this out of angst at all, I am just curious to hear your answer.
September 25th, 2008 at 10:02 pm
Do a little research on YouTube. You will find well spoken atheist explain the fallacy of thinking morals have anything to do with religion. Search for Hitchens, Dawkins and Harris on morals.
You could also learn a lot from The God Delusion. Even if it doesn’t make you an atheist you will be much better informed about what does and what doesn’t belong to religion.
My answer is the same as there’s only they word it much better than I.
September 25th, 2008 at 10:10 pm
I would like to read it. I haven’t yet. But I have been planning to for awhile. I might have to move that up on my list.
I would also suggest that you read The Reason for God by Tim Keller.
I’ll do some research on YouTube like you suggested and get back to you.
September 25th, 2008 at 10:20 pm
Why do you suggest that I read The Reason for God? What do you think I could gain from it?
You must understand that I put god in the same category as Santa. There’s isn’t a book or a person or anything that would ever make you or I believe Santa is real. With no evidence of god ever being presented I have no reason in reading every book that theologizes about god’s existence.
Everything that is real has evidence. Even when it starts as a theory. God is not real.
September 25th, 2008 at 10:36 pm
I suggest it for the same, yet opposite reason that you suggested your book to me. It is a reasonable and logical argument for the existence of God.
As for evidence, I have no problem with the fact that it is difficult, if not, impossible to PROVE the existence of God scientifically. If God is who He is in the Bible, then He created everything. I am uncertain of the exact quote, but I heard it said that trying to prove God scientifically, is like Hamlet trying to prove that Shakespeare exists. If God created the world, science, even the ability to think scientifically, than why would we think that it is possible to prove Him through our own methods? He is a being outside of anything we know, including time and space. The only way we could know He exists is if He revealed Himself in His own creation. Which, personally, I believe He has in various ways, which for the sake of the length of this response, I will spare you from. I am certain you know all the arguments anyways.
September 25th, 2008 at 10:46 pm
Yes, I’m very aware of many ways that people have proof of God. But like my own previous experiences they are emotional, they can’t be proven to anyone but me.
I have a very big problem with the lack of evidence. Why would any logical person believe in anything that can’t be proven? I doesn’t make sense.
Make sure to read some of my posts about the bible, it’s such a bad book. The God Delusion outlines what’s wrong with it very well.
October 16th, 2008 at 7:36 pm
God does talk to people…so does Satan…so you as an individual have to discern who it is your listening too….
October 16th, 2008 at 7:56 pm
Rockinmomma, I think you might have missed the point. God can just as easily tell people to kill other people, how many times did it do it in the bible?
P.S. God and and the devil are not real so anyone who hears voices is just hearing themselves think. Or they’re insane.
October 17th, 2008 at 12:19 am
Yes, God did command people to go to war, you are right. I respect your views but I believe God is real and while I don’t believe he audibly speaks…he does so in other ways. I’m pretty sure I’m not insane but then again who knows :) When God did request killing there was a reason, or he was testing one’s faith. I’m kinda sleepy so my brain is on stop…more later. I’m glad you are putting this out there so people are willing to look at both sides of the equation.
Happy Sleeps :)
October 20th, 2008 at 12:55 am
Rockinmomma, God testing peoples faith? He’s such a jester that god. He sure is!
People see patterns where there aren’t any. People see (and hear) what they want. People do this with members of the opposite sex, in business, with their children and friends. And with their superstitions in what ever form that comes in.
Data shows that most people have very poor judgement of the facts around them. People put emotions into subjects rather then the actual data represented.
Very sane people can believe rather insane ideas because of the false patterns they see in their lives.
As you said, more after sleep. Unless the insomnia kicks in. :)
October 21st, 2008 at 7:44 pm
Anad, I do agree that people can believe rather insane ideas and I also agree that people demonstrate poor judgment because of emotions at times, myself included as I am very compassionate. But, that is only when it comes to helping people…when it comes to something I believe in and am telling others I do a lot of research. I am also very factual. I don’t believe it until I research it and I always listen to both sides of an issue…anyone who deals with me can verify that…right Rob?
My belief does not stem from any false patterns in my life. It does not stem from an emotional high at camp or some random coincidence interpreted as answered prayer…I promise you there is much more to it.
October 21st, 2008 at 9:49 pm
Rockinmomma, OK, if you’re not caught up in emotions with God or answered prayer then you must be making stuff up that allows you to believe. Because you are believing unlike most other believers.
There’s no proof of God, so it can’t be proof. Then do you believe in Puedam? Puedam is a made up God (by me) only a few weeks ago. What do I have to do to get you to believe in Puedam? That would help explain how you believe in something that has not been proven but is unprovable?
You must find it a little disturbing to know (for a fact) that if you were born in a different part of the world, you would not believe what you believe now, you believe something completely different. And you would believe that just as must as whatever you currently believe.
Let that last sentence sink in.
October 22nd, 2008 at 1:31 pm
Rob As always…with all due respect to your standings and point of view :) I did not say answered prayer was not a factor…I said it was not a random coincidence interpreted as answered prayer. Let me address that first…there are many I have seen but on a more personal note…I was told for several years by doctors and science I would never have a child…I had 5 surgeries and the doctors said not gonna happen. I went to a good friend who I consider a prayer warrior and had him pray over my womb. Now with all that science and medicine have to offer…with all their technology and knowledge they did nothing and said it can’t be done go adopt. After years of frustration that one time of prayer and I got pregnant…the doctors were baffled and said well this will be your only one…more surgeries nothing…another prayer and another child. Tell me that’s coincidence.
You are probably correct…if I were born elsewhere I may have different beliefs but were I born elsewhere…to another family…surrounded by different people I wouldn’t have the quest for knowledge I have. I don’t believe because “that’s how I was raised” I believe because I have researched, talked to people, read and seen. There are a lot of people who just go with what their parents taught them…I’m not one of those people…
I’m not really shaken by the fact that were I anyone but who I am now I may believe differently because I have always been encouraged by people to seek out the truth…that is what I am always striving to do…and it is also why I am so respectful of all views because I hope everyone else does the same.
To my knowledge no one living today has proof of any theory…because none of us were here…I find it much harder to believe a star exploded and here we are our bodies are to complex for me to buy that and the we evolved still leaves the question where did the first thing to evolve come from. No matter what your belief…by the way where do you believe we come from, I’ve never asked….there is always the where did (fill in the blank) come from…yes even in my religion the question is posed where did God come from and no I do not have an answer for that…none of us do….
February 19th, 2009 at 6:14 pm
Hey, saw you on twitter, and while I disagree with you, I do respect your thoughts and what you have to say. I just had a comment on this story, please forgive me I didnt read all the other comments but as far as God telling people to kill in a war. Thats for when you,your family,country or the like is threatened…as far as just killing six people because you think God told you to then Id disagree its really God. God only tells you to do things that line up with the Word of God, He can’t contridict himself. The Bible says don’t murder…not don’t protect yourself..I dont know, just my thoughts anyway :)
-Dean