Taylor Seraphim
Angel of Reason
I find it adorable how few theist have actually responded in the poll.
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Would you sacrifice yourself if your deity asked you to?
- Thread starter Mindmaster
- Start date
I find it adorable how few theist have actually responded in the poll.
It's a pretty dark concept, but you know by their beliefs you know they just aren't playing the game. We should have about 50% in atheist answer, and 50% total on the other two or something near like that. I dunno, definitely more yes/no's. Your point is valid.
Unveiled Artist
Veteran Member
Nice. Thats a good signature quote.
Unveiled Artist
Veteran Member
If I believed in deities, no. Deity/ies to me doesnt mean they, if by definition, have authority over the universe such as humans. I would see them as different as I see myself to and animal and to spirits. No heirarchy.
As such, if anyone (deity, spirit, whoever) told me to kill myself for them, I wouldnt. That just sounds crazy. Why would anyone (and I mean anyone not just human) ask that unless for power, control, or some sort? In other words, if they were "god/s"?
Unveiled Artist
Veteran Member
That would mean if my mother told me to kill myself for her, and I did it because I would be devoted to her, that isnt sacrificing myself for her?
What would call that?
Anyone?
Soilders sacrifice their lives to protect their country. What other word would fit given they died to protect others and not at a divine ones command?
Definitions.
Jonathan Ainsley Bain
Logical Positivist
Why is it a sacrifice to simply move on to the next life?
Ever died in a dream?
Why should death be any different to this?
Hey if the next world is ready for me, I'm ready for it.
It may seem strange to you that I accept Christ and reincarnation, but they are both
as real as day and night.
Most of us will get reborn back into this world pretty soonish.
Have you made it better or worse?
If you go out causing mayhem and suffering, then you will likely be born straight
back into that same mayhem and suffering.
Twilight Hue
Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
Depends on if it's a real sacrifice or a fake one.
It's a pretty dark concept, but you know by their beliefs you know they just aren't playing the game. We should have about 50% in atheist answer, and 50% total on the other two or something near like that. I dunno, definitely more yes/no's. Your point is valid.
I didn't vote in the poll because a black-and-white "yes/no" doesn't reflect my answer. With respect to the way the question is worded, "not applicable" would be the most accurate. None of the gods I have a working relationship with would ask that question; the overwhelming majority of them don't convey information to me in human language, much less English. This is kind of like asking me "would you sacrifice yourself to the wind if it asked you?" Wind Spirit speaks human? Huh? Hence, not applicable.
You could answer, "no" for nearly any reason. In this case, the nature spirit of The Wind or whatever... Is a thing... that thing is divine (or maybe mixed as sometimes animist ways are) and since that isn't personified exactly it couldn't suggest this idea. Mostly, this is just research into how people grok these beliefs anyway.
True, but I feel that response is somewhat misleading. I'm also not sure how to respond given there's no time frame for the question. I mean, right now the answer is "no," if somehow that situation occurred However, I'm pretty sure that if I ever became suicidal, or if was suffering some terminal condition that made my quality of life abysmal, my answer to that could easily become a "yes." It's circumstantial.
Yes, I know. Overanalyzing. I do that. Can't seem to help it.
If the answer was, "yes" in any case it's probably effectively "yes" even if it is not likely. I purposely worded the question pretty absolutely because "maybe" doesn't tell you anything.
Anyway, up to you. I think if there is ever in a point if your life where it could be a yes, it is a yes... etc... For the sake of the limited scope of the commentary... I guess no is absolutely no, yes is like sometime or anytime maybe in the future it could be possible if X happened.
If the answer was, "yes" in any case it's probably effectively "yes" even if it is not likely. I purposely worded the question pretty absolutely because "maybe" doesn't tell you anything.
Such criteria make it hard to answer "no," then, considering even a 0.000000001% is still a maybe this could happen. Personally, if forced, I would vote "no" given the infinitesimally small probability and the lack of causal applicability.
Scott C.
Just one guy
I think what God asked Abraham to do was more difficult. I'd rather take my own life than the life of one of my children. Abraham was prepared to do it and thankfully, it was not actually required.
It's a hard life.
Anyway, thanks for the comments and the introspective analysis.
If my deity asks me to do so, I would do that, but first I would ask to make it legal
I guess this is a question of whether your god(dess)(e)s' laws are higher than human law or not.
I think morally it is easier to sacrifice a child than yourself. I'd view a self-sacrifice as a truly selfless act because it is unlikely you personally would gain from it. Conversely, to sacrifice a child you could just decide to have another. Nothing really has been given away in this context.
Samson? He definitely killed himself for God.
Covellite
Active Member
Your guess is right. Everything we do must be legal to human law.
Legal doesn't always mean it's right.
There are other options: in some countries, euthanasia is legal with medical approval. So, I would do my best to become sick as I can (this is not against the law) and do what I was asked to do.