Ethics and Abraham's Sacrifice of Issac

[oldhermit]

This topic is a widely debated favorite among atheists and Christians alike. It conjures up all sorts of ethical supposed dilemmas and challenges human standards of moral and ethical behavior. So, let me just ask the question, where are the ethics in Abraham's willingness to kill his own son? I would be interested to here some of your responses.

 

[bbyrd009]

i guess our ethics are diff than those of the time, when ppl routinely offered their first born to Molech

 

[oldhermit]

i guess our ethics are diff than those of the time, when ppl routinely offered their first born to Molech

Do you equate Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Isaac to the pagan sacrifices of children?

 

[bbyrd009]

Do you equate Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Isaac to the pagan sacrifices of children?

i wouldn't put it that way, but imo the incident does make a commentary on the prevailing ethics of the time, much moreso than any attempts to make value judgements about Abraham's faith in God.

I don't think it's unfair to say that God was testing Abraham's faith by invoking the pagan requirements, but what is quite often derived from that is a Bloodthirsty God, by those who choose not to see that God provided a sacrifice, and was never going to require Isaac's blood anyway. I even hear believers repeat that sometimes

 

[oldhermit]

i wouldn't put it that way, but imo the incident does make a commentary on the prevailing ethics of the time, much moreso than any attempts to make value judgements about Abraham's faith in God.

I don't think it's unfair to say that God was testing Abraham's faith by invoking the pagan requirements, but what is quite often derived from that is a Bloodthirsty God, by those who choose not to see that God provided a sacrifice, and was never going to require Isaac's blood anyway. I even hear believers repeat that sometimes

I think scripture is pretty clear that this was a test of faith. In the end, God says, "...now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me."

 

[FHII]

Isaac had no problems offering up Isaac because God told him that the family line would continue through Isaac. That was God's promise. Therefore, Abraham believed that God would raise Isaac from the dead after offering him. Hebrews 11:17-19.

How ethical is that? Its a powerful test of faith... That's for sure.

 

[oldhermit]

Isaac had no problems offering up Isaac because God told him that the family line would continue through Isaac. That was God's promise. Therefore, Abraham believed that God would raise Isaac from the dead after offering him. Hebrews 11:17-19.

How ethical is that? Its a powerful test of faith... That's for sure.

How exactly would you define 'ethics' and how would you think this in any way applies to God?

 

[FHII]

How exactly would you define 'ethics' and how would you think this in any way applies to God?

Don't really have a definition of "ethics" because it seems to depend on time and regions. I think it does apply to God... He is kind of involved in the incident, isn't he?

 

[oldhermit]

Well, ethic is strictly a social construct that allows a society to function as an orderly system within the confines of a mutually accepted set of laws and principles. This is not to be confused with morality. The ethics of a society can be built on either moral or immoral principles. Since this is true, why would God be accountable to a human standard of ethics?

 

[Hidden In Him]

Well, ethic is strictly a social construct that allows a society to function as an orderly system within the confines of a mutually accepted set of laws and principles. This is not to be confused with morality. The ethics of a society can be built on either moral or immoral principles. Since this is true, why would God be accountable to a human standard of ethics?

I would agree. The Wiki definition of ethics is, "A branch of philosophy that involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong conduct. The term ethics derives from Ancient Greek ἠθικός (ethikos), from ἦθος (ethos), meaning 'habit, custom'."

I think what God asked Abraham to do was beyond the customs the ancients were normally in the habit of keeping, as it constituted a revelation of total trust in God and willingness to obey Him in the extreme. Abraham likely did not know the sacrifice he was being asked to make would parallel the sacrifice God Himself would make in sending His only-begotten Son to die on a cross, but he certainly understood he was sacrificing what he held most dear to him, making it one of the utmost expressions of obedience to God, and the command "Thou shalt love the Lord your God with your whole heart, your whole mind, your whole soul, and your whole strength."

There's more I could say on this, but I will leave it to see how far you wanted to go with it.

Blessings, and interesting conversational topic.

 

[oldhermit]

Isaac had no problems offering up Isaac because God told him that the family line would continue through Isaac. That was God's promise. Therefore, Abraham believed that God would raise Isaac from the dead after offering him. Hebrews 11:17-19.
How ethical is that? Its a powerful test of faith... That's for sure.

It is an interesting thing that Abraham came to the conclusion that God was able to raise Isaac from the dead. This is certainly not a logical conclusion. How could he possibly know this? The text never says that this knowledge was ever revealed to Abraham. He has never had a sacrifice get up off the altar and follow him home after the experience. He has had no experience with the dead being raised to life again, nor does he know anyone who has. The only thing his experience can confirm to him about death up to that point is that it is always decisive and irreversible.

 

[Enoch111]

So, let me just ask the question, where are the ethics in Abraham's willingness to kill his own son?

Since the highest ethic is obedience and sacrifice to God, and that is exactly what Abraham did, it would be the supreme example of a man willing to sacrifice his most beloved son because God asked him to.

At the same time, Abraham was totally confident that if Isaac died that day, he would also be resurrected in order to fulfil God's promises to Abraham. How could he possibly know this? All we have to do is look at the Abrahamic Covenant.