| IMPLICATIONS OF UTILITARIANISM (Conclusion) Jerry D. McDonald |
The last implication of Utilitarianism is the philosophy of there being no
objective moral standard. Even though it states that man is under pleasure
and pain it is up to man to decide what is pleasurable and what is painful. An
example of this might be that a man finds it pleasurable to get into a bar fight
even though it is going to cause him pain, while he would find it painful to sit
during a worship service even though it would be more pleasurable because he
doesn’t have to do anything if he doesn’t want to. Each man, according to this
philosophical theory must decide what is pleasurable and what is painful.
When you get to the position that you declare that there is no objective moral
standard then all you have left is subjective moral standards. The logical
conclusion of this is that anything goes. Most people who hold to the view that
there is no objective moral standard won’t admit the logical conclusion, but
some do. Here is a statement by one who holds to this view point:
Those standards we disagree with will always be 'lower', from a subjective
point of view. We conclude this by not liking their standards of morality as
much as we like our own. The method for determining whether another
person's standard of morality is lower than ours is the same as the method for
determining whether another person's wine-tasting skills are as good as ours.
We might argue about our greater experience of wine, and show off our
greater knowledge of wine labels, but at the end of the day our opinion about
a bottle of wine being 'good' or 'bad' is subjective. It is a matter of taste. So
too with morality. We might argue about 'rights' and 'fairness' and all such
things, but at the end of the day it's what we consider to be 'good' or 'bad' in
our subjective opinion. To take your example, I may conclude that a sex
offender's standard of morality is worse than mine because I go "ooooh,
yucky" inside. This is ultimately the only justification for a moral standard.
When asked if he believed that Pedophilia was morally wrong he stated:
“No, I don't think pedophilia is wrong, which refers to the mere attraction of
adults to prepubescents. But, if you mean child sex (sexual contact of adults
with prepubscents), then yes, I think it is wrong” (Email discussion between
Jerry McDonald and Tom Wrong).
I have written back to him asking him if he thought what Hitler did was
wrong, but I know what the answer is going to be. At least he is honest
concerning the matter. Most who hold his position won’t go so far as to say
what he has said. As a matter of fact no one on the list has bothered to
defend his view. As far as they are concerned he is a radical. However, this is
the logical conclusion of that position, and this is an implication of the
Utilitarian philosophy.
Now, can the Christian be a follower of Utilitarianism and be a Christian at
the same time. The answer is “NO!” How can a Christian be a part of
something that goes against the Bible, denies the existence of God, and
logically concludes as the position that there is no objective standard of right
and wrong? The answer is, he can’t. Yet we have people claiming to be
Christians who try to follow this doctrine. Paul wrote:
“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath
righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with
darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that
believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with
idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in
them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and
touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you” (2 Cor. 6:14-17).
As Christians we cannot have fellowship with anything that is an unfruitful
work of darkness: “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of
darkness, but rather reprove them” (Eph. 5:11). We are not to be joined
together with unbelievers. This is not saying that a Christian cannot marry
someone who is an unbeliever. What it says that Christians cannot fellowship
unbelievers. We have to work around them, we have to live around them.
The only way that we can avoid this is to do as Paul said: “I wrote unto you in
an epistle not to company with fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators
of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must
ye needs go out of the world” (1 Cor. 6:9,10). However, this does mean that we
cannot join ourselves to them. We cannot bid them Godspeed. We cannot
join them in religious or moral matters. We must separate ourselves from
them so that all will see that we are different from the rest of the world.
Peter said: “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a
peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you
out of darkness into his marvellous light” (1 Pet. 2:9). All four of those things
show that we are to be set apart from the world. As followers of Christ we
cannot be involved in a doctrine that goes against everything that we are
taught that is good and right in the Bible. As Christians we need to be
separate from those who teach the unGodly doctrine of Utilitarianism and all
of its implications.
objective moral standard. Even though it states that man is under pleasure
and pain it is up to man to decide what is pleasurable and what is painful. An
example of this might be that a man finds it pleasurable to get into a bar fight
even though it is going to cause him pain, while he would find it painful to sit
during a worship service even though it would be more pleasurable because he
doesn’t have to do anything if he doesn’t want to. Each man, according to this
philosophical theory must decide what is pleasurable and what is painful.
When you get to the position that you declare that there is no objective moral
standard then all you have left is subjective moral standards. The logical
conclusion of this is that anything goes. Most people who hold to the view that
there is no objective moral standard won’t admit the logical conclusion, but
some do. Here is a statement by one who holds to this view point:
Those standards we disagree with will always be 'lower', from a subjective
point of view. We conclude this by not liking their standards of morality as
much as we like our own. The method for determining whether another
person's standard of morality is lower than ours is the same as the method for
determining whether another person's wine-tasting skills are as good as ours.
We might argue about our greater experience of wine, and show off our
greater knowledge of wine labels, but at the end of the day our opinion about
a bottle of wine being 'good' or 'bad' is subjective. It is a matter of taste. So
too with morality. We might argue about 'rights' and 'fairness' and all such
things, but at the end of the day it's what we consider to be 'good' or 'bad' in
our subjective opinion. To take your example, I may conclude that a sex
offender's standard of morality is worse than mine because I go "ooooh,
yucky" inside. This is ultimately the only justification for a moral standard.
When asked if he believed that Pedophilia was morally wrong he stated:
“No, I don't think pedophilia is wrong, which refers to the mere attraction of
adults to prepubescents. But, if you mean child sex (sexual contact of adults
with prepubscents), then yes, I think it is wrong” (Email discussion between
Jerry McDonald and Tom Wrong).
I have written back to him asking him if he thought what Hitler did was
wrong, but I know what the answer is going to be. At least he is honest
concerning the matter. Most who hold his position won’t go so far as to say
what he has said. As a matter of fact no one on the list has bothered to
defend his view. As far as they are concerned he is a radical. However, this is
the logical conclusion of that position, and this is an implication of the
Utilitarian philosophy.
Now, can the Christian be a follower of Utilitarianism and be a Christian at
the same time. The answer is “NO!” How can a Christian be a part of
something that goes against the Bible, denies the existence of God, and
logically concludes as the position that there is no objective standard of right
and wrong? The answer is, he can’t. Yet we have people claiming to be
Christians who try to follow this doctrine. Paul wrote:
“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath
righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with
darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that
believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with
idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in
them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and
touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you” (2 Cor. 6:14-17).
As Christians we cannot have fellowship with anything that is an unfruitful
work of darkness: “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of
darkness, but rather reprove them” (Eph. 5:11). We are not to be joined
together with unbelievers. This is not saying that a Christian cannot marry
someone who is an unbeliever. What it says that Christians cannot fellowship
unbelievers. We have to work around them, we have to live around them.
The only way that we can avoid this is to do as Paul said: “I wrote unto you in
an epistle not to company with fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators
of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must
ye needs go out of the world” (1 Cor. 6:9,10). However, this does mean that we
cannot join ourselves to them. We cannot bid them Godspeed. We cannot
join them in religious or moral matters. We must separate ourselves from
them so that all will see that we are different from the rest of the world.
Peter said: “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a
peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you
out of darkness into his marvellous light” (1 Pet. 2:9). All four of those things
show that we are to be set apart from the world. As followers of Christ we
cannot be involved in a doctrine that goes against everything that we are
taught that is good and right in the Bible. As Christians we need to be
separate from those who teach the unGodly doctrine of Utilitarianism and all
of its implications.
| "Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth" (Jno. 17:17). bellecofc.centurytel.net |
Bulletin Article
Belle church of Christ
 |
| |
 |