Would the Judeo-Christian-Islamic God send his only begotten son to save the whales?

[greyl]

The question also applies to orangutans, hairy-eared dwarf lemurs, numbats, Indian pythons, Humbolt penguins, Monarch butterflies, or even coral reefs.

If you aren't certain, please choose what you think is the most probable answer. Then, please explain your choice.

[bloom]

1. Do think that abstract God(s) intend(s) for people to live on a dead planet?

With a completely subdued nature to the point of death for everyone?

[greyl]

8. I'm pretty sure my answer is no, but

I'm not positive I understand your question or what you mean by abstract God(s), with a capital "G".

[kiahzero]

2. I voted no

I voted no based on the presumption that humans are the only moral actors on Earth.

[greyl]

5. When a healthy gorilla helps an ill one onto a branch,

is that not a moral (altruistic) action? When a dolphin saves a swimmer from a shark attack, is that not a moral action?

Are you equating self-consciousness with one of the explanations of the story of The Fall?

[kiahzero]

10. Morality requires the knowledge of right from wrong.

I've seen no evidence that animals have such a capacity. Hell, even many humans are judged to lack that capacity, mainly children and the mentally ill or the cognitively impaired.

[greyl]

20. I'm not sure about that. How about "Morality requires knowledge of goodness."? nt

[kiahzero]

21. What's the distinction? (n/t)

[greyl]

22. Right and wrong are human concepts and

I don't think morality or values are about right and wrong. They are about what works, what works better, what doesn't work at all. Of course, those who believe that the only source of morality is revealed scripture would totally disagree. The El Molo tribeswoman wouldn't. ;) Tribal cultures don't invent laws that they know will be broken like our culture does.

[kiahzero]

23. Which is about "what works, what works better, what doesn't work at all?"

Morality, by its definition, is normative. I still don't understand the distinction you're trying to make between "right and wrong" and "good."

[bryant69]

3. Save them from what?

If it's to save their souls, than I would suppose that whales, like other animals, act more or less as God intends them to, and are already saved.

If it's to save their lives, we have more than enough evidence that God does not see death as the tragedy we see it as.

Bryant

[kiahzero]

4. Hrm

I imagine the Abrahamic God would be pretty pissed off about extinction, though.

Edit: Then again, there is the whole Flood story.

[bryant69]

6. I imagine he'd be pissed at us - i can see that

For being poor stewards and for failing in our responsibilities. But that doesn't mean that the whales themselves are gone - they just aren't here.

Bryant

[Meshuga]

11. Where would they be if not here? n/t

[bryant69]

12. Whale Heaven I would imagine

I don't know exactly.

Bryant

[Meshuga]

13. That's silly!

Whale heaven? :-)

Therefore we should not worry about their extinction? That's the danger with all this heaven or hell talk.

There is no proof that a heaven or hell exists so why take the chance?

I like to see them here in this world and I'd love to share them with my grandchildren and their grandchildren...

[bryant69]

19. I think you need to reread what I said

We have a stewardship over this earth and we are failing in that - we are messing things up, because we do not value that what God gave us. I would rather have whales continuing to be around as well - but we have to save them. God's not going to step in and fix things automtically.

Bryant

[greyl]

7. From whatever divine "salvation" purportedly saves people from.

Your first one, I imagine.

edit: ...which is the point. The need for divine salvation of any living creature is pure myth.

[greyl]

9. I'd love to see explanations for the 3rd choice.

(or are they jokes?)

[kiahzero]

14. If I believed they were moral actors, I would have voted for #3

Based on the stories of the Christian God, the reason for Jesus being sent was to redeem humanity from its moral failings. Thus, it would make sense for such a deity to follow similar steps to redeem other species for their moral failings, if they were moral actors.

[Warpy]

15. Jesus promised his disciples he would return

before the last of them had died.

He's just a little late, folks.

[cosmik debris]

16. Other

Here is how it happened. God immaculately conceived with a female whale who bore his offspring. This offspring was crucified by Ahab and resurrected three days later to swim at the right hand of god. Thus all whales are saved from eternal damnation if they believe in the great white whale who died for their sins. That only begotten son just applies to human sons.

Really, I'm not making this up. I read it in a book.:)

[OffWithTheirHeads]

17. The real question should be

What would The Flying Spaghetti Monster save?

[cosmik debris]

18. Tomatoes, Basil, Oregano, garlic, and olives.

Maybe the Great Parmesan Cheese forests of Emilia-Romagna.