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Ethical Concern In Louise M. Antony's Good Minus God

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Louise M. Antony argues an important ethical concern in her article, “Good minus God”. Can a person do good deeds without God? Arguing from an atheistic point of view, Antony believes that a person does not need to depend on God in order to complete good deeds. I agree, whether Christian or Atheist, all can perform good deeds, but who ultimately defines good versus evil? Antony subjectively defines morality and uses nature as her source. In contrast, I believe God created all things and defines good and evil through His creation and Word. And finally, as followers of God, our motivation for accomplishing good comes from our love for all God has done for us. Imagine a world without order, chaotic without a specific guide to right or wrong–a world without God. Antony considers herself a “moralistic atheist”, possessing similar beliefs to a humanitarian. She believes a person should strive to attain morality, even without the influence of a supreme God. For example, imagine finding a homeless person with failing health, …show more content…

“It’s the view that the only kind of ‘obligation’ there could possibly be is the kind that is disciplined by promise of reward or threat of punishment,” Antony claims. She believes that a Christians’ motivation comes from fear of punishment. Unfortunately, She dismisses the fact that motivation to do good out of fear of judgment may have value. For example, history teaches us that individuals who committed heinous crimes (Hitler, Stalin, Mao Zedong) have rejected the idea that their actions may produce judgment. Furthermore, besides fear of punishment, Christians have a higher motivation. Consider 1 John 4:19: “We love him because he first loved us”(NKJV) and Matthew 25:40: “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me”(NKJV). We should love others not out of duty to God, but out of love and thankfulness for everything he has done for

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