@Eaglebauer Said

I believe the common reasoning is that he was testing him. The important part of the story in that theory is that he actually stopped Abraham from the murder once it was clear that he was willing to do it at God's direction.

It does raise a question though regarding the duality of ethical standard...even going back to the ancient Greeks, "pious" was defined by many as simply "what the gods love," and I think...at least this is my interpretation of that particular bible story...it was a way of positing "ethical" as "whatever God commands."

Not only would the story then serve to define Ethics as being based solely in divine authority (something I don't happen to believe myself), it also serves as a lesson that if you follow the command of God, God will in turn be a merciful authority. Snap into line, you'll be just fine.

I think a lot of devout Christians feel this way. I once went through an extremely visceral and dark period and felt very lost and hopeless for a good while. One of the people I spoke with during that time was a teacher of mine from years past who is also a Catholic nun. She told me that prayer is much more about listening than it is about talking and that peace is only found by submitting to whatever it is God tells you must happen, and that often that won't make sense to you when you hear it but you are not in a position to doubt. I do not believe this myself, but the story of Abraham and his son is just a more elaborate way of saying the same thing. It may have seemed unethical to murder his son...there may have been no logical reason he could think of to do so...but God told him to so he'd better just do it.

The problem with that idea is that some people's gods tell them to do things that are harmful to innocent others and don't stop them in time.

Just ask David Berkowitz.

@Eaglebauer Said

I believe the common reasoning is that he was testing him. The important part of the story in that theory is that he actually stopped Abraham from the murder once it was clear that he was willing to do it at God's direction.

It does raise a question though regarding the duality of ethical standard...even going back to the ancient Greeks, "pious" was defined by many as simply "what the gods love," and I think...at least this is my interpretation of that particular bible story...it was a way of positing "ethical" as "whatever God commands."

Not only would the story then serve to define Ethics as being based solely in divine authority (something I don't happen to believe myself), it also serves as a lesson that if you follow the command of God, God will in turn be a merciful authority. Snap into line, you'll be just fine.

I think a lot of devout Christians feel this way. I once went through an extremely visceral and dark period and felt very lost and hopeless for a good while. One of the people I spoke with during that time was a teacher of mine from years past who is also a Catholic nun. She told me that prayer is much more about listening than it is about talking and that peace is only found by submitting to whatever it is God tells you must happen, and that often that won't make sense to you when you hear it but you are not in a position to doubt. I do not believe this myself, but the story of Abraham and his son is just a more elaborate way of saying the same thing. It may have seemed unethical to murder his son...there may have been no logical reason he could think of to do so...but God told him to so he'd better just do it.

The problem with that idea is that some people's gods tell them to do things that are harmful to innocent others and don't stop them in time.

Just ask David Berkowitz.

@bob_the_fisherman Said

I have also heard a different interpretation of this story that seems equally valid to me. According to the story Isaac was Abraham's son through a promise, and he was going to be the father of a great nation. Abraham trusted God so he knew that Isaac would not die as this would make God a liar.