Comment: – Here are some of the “good” verses of the Bible regarding ethics
provided by Is. In an e-mail. Is asked for a list of verses that have to do with
“good” ethics. I asked other Christians to provide a list, and Is. was the only
one that was able to do so. Thanks Is.
My comments first
The verses you have chosen seem ethically sound.
To most people (with the exception of psychopaths — recent research shows
that the approximately 1% of the population that are psychopaths are this
way because of their genetics) these verses would naturally sound ethical
— good ethics is innate in most people’s natural make-up.
If the Bible consisted only of the verses you mentioned it could be used as
a source of good ethical advice, which would bring forth the natural goodness
that is in people. Of course the rest of the Bible could still be appreciated for
presenting the primitive beliefs and practices of ancient people. The bible is
true in describing an ancient, unscientific culture, where knowledge of the
universe was scarce. It is an interesting book for studying an ancient culture,
their beliefs, values, and their meaning of life. However, if the Bible was
reorganized any rewriting of the Bible would require a partition between
the “good ethical verses” and the rest of it.
(1) Matt 22:39 39
“The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ (NAS)
(2) Mark 12:31
31 “The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” (NAS)
(3) Luke 6:36-37
36 “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
37 “And do not judge and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned. (NAS)
(4) Rom 12:9-10
9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.
10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; (NAS)
(5) Rom 12:16-17
16 Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation.
17 Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. (NAS)
(6) Rom 12:21
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (NAS)
(7) Rom 13:8
8 Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled {the} law. (NAS)
(8) Rom 13:13
13 Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. (NAS)
(9) Rom 14:21
21 It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or {to do anything} by which your brother stumbles. (NAS)
(10) 1 Cor 16:14
14 Let all that you do be done in love. (NAS)
(11) Rom 13:10
10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; love therefore is the fulfillment of {the} law.
(If we follow all of these things will we live a life full of love and happiness?
Probably not, but it will be good and ethical as befits a human being,
treating all equally, loving all equally, no more could be asked of a person. )
Verses I added
(12) Matthew 6:5 -7 *
5. And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites [are]: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen [do]: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
(Prayer must be in private, not in front of other people.
Do not repeat things over and over again in prayer.
Be very suspicious of any praying in public.)
(13) Micah 6:8
8. He hath shewed thee, O man, what [is] good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
(Good principles – as long as by God, it means
your personal God [Jesus is not mentioned here,
but your unique, personal version of Jesus could be
your god] and if you have a personal ‘no God’ then
with no God. There are as many gods as there are
god believers, even in the same congregation,
each different from the other.).
More of Is’s verses with my reservations
Matt 5:43-44
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.’
44 “But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you
(This is one with reservations:
(1) Back to kill and murder mentioned earlier. How could you kill
your enemy in war when you are supposed to “love your enemy”?
(2) This is an improvement over Israelite imperialism,
but the fact that it is nondiscriminatory does not make it an exceptional
moral guide. It is not realistic — You cannot have equal feelings for
all people. It cheapens love to bring everyone to the same level.)
Matt 5:48
48 “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
(The Biblical God didn’t love everyone, so he isn’t perfect either.)
Naturalism and Religious Experience 