Re: “Religion no basis for morality” (Oct. 28, page 9)

In response to Religion no basis for morality, published October, 28, 2010.

One of the many glaring problems with Katerina Tefft`s opinion piece entitled “Religion no basis for morality” has to do with her classification of all “religious” people into one of two categories: medieval drones motivated by “fear and superstition” and “liberal” devotees who pick and choose their beliefs based on what they find agreeable in any given holy scripture. 
This is an example of blatantly untrue pigeon-holing (not to mention misguided stereotyping) at its finest. 

I, for one, am privileged to say that the Christian faith-communities that I have the joy of belonging to are full of gracious, compassionate, socially conscious individuals who serve and obey Jesus out of the deep passion for him in their hearts.

He is a god who transcends human-made religious systems and calls people into a relationship with himself that is based on love, not on fear. In fact, our scriptures say that “God is love” and that “perfect love drives out all fear.”

Furthermore, these faith-communities take the Bible seriously when it says that “all scripture is God-breathed” (emphasis mine). Therefore, we adhere to all of its doctrines – even the ones that offend modern sensibilities. 

However, what I find most interesting about Tefft’s article is the way in which her arguments are so roundly self-refuting.

After all, if a moral law does exist for humanity (as she implies, and I certainly agree), from where does it originate? Science and rationality may describe morality, but they cannot create it. 

In other words, the existence of a moral law requires the existence of a moral lawgiver.

Jon Kornelsen

– Jon Kornelsen

Published in Volume 65, Number 10 of The Uniter (November 4, 2010)