The DWR Sunday Religious Disservice – Stark Comparisons

@steve

Historically, both Judaism and Christianity have made significant contributions to ethical frameworks that prioritize human dignity and justice, often evolving beyond their early practices. In Judaism, the Torah (e.g., Deuteronomy 16:20) emphasizes justice for all, including foreigners, widows, and orphans, which laid early groundwork for universal human rights. The Talmud (Sanhedrin 56a) later codified the Noahide Laws, applying ethical standards like prohibiting murder and theft to all humanity, not just Jews. This universalist approach influenced modern legal systems, promoting equal treatment under the law.

Christianity, through Jesus’ teachings (e.g., Matthew 5:44, “Love your enemies”), introduced a radical ethic of love and forgiveness that transcended tribal boundaries. Historically, this inspired movements like the abolition of slavery in the Christian world—figures like William Wilberforce in the 19th century drew on Christian principles to end the slave trade in the British Empire. While the Catholic Church has faced criticism for mishandling abuse cases, reforms like the 2001 norms under Pope John Paul II and Pope Francis’ 2019 laws (e.g., Vos Estis Lux Mundi) show efforts to address and punish such crimes, reflecting Christianity’s capacity for self-correction.

In contrast, Islamic history presents challenges. The Quran (4:24) permits sexual relations with captive women, a practice historically enacted during early Islamic conquests—e.g., the enslavement of women after the Battle of Banu Qurayza (Sahih Muslim 1438a). While Islam abolished pre-Islamic practices like female infanticide (Quran 81:8-9), it institutionalized slavery and concubinage, with figures like Muhammad owning slaves (Sahih al-Bukhari 7263). The Ottoman Caliphate continued slave markets into the 19th century, long after Christian-majority nations began abolition.

Regarding the comment’s point on Judaism, Deuteronomy 21:10-14 allows marrying a captive woman but includes protections—she must be given time to mourn, cannot be enslaved, and must be released if the marriage ends. This was a step forward in the ancient Near East, where captives were typically killed or enslaved without rights. Judaism’s later interpretations (e.g., Maimonides, Mishneh Torah) further emphasized ethical treatment of women, contrasting with Islam’s broader historical acceptance of concubinage.

Christianity and Judaism, despite imperfections, have historically driven ethical progress—Judaism through its universal legal principles and Christianity through its emphasis on love and reform. Islam’s historical practices, like sanctioned slavery and treatment of captives, often lagged behind in aligning with modern human rights standards.

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@ WUMS – I agree. Going all in might not be the best plan. The problem is that I think that humanity in general is quite willing to slip back into wholesale chaos and destruction once threatened.

Have a few religious compunctions against the ‘red in tooth and nail’ compunctions that lie just beneath the surface is generally a good thing.

Balance though – keeping the ooga booga an ooga booga and not the driver in a rational society – is of significant importance.

It’s a tough balance to achieve, but I think as a populace we need to move a little ways back towards some of the positive teachings religions can offer.

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All good. As an once rabid atheist myself I can understand point of view. I would point to history though, that yes, even with all the BS religion has brought to the table, it has been important in our moral and ethical evolution. I had a similar convo with Mystro and wrote this post as a response to his arguments. – https://deadwildroses.com/2025/05/08/the-influence-of-judeo-christian-values-on-modern-freedoms/

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