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Originally Posted by Gilda
Actually, my argument does accomodate everyone's viewpoint. Let every person determine their own moral code, base on their own moral, religious, and philosophical beliefs, and live their lives according to that moral code without coercion from some outside entity. I absolutely believe that every individual on this earth should be permitted the freedom to do that without interference. You, me, Iranian Muslims, Indians and Pakistanis. I would vehemently defend any individual's right to believe anything they like, to express that belief, and live their lives based on that belief. I extend this to the two boys who were executed. They should have been permitted to establish their own moral code, and live based on that code.
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What about a pedophile or serial killer's moral code? Many dont' believe they are actually doing wrong, but society in general looks down upon their acts. Under your view, they would be allowed to kill and have sex with underage children indiscriminately.
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They are indeed more enlightened when it comes to certain personal freedoms in those countries. That the laws in the two places treat the same behavior differently seems to me to indicate that morality is not necessarily the same thing as legality.
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You say they are more "enlightened". I could say they are more corrupt. Who says who is right?
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Well, that's not exactly true. The laws in Iran are determined by a relatively small group of religious leaders, not by the residents. In any case laws are a measure of popular opinion, or a measure of political power, but not really a measure of morality.
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But if they really disapproved of the laws in large numbers, why not overthow the small group of religious leaders?
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For some 400 years slavery was legal in the United states. That doesn't make it moral. For a good part of that time, it was legal in some places, but not others. In Rwanda in the early 90's genocide was legal. That doesn't make it moral. A society's laws are not the ultimate arbiter of what is moral.
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Well then, what is the ultimate arbiter of what is moral? In the absence of that, all we can have is an ultimate arbiter of legality, which is your particular country/city/state/whatever's legal code.