GOD-TALK.com Topic #5: Do Objective Moral Values Exist? Dr. Andy and Doug A ROCKET SCIENTIST & ER DOCTOR/MINISTER DISCUSS SCIENCE & RELIGION

Introduction Today- we discuss the question, ‘do objective moral values really exist’? o What is the relationship between values, science and God? o Are moral values real & binding, or imaginary & elusive? o If there is no objective morality, then who or what defines the terms of justice & goodness o Have you ever wondered about where the moral code came from and how it relates to science & God- then join us today for God-Talk

Intro 2 Welcome to God Talk: o A show where we faithfully examine science, and reasonably examine faith God Talk: o Where we rightly divide the line of faith & science

Definitions Objective Moral Values: o Right & good values that are true, right & binding o Not ‘subject’ to human opinion o Similar to a physical law or constant God o Infinite being o Uncreated, Creator of everything o Contains “the good” within- defines what goodness is (within His being) o Morally perfect, perfectly just, entirely virtuous- defines virtue o Standard of ‘good’, ‘right’ and ‘just’ o Provider & sustainer o Personal Science o Methodology that uses experimentation to describe cause & effect relationships

Science o Uses observation to describe the physical & chemical world o Descriptive NOT Prescriptive Example: o Global Warming alarmists like to point out that the temperature and CO2 of the earth’s atmosphere has increased dramatically in the last 400,000 years. o The earth is over 4.65 billion years old and the last 3 million years has been the coldest and least amount of CO2 in the atmosphere EVER (except two periods when the earth was totally frozen over). o Doug has written a technical paper entitled, “Man-Made Climate Change is nothing more than Political Hype”. You can find this paper at a website he co-founded:

Where do Objective Morals come from ? Two options for origin of moral values: o Mind (non-physical) or consciousness o Physical matter (material) In order to be ‘objective’ & ‘true’ for all people, these values must be grounded in a ‘mind’ or being that transcends all physical creatures Must be a purpose or objective (end-point) to life that defines the basis of life: morals define the rules and boundaries of life Morals are non-physical- they can only exist in minds which are immaterial—

Objective Morals must: o Transcend human opinion & choice Defined above & beyond human-beings Standard above human opinion (not arbitrary) The ‘ought’ & ‘the good” of life o Purpose or end-point of life Must have a purpose to have rules/morals To have purpose- there must be a person who defined the purpose Molecules do not care, they just react- if only material exists, there can be no purpose or end-game

Either humans have rights based on a higher moral ethic defined by God, or o What we call morals are nothing more than ‘power plays’ o Most powerful person / group defines the rules - subjective not objective

How can God & science exist together? o God is the being & source of what should happen in the world (justice & goodness) o Science can describe what does happen by describing cause & effect /experimentation Science must have a philosophy / foundation beyond itself to function- moral grounding can not originate from science Science gives data, but it must be interpreted within a philosophical or moral framework No scientific way to create morals Science can tell us what will happen if we transplant a kidney from one person to another one, but it can never tell us if we should do it

Virtue? What is virtue? What does it mean to be a virtuous person? o loyalty, honesty, patience, fortitude, endurance, courage, kindness, self-control o Imagine a person practices virtue- their friend commits a crime but asks his virtuous friend not to tell: if loyalty trumps honesty? if honesty trumps loyalty? both are virtuous… o How much kindness is considered enough? Who defines the standard? Is there such a thing as infinite kindness?How is kindness measured? o Without God, virtue could be defined as: self-preservation, quick-tempered,

Justice / “oughtness” How do we determine what ‘just’ is or ‘rightness’? Conduct cannot be judged ultimately without a transcendent judge who is perfectly just and knows all the facts, and all the motives Actions alone can not determine right- motives behind actions could only be known by God

Evil or darkness can only be defined if a perfect standard of justice and goodness exists beyond humans- in the being of God o Otherwise it is just different levels of subjective opinion o One man’s evil is another mand virtue without an objective moral giver