Interesting analysis

**updated 12/4/07 to include link to article**

There is an interesting analysis of atonement, morality and justice in the new AA journal. From "For God so loved the world He did what?" by Gary J. Whittenberger, Ph.D., printed in the American Atheist Magazine, October 2007 (excerpt from p.23):

From the preceding discussion we can see that the standard Christian theology in regard to the crucifixion, death, resurrection and atonement of Jesus has several core beliefs:

1. One person X should sometimes request or command another person Y to prove his love for X by killing somebody else Z whom Y loves.
2. If asked or commanded by person X, another person Y should prove his love for X by killing somebody else Z whom Y loves.
3. One person X should sometimes spontaneously kill somebody else Z he loves in order to prove his love for another person Y.
4. If a person X or group of persons has rationally developed a justice system which works perfectly well, then he or the group should change it.
5. If a person X or group of persons has rationally developed a justice system which works perfectly well, then he or the group should subvert it by exempting some people from just punishment after they have behaved wrongly.
6. If a person X or group of persons has rationally developed a justice system which works perfectly well, then he or the group should subvert it by sometimes transferring penalties earned by one person Y to another person Z who has not earned them.
7. If a person X or group of persons has rationally developed a justice system which works perfectly well, then he or the group should subvert it by exempting some people from just punishment after they have behaved wrongly if they agree to accept irrational beliefs.
8. There exists a god X who would do or has already done those things.

All these core beliefs are irrational, unethical and/or false.

I had a long discussion on the question of how God can be both just and merciful at the same time with Todd Friel where I really emphasized #6 & 7 above. Of course he didn't get it/didn't agree. Oh well...