James Rachels Ethics And The Bible

Ethics and the Bible
In James Rachels’ “Ethics and the Bible,” Rachels analyzes the use of the Bible to answer moral and ethical questions. He first points to the issue of clear teachings versus interpretations of the meaning behind. Those who use the Bible to answer ethical questions run into two problems, one that the Bible does not explicitly answer every ethical question, and two there are some instructions that religious people give reasons to ignore. Rachels finds this to be problematic. In the first instance the only way to find answers for ethical questions the Bible does not address, is to infer or interpret other scriptures that do not directly address the issue, and in the second, how can one decide that certain instructions no longer apply, because
He lists specifically abortion and homosexuality to make the point for both arguments. In the case of abortion, there is no scripture that says specifically that abortion is wrong and the only way to use the Bible to answer this question is by using other scriptures that are more vague and nonspecific. He argues that this is a weak way to support such a heavy ethical topic. He then uses the case of homosexuality to illustrate the problem with ignoring certain commands, while using others. In Leviticus, it explicitly states that homosexuality is wrong, but it also lists, in the same book many other things that are wrong, that many Christians have no problem doing. The question then, is why is it that homosexuality is wrong, when all these other things aren’t. Rachels argues that although the Bible does have some ethical truths, it does not hold the answers to all ethical dilemmas. He also makes a final point of the many things in the New Testament that Christians are instructed to do, yet most Christians don’t and most teachers of Christianity don’t find it necessary to do. Rachels questions the consistency of Christian teachings, and concludes that these inconsistencies make the Bible