we are

He has no greater value than the animals.

we don't

In fact, human life would be no more sacred than the existence of a rock.

it isn't

all these terms of value,sacred and moral do not exist.
they're all man made and highly subjective

illusions created to justify our existence

For 2,000 years one vile hallmark of xianity has remained its hatred of natural science and skeptical philosophy. The Stoics and Epicureans of Athens laughed at Paul of Tarsus when he spoke to them. Paul's anti-intellectual rejoinder is still holy writ:

20-Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21-For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22-Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23-but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles . . . . 1Cor1 20-23 NIV

In short, Paul and his fellow down-and-outers created a god glorifying their nihilistic valuations.

27-But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28-He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are . . . . 1Cor1:26-28 NIV

Xianity still appeals to those who believe themselves mistreated. To those in whom resentment surges. To those who must punish their guilty selves. To those who must project that guilt onto others and nature.

“Xianity is the practice of nihilism.” Directed inward, hatred of self. Directed outward, hatred of others and the world. Revenge seekers acting on absolute *truth*.

Psychologically there is no difference between the Taliban in Afghanistan and bible-worshipers (fundies) spread like metastases across the US. Without a vigorously enforced secular state, I would burn at the stake or receive a bullet in the head for anti-supernaturalism.

For all true believers, behold! your doctrine: "those not with us are against us" Luke 11:23 NIV

This hatred is not some peripheral ideological stance -- it is Paul's life-negating worldview, tarted up as the religion of "love".

bipolar2
© 2008

Here is a similar argument:

Sand is cheap or free.

Concrete is made from sand.

Therefore skyscrapers made from concrete should be cheap or free.

STUPID.

I often wonder what the religious person really feels about their own self worth, when all their morality, talent and accomplishments have to be ascribed to God.

They feel it is grounded in objectivity and eternality, thus possessing genuine worth.

Well said. Many religious doctrines demean the value of humankind and life of all kinds. What could be more demeaning than such ideas as Original Sin, Atonement through Sacrifice of a living being/person, Hell, etc? Humanists don't teach those things, religions do. It's obvious to me who actually values life and humanity more.

We are molecules in motion, but not just that, any more than a house is merely and arrangement of bricks, or a book is merely an arrangement of letters. There are many such arrangements which do not form persons, houses or books.

"Socrates was merely a mortal man" (as opposed to alien, angel...) is perfectly consistent with "Socrates was a special and valuable kind of mortal man". Your objection sounds equivalent to "But not all mere mortals are Socrates, therefore Socrates was not just a mere mortal".

I know you don't mean to argue that there is some special human-stuff that makes a human, but because "merely" = "nothing more than", it's potentially confusing to say "we are not merely molecules in motion" since it can be translated to "we are something more than molecules in motion".