Where Does God's Morality Come From?

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clarkal:
I suppose my next question would be where does the Cake Maker’s standards of good come from?
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That’s another ‘hard to comprehend’ issue because we humans have some standard of ‘good’ that comes from outside of us.

Even a young child drawing a picture has SOME idea of what it should be, even if it’s just a bunch of scribbles. This idea of ‘good’ is programmed into our nature and in fact into the nature of all created beings. Even animals have some sense of when something looks ‘right’ and when it doesn’t when chosing a mate or caring for their young. A cake maker may have to learn what a cake should look like, but he knows right away if it tastes good.

But God is the source of ‘good’. He defines it. Why does he think this is good and that is not? Because of his nature. Why that nature and not some other? I don’t know if there is an answer for that. I just know that the nature of our universe is derived from the nature of God.
 
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SMHW:
That’s another ‘hard to comprehend’ issue because we humans have some standard of ‘good’ that comes from outside of us.

Even a young child drawing a picture has SOME idea of what it should be, even if it’s just a bunch of scribbles. This idea of ‘good’ is programmed into our nature and in fact into the nature of all created beings. Even animals have some sense of when something looks ‘right’ and when it doesn’t when chosing a mate or caring for their young. A cake maker may have to learn what a cake should look like, but he knows right away if it tastes good.

But God is the source of ‘good’. He defines it. Why does he think this is good and that is not? Because of his nature. Why that nature and not some other? I don’t know if there is an answer for that. I just know that the nature of our universe is derived from the nature of God.
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I’m not sure if I like the analogy of the cake maker. It’s misleading to talk as if God created morality, in the same way that it is misleading to say that God is moral. God is not a moral being, but encompasses all being. He encompassees all that is Right, True, Good, etc. He does not have morals; He is. We were made in the image of God, but of course can only represent Him. What we call morals within ourselves are those qualities which are a weak shadow of what God is.

If something is moral, it can act immorally. We represent God, but since we are less than He, and flawed, can act contrarily to His nature. God cannot act immorally, because he cannot act contrarily to His own nature. If He could, it wouldn’t be His nature, and He would cease to be God.

Consider St Augustine’s treatment of evil: it is not. Good is, Evil is not. That is, Evil is not a thing, Evil has no being. It is a privation of Good. God cannot contain anything that is not.
 
St. Augustine says that God’s knowledge caused the creation.

Our ability to reason and our knowledge comes from the creation of our intellect.

One’s other knowledge comes from one observing the creation and the use of one’s intellect.

God’s morality is the same as His being.

The following is one way that I understand the Ten Commandments or Decalogue or Ten Words.

God is truth.

God is life.

God is love.

Our Ten Words come from God’s being: God is truth and you will not deceive or lie.

God is life and you will not murder.

God is love and you will not hate.

The Ten Words flow forth from God’s being.

Also, Augustine says: God did not discover that his creation was good.

God was telling us that all of His creation is good.

He made it and He made it GOOD.

This is tough stuff to write.
 
Jim Baur:
St. Augustine says that God’s knowledge caused the creation.

Our ability to reason and our knowledge comes from the creation of our intellect.

One’s other knowledge comes from one observing the creation and the use of one’s intellect.
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Interesting. But I don’t believe that.
 
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clarkal:
Interesting. But I don’t believe that.What bit don’t you believe?
 
clarkal

I want to thank you for your honest reply.

God’s blessings to you and your loved ones
 
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