The problem with using classical examples is that the ancient Greeks and Romans had a hugely different moral code to that which exists in the post-Christian west (and Christianity *has* influenced the modern moral code of the west in so many ways - it's not all about being taught things as part of your religion, it's also about ideas being concretised in e.g. law). Zeus' rebellion against Cronos was essentially seen as a 'good thing' because he won by employing superior strength and cunning. But, because he was a god, it was also as if his deed/crime didn't apply to humanity - classical religion didn't have the concept of the gods being like humans (like e.g. Christianity does), and in fact it'd probably be a case of hubris if you thought the rules applied to gods also apply to you.
Parricide was one of the worst crimes you could possibly commit in Roman and Greek law - cf. Cicero's Pro Sexto Roscio Amerino. But I don't know if this was because killing your father just seems a bad thing to do - it was probably more to do with undermining the natural order of supremacy within a family (the family arguably being the most important institution in the ideal classical world - cf. Augustus' reforms).
For my part, I believe that some things are just right or wrong (like killing people - I refuse to believe that all people who have killed people didn't think twice about it, unless they have a mental problem) and you sort of know, but whether you're willing to comply with that is another thing entirely. And the rest is culturally conditioned - it's not just the old cannibal debate. You can be as atheist as you like, you've still got your moral code from the Christian Church ;)
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Date: 2006-02-22 03:45 pm (UTC)Parricide was one of the worst crimes you could possibly commit in Roman and Greek law - cf. Cicero's Pro Sexto Roscio Amerino. But I don't know if this was because killing your father just seems a bad thing to do - it was probably more to do with undermining the natural order of supremacy within a family (the family arguably being the most important institution in the ideal classical world - cf. Augustus' reforms).
For my part, I believe that some things are just right or wrong (like killing people - I refuse to believe that all people who have killed people didn't think twice about it, unless they have a mental problem) and you sort of know, but whether you're willing to comply with that is another thing entirely. And the rest is culturally conditioned - it's not just the old cannibal debate. You can be as atheist as you like, you've still got your moral code from the Christian Church ;)