I CAN'T HELP WHAT I BELIEVE: THE MORAL CASE AGAINST RELIGIOUS EXCLUSIVIST DOCTRINES. Issue 48 (7th February 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Himma, Kenneth
• Is Part Of: Think. Volume 17:Issue 48(2018)
• Page Start: 51
• Page End: 65
• Publication Date: 2018-02-07
• Subjects: Philosophy -- Periodicals; 105
• DOI: 10.1017/S147717561700032X
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1477-1756

Abstract

Abstract : Christianity and Islam subscribe to a doctrine of salvific exclusivism, according to which only the adherents of the one true religion will escape divine punishment – usually conceived of as an eternity of torment. In this article, I argue that salvific exclusivism is inconsistent with ordinary intuitions about fairness and justice, together with certain facts about belief formation. In particular, I argue that what one believes is sufficiently beyond one's capacity to choose that persons cannot fairly be punished for what they believe. It seems unfair, and inconsistent with God's moral perfection, to base the difference between an eternal reward and an eternal punishment on something that one can't control.