Matt Dillahunty on The moral argument
Dillahunty, a former Christian who studied to be a minister, argues morality is a human construct refined by reason, not divine decree.
Dillahunty addresses the moral argument with the zeal of a deconvert. Having once accepted that morality required God, he now argues that secular moral frameworks — particularly those grounded in well-being, empathy, and social contract — are not only sufficient but superior to divine command.
His core objection to Craig's moral argument mirrors the Euthyphro dilemma: if God's commands are good because God is good, then goodness is a standard independent of God's will. If goodness is whatever God commands, then morality is arbitrary. Either way, God is not the foundation of morality.
Dillahunty frequently points out that believers already use secular moral reasoning to evaluate scripture. They reject the Bible's endorsement of slavery and genocide not because of new revelation but because of moral progress driven by human empathy and rational reflection. This demonstrates that the moral sense is prior to, not derived from, religion.
“If your God commanded you to kill your child, and you would do it, you are dangerous. If you wouldn't, you are using your own moral judgment over God's — and that's my point.”