[QUOTE=LostOne;957418]"I  think the practices of such, especially first born, was something only societies which had enough of an established population base/ reproductive success that they could afford to risk killing their first child, since a second would be likely. If they didn't, clearly they would have drastically reduced their own number, even wiping themselves out... From a biological imperative position, its counter intuitive. It doesn't seem that many early cultres would have practiced this on a wide scale. Then again, history has shown that ideas and beliefs can trump the value of human life time and time again. Many cultures place higher value in ideas than life itself (and whether or not this is a valid belief, is entirely up to the individual)"

It's my understanding that the Spartans practice this with every child. If the child did not meet "The State's" needs or if there was any deformation, it would be left by the river...
Ever though I disagree with this, it's hard for me to say it was wrong. They were very strong civilization and had very different needs than we do today[/QUOTE]
It is hard for me to understand how you do not see the murder of babies as wrong.  There having a stong civilization and different needs has nothing at all to do with it.  Do you not understand the difference between feeding a hungry person and hitting him with an ax?  Culture and what people say they believe is right and wrong has nothing at all to do with the right or wrong of our actions.

You missed the point Iope. These people weren't talking about those cultures today. They were talking about cultures in antiquity and not very long after. None of us can judge from that perspective. We weren't there. If we had been you might very well have done it yourself. I might have.

Today we don't. It is sickening and it is grotesque.

Yes, I do understand feeding a hungry person and hitting that person with an axe. I also can discern between a practice from an era many millenia ago and one that is happening right now. The question here is can you?

Exactly Gilly. There are people who have to make a choice between their own health needs and feeding their children. I watched that one on a news program. A man had to choose between his insulin and feeding his family. He nearly died as a result. He also said he'd do it again. He had to.

This is a damned tough world. It always has been. I am like you Gilly. I am glad I don't have to make those choices.

[QUOTE]It is hard for me to understand how you do not see the murder of babies as wrong[/QUOTE]

I agree with the others above.  Clearly, other cultures for whatever reasons, have found infanticide to be tolerable.  Our own culture not all that long ago found it OK to kill "witches".  More recently, we found it acceptable to own slaves.  In my lifetime, the marriage of the parents of the president-elect was not only illegal in several states, but was basically considered to be against the law of God. 

"Evil" seems to have a strong cultural component.

Lope, first let me say I did disagree with it. Now, saying that, how can I say what is best for the survival of this culture? We do not know the hardships that they had to endure. Do you know that they had enough food to feed the population or shelter for everyone? What wars they had to fight? Do you think it would have been better for many to die instead of one? I suppose that would depend on if you were that one…or the many…