The bible is touted to be the source of morality, but as I understand it the moral is be nice or you'll go to hell. As an atheist I'm nice to people because I don't want to upset them.
Therefore, are 'Christian morals' good morals as they are concerned with the self and not the recipient?
Discuss.
2006-07-03 00:53:38 · 17 answers · asked by The Yeti 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I don't think morals and christianity are mutually exclusive.
2006-07-03 00:56:07 · answer #1 · answered by Stratman 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If anyone, Christian or whatever , is only nice to people because of a threat, i.e. going to hell, they are selfish people. I am a Christian but I TRY to do the right thing by other people not because I'm afraid of going to hell, but because I believe in treating people how I would like to be treated. In a lot of religions this is a fundamental belief. I also know Atheists that live by this rule too. It doesn't matter what you believe or don't believe, morals should come from your heart and soul not borne out of fear.
2006-07-03 01:05:31 · answer #2 · answered by erin is a tank! 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Biblical morality: If a murderer accepts Jesus, he will go to Heaven. If an altruist does not accept Jesus, he will go to hell. All sins are equal - a lie is as bad as rape - because they are all going against God's word. What is right and wrong is based entirely on what is written in a book. Your own conscience is not important.
Atheist morality: Use your mind. Behave according to what you know to be right and wrong.
Remember when the teacher gave the students an assignment to do and then left the classroom for a few minutes? You know the ones who started throwing things at each other? They grew up to be fundamentalist Christians (they never learnt independent morals and merely react to 'authority'). The ones who sat and did their work? They grew up to be disbelievers (they understood that self-improvement comes from within and being responsible to nothing except yourself is a huge and noble responsibility...)
2006-07-03 01:03:15 · answer #3 · answered by XYZ 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The morality of the Bible is not be nice, "nice" people will go to hell too if they do not believe and trust in God. Also Christian morals are not concerned with self. The Ten commandments are divided into two sections the first four being commandments about serving God and the other six demonstrating how you should treat others around you. Also, Jesus said that you should love God with all your heart and then love your neighbors as yourself and those are the two greatest commandments. What do those have to do with self?? All in all it is not about how nice you are it is about do you believe in and trust God??
2006-07-03 01:04:52 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe Christian morals are concerned with both. We are taught to love our brothers. I know that alot of people believe Christians are taught to hate people because they are different from them, but that is just not true. Jesus said, "Love the sinner, hate the sin." We are taught to pray for people who do wrong, even those who wrong us by hating who we are or what we do. When a Christian witnesses to a lost person, and is ridiculed, they do not hate that person, but pray that God will touch that persons heart and lead them in the right direction. Having a sense of right and wrong, and being nice to everyone is a good thing, but we believe that just being good won't get you to Heaven. You have to accept Jesus as your Savior, confess him with your mouth (tell people what Jesus has done for you), and live a Christian lifestyle. I heard a saying once, I don't' know who said it, but it goes like this. "I can see how a man can look out at the world and be an Atheist, but I don't know how he can look to the Heavens and believe there is no God." That may not make sense to some... but it makes perfect sense to a Christian.
2006-07-03 01:11:14 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Logically
Christian morals come from the Bible a set standard
Atheist morals are only subject to the individuals choice. An example would be "it is morally right to murder because I see it that way and it agrees with my feelings and logic".
2006-07-03 01:02:06 · answer #6 · answered by williamzo 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am atheist as well. I do not believe they are good morals for two reasons.
One: It's impossible to be nice ALL the time. The bible asks too much of it's followers.
Two: You'll only be nice to go to Heaven. Not for the sake of being nice.
2006-07-03 00:58:17 · answer #7 · answered by dilliante 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Morales should not even be a question of religion. There are evil christians, evil atheists, what really matters is whether or not the only reason you have good morales is because of the bible/fear of hell.
2016-01-13 12:00:50 · answer #8 · answered by Nate 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
listen , if a stusent did the homework n other didnt can the teacher give them both the same mark this will unfair so we have to be nic so god can make us go to heaven , if we r bad how can he make us go to heaven either this will unfair , however one word if u want to knw about christians morals read about n specially in the bible christianity is full of great morals see it n u will believe it's great .
read .
2006-07-03 01:00:12 · answer #9 · answered by who k 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are good and bad people on both side. The only thing I find strange is why anyone that is a atheist would care what a christian thinks in general ( unless you have a gung ho person trying to convert you) it shouldn't make any difference in your life at all.
2006-07-03 00:57:06 · answer #10 · answered by magicboi37 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You could argue that non-Christian morals are to some extent self-centred, due to the satisfaction we experience when we feel we have done the right thing. Mind you, in my view that's superior to acting moral purely out of fear.
2006-07-03 01:00:04 · answer #11 · answered by Janey 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋