Does being athiest make me a better person?

Question

Christians are nice to people and follow laws because they believe something good will happen to them in a supposed afterlife.

I'm nice to people and follow laws because I want to.

Because I don't think there's anything in it for me, does that make me a better person?

Answer 1

You just showed the world that you have a low self esteem by asking such a question.


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Answer 2

That is ludicrous.

Everyone is selfish. We do things that help others because it makes us feel good. That is a reward and a motivation in itself. If you were nice to people EVEN THOUGH it was emotionally or physically painful to you, you would then be totally selfless.

And, the fact that you asked this question really subtracts points for you... I mean, if you aren't asking for praise for your good deeds right now then why did you ask this question? What are you going to do? Scroll through the answers of a bunch of people who are just agreeing with you for ten points for the pure satisfaction? or actually think about what you just asked and realize not only how arrogant it is, but how rude it is towards people with a different belief than you? No one can judge this type of thing... who is 'better' than someone else. I would say it would be best to go through life with out ever thinking seriously about who you are a step above. That would make you a 'better person', but you wouldn't even need to know it.

Do what you think is right, stand up for what is right if it is threatened. But these kinds of questions are better left unasked.

And, as a sidenote, you follow laws (in most cases) because if you don't you may be prosecuted and jailed. If they intersect morals you may have, we go back the original and basic human motivation I mentioned before (The Warm and Fuzzy Reaction, its proper name).

A Christian simply believes in Christ as a savior for a reward in the supposed afterlife. They make mistakes and sin all the time. Everyone does.

Answer 3

You're a better person for being an atheist. Why? because you have a mind of your own and you know right from wrong without a book telling you what you should do or not do. I'm sick and tired of all the religious freaks that preach from a book...why don't they convey their own thoughts and feelings instead of regurgitating other peoples thoughts. You keep living your life the right way, following laws and just being a generally good person. Don't let any other people, especially religious fools, tell you otherwise. I wonder how many biblical quotes will be in your posting here?

Answer 4

No one person is better or worse than any other, you are just more enlightened and open in your thinking and being than many people of faith.
I live for today everyday because this may be the last day of my life, and after this, I am worm food. If I am wrong, and there IS a god, well, I should be judged on the life I have lead, not weather I spent an hour and a half every Sunday professing to believe in the almighty. I am moral because it rewards me to be so in LIFE, and not because I HOPE it rewards me in DEATH.
Atheists live for LIFE, Xtians live for DEATH. That statement alone puts a lot of what has happened in the past 6 years into perspective doesn't it?

Answer 5

Being an atheist doesn't make you a better or worse person by itself. But the fact you follow laws and are nice to people might make you foolish person.

If there is no God then there's no reason to follow laws or be nice to be people except when you will get something out of it. So if you don't believe in God and you're still follow laws and are nice to people when you don't get something out of it then you're pretty foolish. You should always do what's best for just you.

Where if someone does believe in God and is nice to people and follows laws even if they don't get anything directly out of it, they are usually doing it to please the God they believe in.

Answer 6

I am an atheist, I have to say no it doesn't. A person who is nice to people and follows laws is a good person no matter their reasons for it. Plus that statement is judgmental of others, you are assuming all Christians are only nice or good because they want to go to heaven. I don't like when people base their opinion of me based on my being an atheist and that is basically the same thing.

Answer 7

No, being a "better person" is not only relative, just contemplating being better than someone else is arrogant and ignorant, two traits which in most social circles would not make you a better person.

Why the generalities about Christians? I'm nice to people because I like people and don't want to hurt them, and I obey the laws because I don't want a criminal record. And I'm a Christian by the way.

Answer 8

Whoa. I am a Christian, and I am nice to people and follow laws because I want to. If i found out there was no God, I would still act the way I do, nothing would change.

So no, it makes you a person, but not a better one.

Course, you probably dont believe my answer, so thats okay. But if you dont, and yet, I believe yours does that make ME a better person?

Answer 9

You got it all wrong. We are not nice to people soley due to the that " something good will happen" to us.
Some of us are nice people because that's just the way we are, and don't EXPECT anything in return, now, OR in the afterlife.
Your original question......" Does being atheist make me a better person?" No.
You need to learn about the love that God has for you, for all of us.THAT will make you a better person.

Answer 10

Being good out of fear of divine punishment or out of a desire to curry divine favor also strikes me as rather weak, morally.

You say you are nice to people and follow laws because you want to. But WHY do you want to? It's not just a random choice. What's the motivation behind the desire? Are you sure there's nothing in it for you? Might you be doing it to entice people to think favorably of you? To make yourself feel good about how you conduct yourself? Do you obey laws to stay out of jail or avoid having to pay a fine? Aren't these somewhat selfish reasons as well?

Thanks for the excellent question.

Answer 11

nope it doesnt...it makes you become a bag just filled with air. athiest are nice people but at the same time...they are been robbed by the devil of truely believeing that there is a God. i mean a atheist mind will waver because they are tied up in two worlds..believeing there is a God or not believeing. the only thing that can make you a better person is becoming a child of God.