How does ethical behavior compare between Christians and atheists? (See details.)?

Question

This question came to mind when I read an earlier question about how atheists choose their morals. (Click below for background details.)

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=ApPDHQwtKbhOUFLE_uMmoePzy6IX?qid=20060729182013AAgxtuE

The responses suggest sophisticated ethical reasoning among the atheists, while nonatheists expected atheists to be amoral.

Similarly the US Prison Bureau released statistics in 1997 regarding the religious affiliation of its inmates. The results are striking:

All Christians = 79% of prisoners
Atheists = 0.2% of prisoners.

Recent polls indicated that about 80 percent of US residents are Christian while about 10 percent are atheists. Atheists are by far underrepresented among law breakers.

So what reason can you suggest to explain why atheists are accused of being immoral, criminal, and a blight on society?

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_the_united_states
http://www.holysmoke.org/icr-pri.htm

Jack: The statistics on both prisoners and overall US population are drawn from self-report. It seems to me they represent an identification with Christian belief, otherwise respondents would have said "none" (atheist) or other.

Please don't here this as an indictment of Christians. It's just that atheists are accused of heathenry when there's no good evidence for it. How did the country get duped into drawing an incorrect conclusion.

BROTHER MICHAEL: No, the statistics are just a snapshot of self-report. I assumed (for no apparent reason) that it was a report of how prisoners reported religious affiliation on forms at admission.

Answer 1

Because that is a narrow-minded opinion that is common, unfortunately.

Answer 2

I would suggest that the perception of atheism is that there are no absolute moral standards. Since you don't believe that morals are handed down to you from a higher power, the easy belief would be that your morals are relative.

Also...you're using these percentages to come to the conclusion that Christians are less moral than atheists. If you would come to this conclusion, you would also have to say that black people are more inherantly more criminal than whites. Since blacks are disproportionately represented in jails.

You may have definitely found a corrolation. The first rule in statistics is that a correlation cannot imply causation. Other variables exist that would effect the person committing a crime.

I would also have to put forth that just because somebody calls themselves a Christian, doesn't mean they are actually a Christian. Also, did the Prison census say if these people were of this faith at the time of the crime, or had they converted within prison?

Answer 3

I agree with Jack, the stats are misleading. Just becuase someone is raised with a religious background does not make them a christian.
Also, your demographic is too small. Around the world, christians are highly respected as moral People. In Thailand for example, an officially Buddhist Nation, has recognized that among all the poeple in the world, Christians have the highest moral standard when it comes to family development. This has opened the doors for Pastors to teach in public schools! In this Buddhist nation!

Answer 4

America is a Christian based Country, that would be the main reason. Atheists, Wiccans, Pagans, or any other religion that is the least bit foreign to Christians (including other mainstream religions) is looked down upon. Some minds cannot be brought out of the box.

Answer 5

Because Christians mistakenly believe that moral and ethical behavior is a mandate from god... and that one can only BE ethical amd moral by obeying what they perceive to be the rules of god.

They have no concept of the fact that cooperation and altruism are inate properties of human existence... a more sophisticated version of the social organization that you can see among pods of orcas, packs of wolves, lion prides and troops of chimpanzees. Moral consensus, moral conscience and mutual empathy are evolved survival traits.

"An Atheist loves himself and his fellow man instead of a god.  An Atheist knows that heaven is something for which we should work now - here on earth - for all men together to enjoy.  An Atheist thinks that he can get no help through prayer but that he must find in himself the inner conviction and strength to meet life, to grapple with it, to subdue, and enjoy it.  An Atheist thinks that only in a knowledge of himself and a knowledge of his fellow man can he find the understanding that will help to a life of fulfillment.  Therefore, he seeks to know himself and his fellow man rather than to know a god.  An Atheist knows that a hospital should be built instead of a church.  An Atheist knows that a deed must be done instead of a prayer said.  An Atheist strives for involvement in life and not escape into death.  He wants disease conquered, poverty vanquished, war eliminated.  He wants man to understand and love man.  He wants an ethical way of life.  He knows that we cannot rely on a god nor channel action into prayer nor hope for an end to troubles in the hereafter.  He knows that we are our brother's keeper and keepers of our lives; that we are responsible persons, that the job is here and the time is now."  ~ Madalyn Murray (later O'Hair), preamble to Murray v. Curlett, 27 April 1961

Answer 6

Your stats are skewed and misleading. Most people grow up in the USA with some kind of Christian background, so the percentages in prison reflect those OUTSIDE of prison.

I don't find atheists to be a "blight on society." But in my experience, they are self-righteous, bitter, and sanctimonious. Those are not crimes, however...

Love, Jack

Answer 7

I know an atheist and he is more moral than anyone I have ever met.

To answer the last part of your question: it's because of self righteousness and the attitude that is instilled through religion ( a form of brainwash ) that "we are the only ones who are the chosen and all else are lesser"

I know it pisses off the fanatics but who cares - reality is harsh.

Answer 8

Morals don`t have anything to do with believe.You can be a great person and not believe in God.You can be a person that calls themseves Christian and be very bad inside.
Most folks who say they are saved and love God, are on the whole good .No -ones perfect while their in this fleshly body.We strive everyday to live a good life,or we should.

Answer 9

I believe that 79% profess Christianity.
Doesn't make them christians.
Not that a true christian wouldn't end up in prison, but look at the tattooed, ear ringed, slang-ed, demented and dangerous guys in there and tell me their drug world life was honestly turned over to Christ. Sorry Guy, but I don't think so.

They may profess christianity, but it's apparent they don't believe in God.

Answer 10

Believing in god or no longer believing in god isn't some thing that differences in one day. notwithstanding some people do makeup their strategies from young babies, for many folk, this is a protracted experience that starts with asking questions and not getting sufficiently relaxing solutions, this is praying and not praying and noticing that there is not any distinction in the effect between the two circumstances, this is approximately slowly commencing to to have self assurance in different issues and noticing your existence does not exchange, nor are you struck with the aid of lightning. you have opened your strategies and are responsive to the info.. i'm guessing in it sluggish you will slowly stop believing in god, with the aid of fact this is virtually impossible to have self assurance in some thing whilst each thing you be responsive to, each actuality you learn, is going against your theory. each now and then of direction, people nevertheless insist on believing in god regardless of each thing, yet this is oftentimes out of blind faith and the reality that this is extra well-off to have self assurance than no longer have self assurance. the way this keeps is as much as you.

Answer 11

Does your poll ask how many prisoners became Christians while incarcerated, but came in as atheists?