Can an Atheist Heathen like myself live by virtue alone or do I need a Bible or Qu'ran to tell me how to live?

Answer 1

You need Yahoo! Answers to tell you how to live.

But you seem to know that already. ☺

Answer 2

And what's your basis for knowing what's virtuous and what's not? What feels good at the time? Is it what your incomplete understanding concludes is the virtuous thing?

Muslims think killing Jewish women and children is virtuous.

Communists think killing contra-revolutionary women and children is virtuous.

As an atheist, you don't believe God created the earth and man. If you believe in evolution, you probably think killing non-Aryans is virtuous. If you're not Aryan, are you going to commit suicide to be true to your beliefs and your desire to do what is virtuous in your eyes?

Right and wrong are not relative concepts. There is an absolute standard for right and wrong derived exclusively from God's Word.

So the answer is no, you cannot live by virtue because you have no basis for knowing what virtue truly is.

If you guess about what's virtuous, your standard is incorrect because your knowledge is incomplete just like muslims, communists and racists.

Rom 2:5-8
God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds:

7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:

8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, KJV

Answer 3

How do you know what is virtuous? I am not a religious person, but I DO think the bible/Koran/Torah are guidebooks to being a good person.. These are where most of our morals come from anyways, just because you dont believe in god doesnt mean you can't read holy texts and get something out of it

Answer 4

It's your choice to live your life for yourself. Go ahead a party on and insult those who do have some hope. Like do you have any hope for after this life? The best way to live is with God beside you guiding your every step. You must be so happy that God gave you free will!? I feel so sorry for you people's. Well have a great time living your life for yourself because that's all you have!

Answer 5

Morals are the result of millions of years of being a social animal living in a large group. Some bloke just wrote it down and pretended it was god. The moral of the story is copy right your instincts or some theists will nick them. Say no to jesus.

Answer 6

You can live by virtue alone but you cannot receive any benefits of a very good afterlife

Answer 7

Morality and virtue are evolutionary products of the brain, just like holy books and gods are.

Answer 8

First, you need to understand why were you created in the world. Think? Without God, how was the universe created. Without God, you are nothing. Believe in the One Superior God and follow the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad, Jesus, Moses, and previous messengers. God is Oft-forgiving and kind to his manking unless you follow what God has ordered you to.

Answer 9

Where do you think they got the ideas? It is innate in all of us to go one way or another, with virtue being the choice for anyone with half-a-brain.

Answer 10

Now that wouldn't be living virtuously, would it, if you followed either of those texts. You'd have to hate a whole bunch of stuff and be really angry at other people and then not actually follow what it says, but how someone interprets it.

Answer 11

You can live on this earth by virtue alone -- but to get to Heaven, you need more than that. You need Jesus.