Do you think you wouldn't have emotions without religion?

Question

Because I hear people say that they think morals come from religion or the even bolder ones say directly from God. So you are saying without religion you'd be completely lacking in emotions like empathy and compassion? For example, the Buddha never heard the name Jesus (because he hadn't been born yet) and never the notion of your "one true God" and yet his religion is older than Christianity and actually states that the only emotions you should feel if you're enlightened are unconditional love and sympathy. He also called it delusional to believe in a deity, doesn't sound like he was up on religious practices. Was the Buddha simply an agent of the antichrist or do you think God gave us inherent morals or will you finally admit you're wrong?

I love how I get 2 or 3 answers tops when I ask a question that involves thought outside of what the Bible tells people. It seems that the ones that can think on their own don't follow this belief, I wish there were more.

I agree MyheartisJames.

Did I metion in the question that I'm atheist and think that morals outside of religion are not only possible but more clarified and less muddled up or contradicted 10 times by another part of the religion?

The fact that emotions and morality is different is fairly obvious and not the question. Emotions can dictate your morals is what I'm saying. Nothing in one person are two completely different things. I feel empathy or compassion therefor I won't cut some one else's life short. It conflicts with what my emotions AND morality would say is right.

To gchezmoi yeah I agree with you about animals and buddhism.

To Melissa Me, I'm sorry I came off to you the wrong way, but no I'm not just looking for an ego boost. I'm really looking for some one to explain how they reason this to me. If I get an answer that does and isn't offensively saturated in brainwashed nonsense I'd give it 10 points. If they all just say no you're wrong we get emotions and morality from God, then I'll pick some one who clarified my point better.

Answer 1

Yes, I often wondered if Christians suddenly had their religion taken away, would they become amoral, irresponsible & uncaring excuses for human beings, or would their brain take over & have even better morals, responsibilities and care more for others.

Answer 2

Emotions are a purely human thing, so yes we would have them without belief in God.

Morals, however, is a slightly more complicated issue. Morality has two subsets: Divine Law and Natural Law. Divine Law is what is revealed to us by God directly and Natural Law is what is in us innately as humans. We would know basic morality and right from wrong with just Natural Law, however would only a part of the whole law.

The main problem with an atheistic society is the lack of motivation to follow even Natural Law where it does not suit them. (I can steal because I need those shoes, and Wal-Marts a big company that can afford this tiny loss.) However, that is not a reason for believing in God, just a reason having faith can be a societal good.

Anyone can discover the truths of Natural Law and teaching about them would certainly not make you anti-Christ. Especially if you died before Christ took flesh.

It is certainly not delusional to believe in the Deity, the One True God. Since, the Israelites where not the practice of sending missionaries out, the Buddha wouldn't have had access to teaching about the One True God so deities he would have encountered are actually false and that would a reasonable view to take given those circumstances.

Since Christianity is the ultimate fulfillment of Judaism, I'm not sure about the legitimacy of claim the Buddhism is older. In fact at the time of Christ, there were many schools of Jewish though and this persisted up until the time the destruction of the temple-- which proved that the Messiah wasn't coming soon if he hadn't already come and therefore destroyed the theology of many of those schools of though. The destruction also meant and end to Jewish priesthood and therefore an end to the power the Sadducees.

Answer 3

Being a good person, living your life with integrity, has nothing to do with religion.
actually religion is only for people without morals and ethics.
they can hide behind religion because religions especially Christians say it OK to "sin" all you have to do is believe in this guy Jesus. he will forgive you so its really OK.
in my non religious philosophy. there is no room for error. you must always do the right thing even if you do not like it.because of integrity. you are not good for some supernatural being but for your self so that you can live in peace. Every human being really does know what is right from wrong. humans do not need religion to tel ll us how to behave decently.just that most people choose not to.and then fall back on religion. when the going gets tough the unethical go to religion

Answer 4

Morality and emotionalism are two completely seperate entities. Emotions are physical traits indwelling in people, morality is the standard by which we live. If you were to live simply by what was happening with your emotions you would be wondering about like a lost puppy, not knowing where to turn.
If Buddha read the old testament then he would have indeed heard about Jesus, prophecies about Jesus occurred thousands of years before His arrival.

Answer 5

we all have good and bad emotions, but that does not mean that we have good morals. A person may be kind to someone and in reality they are doing them more harm in the long run.

For instance, let's take a teenager who keeps breaking the law. The kind thing might be to let that child off with just a warning because you want to be kind. But it's not always the right thing to do, because they won't correct the problem behavior.

So kindness and goodness are traits that you need for unconditional love and sympathy. But you also have to consider if it is the right thing to do in terms of correcting problem issues. Sometimes being kind will turn that person around. But other times you do have to let them go through bad times to learn.

Answer 6

I don't have a religion and I still have emotions.

Emotions and morality are not the same. My morality may say it is okay to randomly kill others. My morality may be that it is okay to spit on people in the street. That is not an emotion.

it sounds like you had your mind made up when you asked the question and are just looking for people who agree with you.

Answer 7

As an atheist, I say no. I have emotions, and I am even happy with my life.

I'm a great person, though a bit dark, I don't believe I fit in the 'emotionless/without morality' section.

Answer 8

Animals have emotions too.

I think Buddhism is more of a philosophy rather than a religion. A way to live life and overcome obstacles in life.

Answer 9

I learned a lot of my values and morals in church and from the Christian beliefs of my parents. I think anyone (regardless of their religious beliefs) can learn values and morals from parents who communicate with their children. I have made comments about learning my values in church and being a better person because I go to church, and some of the athists responded by saying people don't have to go to church to learn values. I don't argue that point. I just stated where I learned mine.

Answer 10

we would have emotions even without religion... we were made to have emotions.....to survive among many things.......

like if a cat didn't feel fear when a barking dog was running at it...it would be killed.....

same as us....if we didn't fear somebody pointing a gun at us...we would be killed.....

if we didn't feel love or lust we wouldn't reproduce and the species would die out......... humans aren't the only animals that feel love... some animals mate for life....which is better than most humans these days......