why do U.S. prisons contain per capita 50 times more self-professed (when they entered) Christians than atheists.
75% of the U.S. is Christian, as is 75% of the prison population
10% of the U.S. population is atheist, but only 0.2% of the prison population
2006-10-17 00:43:23 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Lets not cloud the issues with real facts.
2006-10-17 00:53:06 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 1⤋
Studies have shown that atheists are actually very generous as a group. The idea that any group is without morals is idiotic. Morals are just a set of what people think are right and wrong. They are judgments and everybody has them.
Religions actually make people morally lazy. Religious people usually can't speak to why something is right or wrong without just defaulting to "God said so". Atheists actually think about such things more deeply than the average theist. They don't have a default worldview to fall back on, so they have to consider the real merits of their beliefs.
2006-10-17 07:49:34 · answer #2 · answered by nondescript 7 · 11⤊ 0⤋
Religion claims a monopoly on morality and ethics because that's their business plan -- that's the lie they tell to keep their customers coming back for more guilt and sermonizing and of course, tithing.
The fact is that morality is a matter of instinct -- any child can figure out the right thing to do, and why. And ethics is a matter of maturity: The mature person knows that the right thing to do is always the hard thing to do.*
2006-10-17 07:55:48 · answer #3 · answered by ? 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Who said atheists are "without morals"? Of course, "morality" (like the usage of your prison statistics) is subject to the eye of the beholder. That is, who's standard of morality are you using? How is a moral life defined? In terms of your statistics, is everyone who claims Christianity really a Christian?
Morality in this world is not the same as righteousness before God. Do we do anything so great that He is impressed? Christians are not declared righteous before God because they are paragons of virtue and morality...their righteousness is imputed through grace and the atonement of Jesus Christ.
2006-10-17 08:11:01 · answer #4 · answered by Seven 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
That is not the point! The atheists I know are very "moral" persons. One does not have to be Christian to have values. Those who are Christian may still have very low morals/values.
2006-10-17 12:02:50 · answer #5 · answered by June smiles 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Atheists are not necessarily without morals. Even the scriptures recognize that people who do not worship or believe in God can do good.
As for "self-professed" Christians in prison, there is your answer right there. They are nominal Christians. Can it be said that a person who dines every week on Burger King whoppers is a vegetarian? It is even as Paul said at 2 Timothy 3:5: there are many who have a form of godly devotion but prove false to its power. And it is as Christ made clear at Revelation 2:9: people can claim anything they wish, but the proof is in the pudding. By their fruitage you will recognize true Christians.
Hannah
2006-10-17 07:56:02 · answer #6 · answered by Hannah J Paul 7 · 1⤊ 4⤋
Well, morals is an easier topic to speak about than type about, here are some strong examples of morals...
http://youtube.com/profile_videos?user=irishdictator
2006-10-17 20:42:04 · answer #7 · answered by SlapADog 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I do not believe morals is exclusive to Christians or religion in general.
2006-10-17 07:53:56 · answer #8 · answered by Miss Vicki 4 · 4⤊ 0⤋
the christians are rightieous thats why the are more of them in the nick thay follow the bible to the letter of the so and some go to far that thay kill people in the name of god that sort of thing thay are brainwashed to follow that book
2006-10-17 07:52:25 · answer #9 · answered by andrew w 7 · 3⤊ 2⤋