I'm asking this because I know that there are many atheists who follow these laws of nature and morality to one degree or another.
2006-11-05 14:31:39 · 16 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Ethics and moraltity were facets of human behavior long before christianity was ever formulated and christianity has nothing to do with the laws of nature......
2006-11-05 14:36:17 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Well, I don't know where you're getting the "Laws of Morality" claim from. That's all you.
Morality is completely subjective. It wasn't handed down in a Top 10 list from a mountain to some senile old fart who talked to bushes that were on fire.
Morality is very simple. Ethics are determined by society. It is human nature to want to continue our species... it's part of the mammalian brain. It's human nature to want to help others... we are very social animals. Ethics arise out of that.
To make a parallel, lying. For instance, Thou Shalt Not Lie isn't always a bad thing. Lies have saved lives, saved hurt feelings, prevented arguments. On the other side of the coin, Honor Thy Mother and Father isn't always a good thing. Do you honor your father if he habitually beats you for no reason? Do you honor your mother if she abuses you? Respect is not automatic, it is earned.
The Laws of Nature have always been. We created the explanations for the laws of nature, because they are things that we are subject to and cannot change. Occam's Razor eliminates the need for a "creator" to manifest them.
2006-11-05 22:40:58 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Natural law is just that, natural. It doesn't take any great brain work to figure what is moral and what is not. Christians get hung up on sex all the time, they never ask themselves why god is so concerned about what consenting adults do, when the world is full of murder and mayhem.
Tammi Dee
2006-11-05 22:46:48 · answer #3 · answered by tammidee10 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Good job you are only 20 weeks old and still inside the womb as you will learn over the year that laws of morality were created by man. As for the Law of nature, we gave it that name, the law of nature exists regardless.
2006-11-05 22:36:23 · answer #4 · answered by A_Geologist 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Right and wrong is defined by man, ethics and morality are man-made... the "10 Commandments" are also man-made.
Everyone and everything follows the laws of nature, belief has nothing to do with it.
2006-11-05 22:40:51 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Do you think it is impossible to be moral and be an Atheist? That is just silly. One does not have to believe in god to know what is right and wrong. You are incorrect in your thinking. Atheists believe in Nature and Morality with out god. Just because we do not believe in god doesn't mean morals and nature automatically do not exists for us.
2006-11-05 22:38:10 · answer #6 · answered by Lisa 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Then who created them??? Oh wait ONE GOD right..?
I personally believe in many Goddesses & Gods...The laws of nature & laws of morality were created by men that had no clue to what they were doing...
2006-11-05 22:37:02 · answer #7 · answered by shortcake19722003 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This kind of requires more of a conversational approach to be honest. I'll try. And I really enjoy your questions 20 weeks. They're interesting!
I assume you're referring to the "laws of nature" arguement CS Lewis gives in his "Mere Christianity"?
Well, for one thing...whenever I read that I want to grab CS by his Oxford Tweed collar (politely) and ask him WHICH moral law, specifically? There are human cultures that ignore incest, some have canibalism, infanticide --- you name it. So I'd be interested in which "moral law" he's referring to.
But let's say I agree that there is one. This question is posted on here a fair amount, and another poster named JP said it much better than I could, so credit to him. He explained it like this...
A morally based society ensures longer survival rates, therefore, it is pro-evolutionary to have a moral foundation. In fact, evolution has provided us the two dictums of every religion known to man and formulated into one rule. Those two dictums are empathy and altruism. The one rule is the golden rule:
Common: Do unto others as you'd have them do unto you.
Buddhist/Negative: Do not do to others what you would not have done to yourself.
Satanic/Reactionary: Do to others as they do to you.
In short -- we're moral BECAUSE of evolution, not despite it.
2006-11-05 22:38:28 · answer #8 · answered by Black Parade Billie 5 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Few, if any, atheists disbelieve in deities out of choice. It's not as if we know the god is really there, but somehow refuse to believe in it (for example, see if you can choose to truly believe that Australia does not exist). Most atheists disbelieve simply because they know of no compelling evidence to suggest that any sort of god exists. If you want an atheist to believe, show her some good evidence, don't just say it's in her best interests to believe even if there is no god. A person cannot choose to sincerely believe in something, just because it is pragmatic to do so.
2006-11-05 22:36:40 · answer #9 · answered by jedi1josh 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
It's called a social contract. Look it up.
It's the same reason gorillas travel in groups and care for one another. It's the same reason why wolfpacks do the same.
Cooperating and helping one another is a key to survival.
This is very easy to understand. People of faith simply don't want to admit it.
2006-11-05 22:36:58 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋