Do you believe that it is impossible for an athiest to have a moral code?

Question

Is the only thing that keeps them from committing crimes the fear of imprisonment? Is there any explanation for deeply God-Fearing people who violate the Ten Commandments?

Answer 1

I have always dismissed this kind of premise as the most totally ludicrous thing I've ever heard suggested.- that if you don't believe in a Mysterious Invisible Being, who is extremely punitive, then that means you can't have any kind of built-in moral compass. It is utter nonsense for anybody to think such a thing. That would be like saying that every bad, criminal, anti-social act ever committed, is always commited by Atheists... or that they ONLY keep on the straight and narrow out of fear of getting caught and sent to prison. The ;prisons are absolutely chock full of convicts who have perpetrated some truly horrendous crimes and yet when you see them being interviewed, they frequently talk about "being a believer in God" And this doesn't mean they "got religion" just since they were in prison, because many of them go right back out into society and do the same crimes again and again.
Besides that, every single day,all over the place, people who are outwardly "righteous church-going Christians" are being found to have been engaged in some very "unchristian" behaviours. If fear of THEIR punitive God, and going to hell, hasn't kept THEM on the straight and narrow, it sure makes nonsense out of any suggestion that the only reason why atheists keep from committing crimes is their fear of discovery, and punishment by their fellow humans. Believers and Unbelievers have never been shown to have any difference in the range of their behaviour, from the best, through to the worst. If anything, I think the so-called "believers" are far more hypocritical. They can go to their Church Services on Sunday sing their hymns and chant their chants.. then Monday thru Saturday they can be out there, lying, cheating, stealing right along with the worst of 'em.

Answer 2

That's the problem with people having their own moral codes. What may be right for you isn't for me. Imprisonment doesn't seem to be a deterrent for most career criminals. And on some crimes we are just too easy.
God-fearing people who violate the Ten Commandments do so probably because they are only human and some slip up eventually.

Answer 3

Fear of imprisonment and Fear of God are the same reasons for being Moral or not committing crimes..

But being Moral is doing the right thing regardless of rewards or punishment.

Answer 4

While I'm catholic, I think that you're right in saying that atheist can have strong moral values and codes. Everyone can have moral codes, but only some act on them, while some opt for the easiest path. And when it comes down to it, religion doesn't come into the ecuation on most cases, what comes is just everybody's upbringing and personal beliefs.

I think that religion can help laying some values to follow, but, well, look at the commandments. thou shall not kill, desire the woman not your own, don't steal, etc.. Do you have to believe in God to follow this?

On the other hands, some religious persons (on any religion) can be hypocrites, go to their religious meetings or mass, but beauty is only skin deep... or just be religious zealots that close their eyes on their brothers in need because they follow another religion, or no religion.

Answer 5

Of course not.

Most religious people beleive there is an unbreakable connection between worship and right personal conduct. That's the heritage that we have from religions that base their "good conduct" in commands from their god or gods.


But one of the things that Western society has inherited from the Greek philophers is the concept of 'ethics", a way to tell right from wrong without divine authority.

Any parent, religious or non, can teach their children to put themselves in the place of others, to question themselves regularly about their motivations, and to be utterly self-honest.

Few do, whether they are religious or not.

Answer 6

The must not be very God fearing if they violate the precepts of the Law. All of us have a 'moral code', but not all of us have a good one. The population of Sodom and Gomorrah had a moral code, and look at what happened to them. Only if we base our morals upon the Word of God, can we have a good moral code.

Answer 7

As an atheist I have a moral code.
Don't kill no one unless they are seriously trying to kill me.
Don't steal what ain't mine.
Don't mess with married women.
Don't mess with children.
Don't lie about anything. If I don't want you to know something, I just won't tell you.
Respect everyone else and their opinion, I might not agree, I might debate the issue, but you have the right to your opinion.
A woman's body is her's, she can invite who she wants to into her bed, unless she's married then she has an obligation to her husband. I can't make decisions about her body, that's her business.
When I make moral choices it is not based on getting caught, its based on what makes sense to have a healthy society. God fearing people are the ones that make their moral choices based on the fear of getting caught. That is why they are always trying to bait us with questions like this.

Just my opinion.

Answer 8

They need no explanation all they need to do is repent because no one is without sin. And yes I do believe it possible for an atheist to have a moral code? I believe everyone has their own sort of moral code to life.

Answer 9

I just have to say how pleased I am that there are so many great answers to this question - to the effect that morality is a product of human culture. Way to go folks!!

Answer 10

Of course not. Atheists just don't need the faux promises of eternal life or threat of hell to do the right thing. Christians need to be ordered, and you still can't find one that obeys the 10 commandments!