Atheists - what is your source of morality?

Question

What motivates you to be "good"? Is it just the avoidance of chaos? What keeps you from being selfish? Do you "just know"?

I don't ask tongue-in-cheek, I'm looking forward to well thought-out answers. Thanks!

Why do you believe what you do? Natural selection?

Answer 1

well first off we are taught certain morals by our parents, such as "do not steal" "obey your parents" as you get older you develope a feeling called empathy which is your ability to feel anothers pain. though everyone has empathy to a different extent, (some murder and ignore it, others cry at the slightest thing and others can handle more). the thought that "i do not like pain why should i put another person in pain" is quite a basis for morals. i do not wish to be stolen from, raped, abused, lied about, what is my motiviation to do that to someone else?

will people commit those without motivation?

Answer 2

I don't rob n steal n rape because I wouldn't want that done to me. Because I don't like the way "doing wrong" makes me feel. All I have is a short life on this planet. I want to live it in a moral way, so that I can feel proud of how I handled things in my life. So that I can help contribute, even a little bit, to making the world a better place.

It's not "avoidence of chaos" even on a small scale. Even when "nobody will know." Today when the lady at Starbucks gave me a $10 instead of a $1, I told her. Not because it would make a skygod happy, but because it was the right thing to do. Because when EVERYbody behaves like that, the world is a better place. I can't control the actions of everyone, but I can control mine.

Answer 3

People who don't believe in religion use their OWN judgement.

We are mature enough to realise that we don't need to live our life by some book or belief system.

We use things like common sense and instinct, concepts that religious fenatics are unable to grasp.

We trust in ourselves and our loved ones, instead of some mythical creature or being.

We give one other hope for the future instead of false promises of eternal existence, and we laugh at everyone else.

We know where to draw the line, as our brains are much more complex and developed, where as the religious brain has been brainwashed and holds nothing but what it has been fed.

We learn from our experiences and mistakes and only ask for forgiveness when we have truely hurt someone close to us, not for feeling sexual desires or for cursing at people.

I hope this has given you a little insight into the mighty world of the Athiest!

Answer 4

Amazing, you actually believe that morality is religious based?

Let's look at how kids learn how to interact with each other on the playground. If a kid is a continual bully or jerk, he will not have any friends. However, the kid that learns to give and take in a mutually benificial way gets all the friends. This is the early beginnings of how everyone learns morality. It has nothing to do with religion!

Answer 5

Morality is a religious concept dependent on some god being around to smack you over the head if you break the rules. Atheists have ethics based on the social contract, far superior.

Answer 6

Well... we don't need the threat of punishment in order to choose positive moral lives. We choose to be good people all by ourselves. Most atheists make these choices based on contributing to the world around them, feeling positive about themselves, and leading a life of integrity.

Integrity is choosing what you know is right. It is an internal process and not one imposed from the outside.

Contrary to christian belief, it is more than possible to not believe in god, and to believe in goodness anyway. It is "good for goodness sake" rather than "I better be good or I'll go to hell..."

Answer 7

Funny you ask this. I have seen many so-called "Christians" more sinful and judgemental than me. And many of them hide behind their Bibles and point out others flaws, to make themselves feel better. Good is in one's nature. If you want people to be good to you, or have happiness in your life, then you have to be positive. And I don't "just know", it happens naturally. Who and what you surround yourself with, will determine how you will live. Live with chaos, you will not be happy. You could also use this question for people of faith, and see what their answer is too. :)

Answer 8

though i'm not an atheist, i have friends who are. when this question has been posed to them they tend to answer that just because they don't believe in a god, it doesn't mean they don't know right from wrong. also, there are laws put in place to guide each society's version of morality. though i believe religion is a good source of it, religion isn't a requirement to be "good" or "bad"

Answer 9

for me? empathy
in general? the human's a social animal, like most primates, if we did alot of "bad" things against each other, we wouldnt be able to live as a society
and, about the bible, etc, I find it quite lacking, it doesnt have all the answers for every specific sitiation, that's why it's better to think by yourself

Answer 10

Personally i use my good judgment and the knowledge i gained from my parents growing up. The greater reality of morality is that it is not derived from god... one can find the basis for morality in causality. Actions have reactions and true morality is being able to foresee the consequences and tailoring your actions to avoid them.