What are the ultimate reasons to be honest if we have no fear of punishment, or loss of reputation?

Question

This is a follow up question to my previous question. And, btw., to those who turned my previous question into an attack on me, it was the famous English philosopher, John Lock who said that atheists couldn't be trusted.

Answer 1

If we were not honest we would loose our inner peace.

If we had inner peace we wouldn't wish to loose it because it's the ultimate happiness, being happy from within.

People are selfish so they wouldn't be dis-honest in order to keep there happy inner peace.

Sounds ridiculous I know, I'm not brilliant at explaining things. :D

What I can say is that when you are more so enlightened and have inner peace your human selfishness does slowly die away too, because your happy no matter what is around you.. so human greed disappears hence you have no desires... you have no reason to give people false views or lies because you wish to gain nothing to be happy because your already happy as you are no matter what happens.

Another reason: SELF RESPECT, RESPECT OF LIFE.

If you respect yourself you are inclined to respect others... you gain a respect for life and happiness is contagious. .. you would have no reason to be dis-honest, when you are happy your inclined to wish happiness on others, (Money is not happiness and greed is not happiness) You can meet poor people who are truly happy.. and gain more happiness by being good rather than being bad.

Answer 2

I'm not an Atheist nor am I Christian but I believe I can answer your question.

Simply put, it is all a matter of energy. Given that everything in our world is energy in one form or another, the fact that we are part of an energetic environment means attraction is at play. The universe works on the principal of Like attracting Like. Consequently, what we attract into our lives is a direct reflection of what energy we emit.

If you are a criminal, you will attract the criminal element into your life.

If you are honest, you will attract honest treatment in return.

It really is that simple. Right down to whom we call friend. Would a police officer befriend a mob boss? Would a high priced hooker befriend a cloistered nun? No. Only when there is a fundamental internal change creating a fundamental change in the energy we emit, will be attract something different into our lives.

Labels like Atheist or Christian are meaningless. It's how we act and what we do that counts. Actions springing from our intent, our energy, is what will attract goodness or evil into our lives. Fear of punishment or loss or reputation has zero to do with it. It's what we do and what we desire that creates our world. In short, we get what we give. How we respond to that will either make us change or keep us traveling along the same road.

Answer 3

Your John Locke statement is a logical fallacy: specifically, statement from authority.

1. Person A claims that P
2. Person A is a respected scientist or other authority
3. Therefore, P is true.

It is of course a fallacy.

First, there is fear of punishment - you can't, for example, claim that your product does something it doesn't do - you would get in trouble for that, even with no gods.

Second - some people (you might find this hard to believe) are inherently decent.

Answer 4

Everyone has the same reasons to be honest, whether or not you believe in god: Because you want and expect the same from others.
There may be a few of you who are only honest or "good" because you fear some punishment meted out by god, but most people understand actions and consequences right here and now.

Answer 5

Honesty lies your head down at night for a restful sleep. You have to live with yourself...You state your case of what you know to be truth.They claim that truth sets us free...I do not believe that because I have known people who have done criminal acts for years to others and laugh about it only to come out smelling like a rose...Their lies serve as the truth in a court of law no matter what the truth holds

Answer 6

Honest makes you to live systematic like a Nature. This needs only a little effort where as Dishonest needs lots of

Answer 7

it is so no longer uncomplicated for human beings to have faith in God by way of each and all the atheists that think of they be attentive to the international. till now I provide you your answer i do no longer desire you to have faith in the difficult God the Christians pray to. they say they're God is all loving, yet will condemn his/her sons to an eternity burning( never hear to those who positioned human thoughts on god) that being pronounced, it basically is wise to have faith in him. The order of the universe; the cellular being created out of no the place; us with the flexibility to be unsleeping; the way we could love. basically think of approximately this. there became a huge bang some sixteen billion years in the past; wherein got here from no longer something- very no longer uncomplicated to appreciate what no longer something is. that sizable bang basically surpassed off( and it somewhat is in accordance to maximum appropriate scientists) How did this enormous bang take place? What led to it nonetheless won't be able to be responded. And whilst this enormous bang surpassed off the regulations of physics and gravity grew to become created with it-Order seems to come again from complete chaos. The gravity to the timber; to the ambience; to the form of our planet;the placement of pur planet in the image voltaic gadget; all look to show out that it seems virtually planned. nonetheless ask your self why. This being pronounced hear to what your thoughts is telling you. you desire to have faith in God because you be attentive to he's there. that is basically no longer uncomplicated for some human beings to hearken to him and don't permit that discourage you. God loves you no remember what climate you think in him or no longer. the only element that concerns to God is how sturdy of a individual you have been. He would not require your compliment- even nonetheless he merits it. do no longer hear to what human beings do form your own opinion and hear that "inner voice". in case you don't be attentive to what inner voice I advise permit me provide a quick clarification. That voice that in many circumstances tells you to no longer do some thing- that undesirable feeling approximately some thing.once you place the entire international below a scope you will see that there is information of god everywhere, and there is not any could worry him/her. i can't tension that adequate.

Answer 8

The reasons are self respect and a sense of social responsibility founded on self interest. By contributing to society I create conditions that are conducive to enhancing my own well being. Morality isn't motivated by God it is motivated by self interest.

Answer 9

This is a very interesting question and I hope we will all reflect carefully upon it.

Honest by itself is meaningless. Honestly, meaning an action based on truth, only has value in the context of its use. The simple definition of honest is "not disposed to cheat or defraud; not deceptive or fraudulent."

We must consider the act of being honest from two perspectives: 1) as being honest to ones self, and 2) as being honest to others. For the case of the hypothetical condition posed: that there is "...no fear of punishment, or loss of reputation, [to one who chooses an act of dishonestly]" I will treat this concept as meaning: 'honesty without responsibility'.

Think first of an individual taking an action that includes only himself. Honesty without responsibility in this case would possibly not work to the individual's best interest. For example: If a man decides to cross a busy highway without regard for what he honestly knows of the dangers involved and he takes no responsibility for himself or his safety, he may be struck down while crossing. His disregard for honesty has not served him. The misrepresentation or disregard of that which is true to reality does not serve to gain anything for the individual; and this, at a glance, appears to be universally true.

Now consider the case of an individual interacting with others, and once again, we are looking at cases of dishonesty without responsibility, i.e., the individual upon taking his dishonest action is guaranteed to escape all reprisal. Here we find that there is no difference between the dishonest action and the honest action taken by an individual. For example: A man decides to steal bread because he is hungry. He gains from the action he takes and faces no punishment. I trust it is obvious to all that the hypothetical condition placed on the question has made it useless to investigate further - the hypothetical condition is moot. But, to continue searching for the ultimate value of honesty is yet worth investigation.

Consider this: That truth and ones honesty when reporting truth places an inherent demand of responsibility upon the barer. For the case of the man who wishes to cross the street: Recognizing his responsibility for the truth of possible dangers in his action will likely assist the man to survive. For the case of the man stealing bread: Recognizing that his chance of gaining food may have reprisals could alter his choice to risk the action of theft. It becomes obvious that with recognition of responsibility, honesty, (i.e., the truthful representation for ones understanding of his reality,) yields a valuable benefit to its barer.

We now have it down that "truth demands responsibility" and that "truth yields a valuable benefit." Knowing this, one can conclude that honesty, that which is true, when it is responsibly taken will yield the individual a reward of gain. In brief, this is the ultimate reason for honesty... personal gain.

I take responsibility for myself and for my actions and I hope to gain by so doing... I am convinced that no God or gods exist and I act accordingly. I am honest. I am an Atheist.

[][][] r u randy? [][][]
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Thumbs up to you...andymcj66... Thanks.

Answer 10

Because we see ourselves as parts of the same God and we don't see any profit in being dishonest with that which we are.

Why be dishonest with your self. Who would you be fooling?

Love and blessings Don