is it possible to be ethical without believing in God?

Question

i don't believe in God but i like to treat others the way i want to be treated, without this rule the earth would be extincted of human...is it really that hard to work out the rule of treating others?

Answer 1

Please read my words carefully:
If you see footmark in the sand, you'll say that someone passed from here...
If you see a piece of dog sh*t on the ground, you'll say that a dog passed from here...
So what about the enormous universe, the sky, stars, planets, earth and all the beauty in it, doesn't it lead to that someone made it?!!!

Some people say that everything is created by itself after the big-bang... I won't ask you about what caused the big-bang, but I'll ask you a simple question:
If you take all the letters of the alphabet, multiples of them, and you threw them randomly on the floor. Do you expect (by a chance of one in infinity) to get a poem like shakespear's??!!

Can't you see how organized our universe is, the planets, the eco-system on earth, look even in your own body... Can you control your heart-beat? Can you control your breath while you're sleeping? Who stopped your eye-lashes from growing after reaching a certain length? Who told the baby turtles to move towards the sea and not to the earth after they come out of their eggs? Who taught the bird how to make nests?

My friend, think with your heart and brain. If you're still lost, think about the following:

Do you know how to play safe?
Your point:
If there's no God and you do all what you want in life, then nothing will happen to you after life. But if there was God and you were mistaken, then you'll blame yourself FOREVER...

Believer's point:
If there's God and I followed His commands in life, then I'll be in Heaven after life FOREVER. But if there was no God and we're mistaken, then nothing bad will happen to us after life...

Now you know how to play-safe, in case you're not convinced?

Answer 2

"Being ethical" as you put it is a judgment. In other words being ethical to you means something to you that may not mean the same to me or anyone else. To answer your question you can be anything you want and you can be "it" (whatever "it" is) in the blink of an eye. Likewise, "believing in God" is again a judgment. When you say God it means something to you that is unique to you. You can be whatever it is you want to be because you are the god you likely don't believe in. It's all okay, however. The reality of this life is that you and you alone create everything in your own experience. Not me or some god out there in the heavens but you. If you accept the idea that if there were a "God" who creates then "you" who creates your own experience are a god. If you don't accept such an idea you still create your own experience. Be whatever you want to be! Just don't judge others for being something else that doesn't fit your description or judgment.

Answer 3

It is most definitely possible to live your life ethically while not maintaining a belief in God. Living ethically really has nothing to do with God, directly; however, some people are motivated by their God to live ethically. Treating others the way you wish to be treated is a good way to live.

Answer 4

Yes, of course it is possible to be ethical without believing in God. That would probably be the test of a truly ethical man.

Answer 5

Of course it is possible. Just because someone doesn't believe in the God that I do doesn't make me think that they are evil horrible people. There are plenty of kind, good people that don't believe in God. Anyone that tells you differently is scared and not very well educated. I know that sounded rude but it's the truth. Have a pleasant day!

Answer 6

Of course you can be ethical without believing in God. Some of the most ethical people in the world don't believe in God... and likewise some of the worst, most evil people are very religous (i.e. Bush or that man who drives around town in his ridiculous Hummer or the woman with eight nose jobs who doesn't care one bit about others, except for what they think of her.)

Answer 7

Don't worry, he doesn't believe in you neither. He would hope that you believe, but being that you do not believe in him. He feels the same way about you.

The end result will be what God wants and not what man wants. This world is not going anywhere. And everyone will live that has ever lived forever. Either in eternal damnation or in the kingom f God

Answer 8

In chapter 6 of "The God Delusion", Dawkins turns his attention to the subject of morality, arguing that we do not need religion in order to be good. Instead, he maintains that our morality has a Darwinian explanation: altruistic genes have been selected through the process of our evolution, and we possess a natural empathy.

Please, read it.

And by the way - is your god ethical? The biblical one is most certainly not.

Answer 9

Of course. Follow the Golden Rule: Treat others the way you would want them to treat you.

Answer 10

You may not believe in a personal God, but you probably believe in a universal truth that covers all humanity, which is a secular equivalent. I find it takes just as much faith to believe in a universal truth, such as love and goodwill, that it does to believe in God.

Regarding the Golden Rule, this is a natural law, a universal truth found in all religions and cultures:
http://www.worldreligionday.org/golden_rule.html
(Note: the difference in Christianity is that Christians are called to love neighbors unconditionally as God, and not with conditions as humans tend to do, where you only love others who love you back, or are kind to others who are kind to you; but you are kind and forgiving to enemies when this has no immeidate benefit. So the New Commandment to love our neighbors as Christ did takes the Golden Rule one step further than most people do.)

If all people followed the Golden Rule consistently, it would equate to establishing peace on earth or the Kingdom of God.
(Again, Christians believe that only Christ can bring the divine forgiveness necessary to make this reality.) So if you have faith in this, that is the same as believing in God as the power of truth or love to govern all humanity for common good. However, if you don't believe that there is good in all people, that is the equivalent of not believing in God or goodness to overcome evil in the world.

If you are worried about being excluded from Christianity due to your secular beliefs, don't worry. Jesus in the Bible clearly spoke of guiding his sheep in a separate fold of the same flock, which is understood to be the Gentiles outside the church. So all those who follow the natural laws are still included, even thought few Christians are taught this meaning of the Scriptures. Fortunately, a prominent evangelical preacher has come out with public statements about the "Gospel of Inclusion" to end the false teaching of condemning anyone to hell as Christians have been mistaught. Bishop Carlton Pierson is coming out with a new book that "God is Not a Christian" that explains salvation is for all people. His message has been welcomed by people and groups of all faiths and followings, from Jews to atheists, gays, Christians and nonchristians. He left behind his church and ministry to teach this message he realized Christians were missing. I agree with universal salvation, based on faith that all people can reconcile in the spirit of truth, even if we speak different religious languages for the same concepts. I am also secular or Gentile in my beliefs, and I don't think that makes me any less Christian even though I explain Jesus in generic terms that don't require religious belief but concepts about human spirituality proven by psychology and medical research.