Would people be immoral without religion?

Answer 1

No. Many people are "without religion", and they are not immoral. I can refuse to steal, not because the Bible says that God said not to do it, but because in doing so, I would deprive another human being of his/her possessions, something that I did not earn, and cause that person to experience economic loss, as well as unpleasant psychological bugaboos such as "object loss" (grief), anger, and fear of additional loss. I can refuse to kill, not because of the Commandments, but because I understand that doing so would deprive another person of life. I value life, and must value the lives of others. Religion clouds these issues for me, and when I read about immoral behaviour on the part of certain religious leaders, it makes me aware that morality depends upon the individual and that individual's perception of his/her responsibilities to society.

Answer 2

NO. I think if there was no religion just people who believe in right and wrong and how to try and live a good life be respectful to each other and treat each other kindly ( most Christians and not respectful they are to judge mental ) I believe earth would be a better place with out religion. No groups pushing what they believe to be immoral on us.

Answer 3

No.

Morality, altruism etc are concepts that have evolved over many tens of thousands of years. Richard Dawkins has an entire chapter on this topic in his newest book, The God Delusion. It is well worth reading as he develops it in some detail.

There are very good evolutionary advantages to being kind to fellow tribe members, not killing, raping etc. Those who demonstrate altruism, empathy etc are more likely to find a mate, reproduce, and pass those genes on to the next generation.

Religion and law just codify what human society already has decided is moral and just. This also changes over time. For example, in bible times slavery was very common, and so the men who wrote the bible reflected that. Even comments attributed to the fictional Jesus supported slavery. These days we consider that morally repugnant.

There's lots of evidence that "moral" behaviour has nothing to do with whether or not someone follows a religions. The overwhelming majority (>95%) of people in US prisons declare themselves as followers of christianity or other religions. The US is the most religious country of western industrialized nations, but yet has the highest rates of rape, murder, violent crime.

Answer 4

Religion dosn't make people moral. In Iraq, Muslim suicide bomber explode themselves in crowded marketplaces, even though Islam expressly forbids the intentional killing of civilians, even in jihad. Thousands of Catholic priests around the world molest children, which is obviously immoral. There are similar examples of immorality practiced in the name of many other religions and by other kinds religious leaders. If religion really made people be moral, none of this would happen. Personal choice is what makes people moral, nothing else.

Answer 5

People would still have "morality" but it would be based on a different set of guidelines. For example, the people might still believe that it is immoral to force another person to do something against their will, but it is unlikely that saying G-d's name in vain would be immoral since there would be no religious tenet to break.

Answer 6

Morality has nothing to do with religion and everything to do with the individual. More immoral atrocities have been commited in the name of religion throughout history than I care to think about.

Answer 7

People are "moral" or "immoral" with or without religion. Religions generally don't make a difference unless the person WANTS it to.

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Answer 8

People would be just as moral or immoral without religion as they are with it. Both morality and religion are cultural traits.

Answer 9

hi they are already immoral with faith how are you able to've did no longer observe? study shows that the reason people warfare with emotion to discover equitable ideas is pinpointed the region of the ideas called the insular cortex, or insula, that's additionally the seat of emotional reactions. the reality that the ideas has this kind of physically powerful reaction to unfairness shows that sensing unfairness is an undemanding stepped forward ability. The emotional reaction to unfairness pushes people from intense inequity and drives them to be honest. This remark shows our undemanding impulse to be honest isn't a complicated element that we learn. It for this reason completely illustrates that every person people have morals controlled by utilising the ideas and that Christians are completely incorrect to attempt and declare morals as their very own!!!! yet Christians got here across a manner around it!! government documents instruct that christians are hugely over represented in prisons for sexual, violent and fraudulent crime!! The Catholic church is paying tens of millions in repayment for the intercourse/pedophile crimes of their clergymen on my own!! Christians are hugely over represented interior the divorce courts!! Christians invented the belief-approximately sin and then the belief you could sin, ask forgiveness, get pardoned and commence with a sparkling sheet!! So no marvel that they are so expert at that's it?!!! A Christian is a guy that feels repentance on Sunday for what he did on Saturday and is going to do on Monday. - Thomas Russell Ybarra

Answer 10

Yes, morality is not exclusively defined by religion. Ethics is a branch of philosophy that deals with moral systems and there are many out there not related to religion.