What is the overlap of Religion and Morality, and, what is the overlap Atheism has with Morality?

Question

I'm just asking a question, I'm an Atheist and quite happy with my deviant behavior.

Answer 1

The inherent assumption in your question is that there is just one absolute morality. That isn't atheism, Jim... tsk tsk tsk.

Religion claims to adhere to a constant standard (hence the term conservative), whereas atheism clings to situational ethics, a demonstrably false concept.

Answer 2

There is no overlap between atheism and morality. Deviance never was moral. All morality comes from religion and a belief that there is more to life than mere accidental existence.

Atheism teaches that there is no God. If there is no God, there is no right and no wrong. There is no good and no evil. Therefore there can be no reward and no punishment. Therefore the serial killer and the rapist have the same claims on life as the peacemaker and the protector. And none should be punished for just doing what feels good.

Answer 3

Well, first you have to ask "what is morality"? Most people would say it's "what you should do". Well, who says so? And what's the punishment if you don't? Religion tells us who says so, whether in the form of God or universal karma. It also lays down the punishments for not doing so.

Think about it: why is murder wrong if there is no higher power? Things "feel" wrong or right, still, but there is no punishment apart from whatever other people will do to you if they don't like what you're doing. That feeling of wrong or right, regardless of where it comes from, is why atheists can say with confidence that they are (or can be) moral without being religious.

I personally don't believe in a concept of right or wrong that exsists "out there". It's just down to what we feel. That we all have, more or less, the same feeling (that love is good, and hate is evil) just tells me that we are by nature loving beings. You don't need a religion to define morality from that perspective (though I do believe in a notion of God).

Answer 4

Religion has co-opted the basic, although often ancient, ideas on morality into the fabric of its belief system...then going as far as claiming their religion/god creates said morality. Unfortunately, the documentation of it allows one to see the inconsistencies with ever-changing society (i.e. slavery, stoning, eye-for-eye, rape, homosexuality, etc etc). These moral absolutes then tend to fall apart amidst the hardliners and progressives even within their own religion. Eventually, their definition of "morality" becomes meaningless due to the cherry-picking mentality of what is really God's will and what is the antiquated ancient thought of imperfect men, as well as thier percieved absolution of immoral behavior.

Atheist, which have no religion, base their morality on basic human rights and civil rights, in addition to the same basic morals that existed long before organized religion that religions claim to be based on. The difference is that atheist morals are more plastic, allowing changes to occur when certain ways of thinking (i.e. slavery, stoning, etc) are seen as immoral.

The caring of atheists for this world, this life, and thier fellow man encompass a larger blanket of morals than do any of the religions which put their premium on the afterlife. Therefore the overlap between Religion and Morality is sporadic at best, while Atheism and morality overlap more totally (though I doubt 100%, if thats even possible).

Answer 5

Morality is a mental construct that is direction proportional to the mind of the person using the word, and thereby often also defined by the religion that such a person subscribes to. As an atheist Buddhist, it takes on a different tack of what causes suffering and harm vs. what does NOT cause these things.

_()_

Answer 6

The "overlap" is that many - most! - people don't trust their own moral sense unless it's backed up by a conventional system of threats and rewards such as is found in orthodox religion. They want their ethics ready-made, because developing the judgement to deal firsthand with the changing conditions of life is MUCH harder than slavishly following out a set of dead regulations.

"He noblest lives and noblest dies, who makes and keeps his self-made laws." - Sir Richard Burton.

Answer 7

~~~JD ,,,,"Atheism" has nothing to do with "Morality". An atheist must form their own definition or ideal of such. The only morality within any given church is merely Dogmatic Opinion by self serving Clergy.

Answer 8

Atheism's morality is "survival of the fittest". Whatever it takes to survive, no matter the cost or repercussions to others. Nothing is a sin, and if the majority say it's okay, then go ahead. Christianity holds people to a higher standard, (ie, the Golden Rule) which is much better for society.

Answer 9

You can be deviant and still have morals. Religon doesn't hold the book on morality. My mother does.

Answer 10

All morality is the result of human beings confronting human problems.

Atheists are just honest about this.