Godless Moral Values: Can Godless Atheists Have Moral Values?

Question

A popular claim among religious theists is that atheists have no basis for morality - that religion and gods are needed for moral values. Usually they mean their religion and god, but sometimes they seem willing to accept any religion and any god. The truth is that neither religions nor gods are necessary for morality, ethics, or values. They can exist in a godless, secular context just fine, as demonstrated by all the godless atheists who lead moral lives every day.

Answer 1

Divine authority is not the only source for ideas about good and evil, right and wrong.

ETHICS, the branch of philosophy that was developed by the Greeks, is just that: is the study of value, or morals and morality. It covers the analysis and employment of concepts such as right, wrong, good, evil, and responsibility, without relying on divine authority.


My Mom, who was my most important teacher about ethical behavior, didn't use religious terminology when she was teaching me right from wrong.

She taught me to think about whether what I was doing was fair (even-handed, not self-interested), whether it was compassionate (by asking me to put myself in the position of others), kind and thoughtful (asking myself what another person wanted or needed), and so on.

The MOST important thing that she taught me about right and wrong was that being able to meet my own eyes in the mirror without flinching was the best yardstick to determine whether I was living my life in an ethical fashion or not.

And she taught me to value my self-opinion above that of others.

She taught me that being ruthlessly honest with myself was the single most important step in living en ethical life - that I had to be honest with myself about why I do what I do, and to examine my ACTIONS as being the expression of my ethics...that if my behavior didn't support my self-image, I had to change my actions.

None of that was expressed in terms of religious belief.

Answer 2

Yes, they can and DO have moral values. Many times it is better than actual Christians. Atheists are usually laid back individuals who want nothing more than to have a peaceful existence with others. They get offended if someone try to control them by changing their mind and "Correct" the Atheists ideas about Christianity...I would get offended too. Another point to be made, through out history the worlds religions change from one dominate belief to another. The only constant, is the fact that there has always been Atheists.

Jeanmarie, Hitler was CHRISTIAN as was Germany as a whole. What does that have to do with Atheists and their moral codes?

Answer 3

Of course atheists can have moral values. The difference is that an atheist's moral values are completely subjective, based upon his own intelligent and social norms, and are liable to change with the situation or public opinion. Religious based moral value are, at least in part, objective and do not shift in the wind.

Answer 4

You are correct. Moral values and standards can be developed by godless people. The problem is that these values and standards are in constant flux subject to how the person feels at any particular time.

And, if there is no ultimate guide to whom we are responsible, what makes one person's values or standards any more viable than anyone else's? You have no right to judge. Therefore things like lying, stealing, incest, pedophelia, murder being wrong are just relative.

Answer 5

Well why cant I disagree with different beliefs and still cohabitant with other humans interacting in society? It's been working so far.

Reasoning out of 100 people there are few with Christian beliefs but are still good outstanding citizens. I can't conceive of hating a morally good person and I am reluctant to engage conversations that might reveal differences and thus possibly ruin a good relationship.

Answer 6

The question really is, WHOM do these moral values satisfy, If I do good things to satisfy a personal value of GOOD, then I am arbitrarily assigning a value on things. What you call good can be highly variable. If I do GOOD to please God, and this also pleases me, then it is a transparent GOODNESS, that is MORALLY right before God and men. There is a difference. I have no doubt, that some Athiest live a basically moral life, but they may be more justified to THEMSELVES, than to anything else.

Answer 7

Yes, there is natural law. There can be morals without God, but the basis of those morals is self-serving whereas the basis for divine morals is self-giving and sacrifice for God.

Answer 8

I wonder if those same people honestly believe that without their religion they would somehow turn into murders or rapists.

I can't understand the thinking that people are only moral or ethical because god said they should be. Then again I wonder about the morals and ethics in a lot of those who claim they come from God..

Answer 9

Very true. I don't need a religion for an excuse to have moral values.

Answer 10

Yes, they can and do. Moral values are formed early on in childhood based on parental guidance and interaction with others outside of the family.