So atheists, do you have a common law and moral obligation that you stand for or pretty much everything goes?

Answer 1

If I got my morals from mainstream religions, I'd be committing murder left and right...

Morals are from within, not from mythology.

Answer 2

That's a silly question. You don't need "God" to have morals. Are you saying that YOU only do the right thing because you're afraid of being punished in an afterlife...not because you're just a good person? We don't appreciate being told that we have no morals or values. We don't appreciate being told that we deserve to burn in Hell for all eternity--not because we've DONE anything wrong, but simply because we don't believe the same things you believe. We have morals and values that are just as good as any religious person. We don't need a book to tell us how to do the right thing, or how to be a good person. We don't do the "right thing" because we're afraid of being punished, we do it simply because it's the RIGHT THING. We are good people, just trying to live our lives. I love my husband, my children, my friends, and my family. I do volunteer work, and I give to charity. I don't smoke, drink, or do drugs. I love my life, and cherish every moment I have, because I think it's ALL I have. I don't criticize others for not believing the same things I do. You don't need "God" to be a good person, you just need a BRAIN.
(And by the way, over 80% of the prison population is Christian, and less than 1% is atheists, so don't talk to us about "common law" and "moral code".)

Answer 3

As a human being, I try to treat others with the same kind of respect that I would hope to receive from them. As a member of society, I follow the laws, pay my taxes, and try to balance my needs and wants against those of others.

And for those who say that the Golden Rule is a religious construct... The Ethic of Reciprocity, or Golden Rule, is respected by many cultures, going at least as far back as Confucius. Besides, all of the world's religions are man-made, so everything in those religions was created by humans.

Answer 4

I'm not an atheist, but I'll speak for my son, who really isn't into things like Y/A.

His spiritual beliefs (or lack of same) have no real bearing upon his integrity as a person or a father.

We raised him to be an independent thinker; one not afraid to question things, one who would not just fall into line and march with the rest of the lemmings - whatever the destination.

That said, we also raised him to understand concepts like basic human kindness and sympathy.

People are "who" and "what" they are in relation to their interaction with other human beings. Whether you are a theist or an atheist, a "liberal" or a "conservative," how you treat those around you is what matters.

Talk (and theology) are both cheap...

Answer 5

Why do I have to follow moral obligations when I can be a good person just because I choose to be? I follow the law just like everyone else.

Answer 6

Do you believe your system of beliefs is the only and true form of moral laws? I just dont get how people can dogmatically claim they have morals but people with different faiths do not. You act like converting to your religion is the only way to be civilized when in fact, it was the enlightenment(free-thinking) that revealed the nature of religions.

Answer 7

As an agnostic I have found that my moral stances are far more strict then Christians. I believe in social norms, and a social compact. I believe that one should never set out to hurt another person.
I have found that Christians find morals in a book they hardly understand, and a preacher they find boring and try to rebel from. In my honest opinion, agnostic people are far more moral, and far less judgmental.
B

Answer 8

So does this mean there are no religious people who live without moral obligation? Oh, please! Why are there more Christians in prison than atheists?

Answer 9

Ethics. morality, and law have been around much longer than the Christian religion.

If you have a chance consider reading Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics (350 BC) or The Code of Hammurabi (1760 BC).

BC meaning before christ.

Answer 10

Lao Tzu and Confucius were both atheists and they came up with some pretty good ideas about morality between them.

Answer 11

No, my life is my highest value, and what kind of life it should be, must support that. The question is always: which choices support my life and which don't. People who don't value their own life believe in the "everything goes" category. This statement says more about you and your perceived choices, than it does about morality.