Atheists - do you have any kind of "moral code" for lack of a better term?

Question

Maybe a top five? I am thinking about mine, will provide after your answers. Thanks.

WOOOOAAAHHHH.

I am an atheist, and have been asked this question - I am asking about your PERSONAL kind of way of being.

As in, a few of my thoughts:

- No place on earth is more sacred than another
- No person on earth is more worthy of life than another
- Help those who cannot help themselves
- Don't be a $*&@!
- Be honest

- Don't kill anything unless it cannot be avoided
- Don't abuse the earth
- Buy only what you need
- Don't brag

I have to say, I'm so surprised to be bashed by so many people who are seemingly like me in their beliefs! Ah!

I'm actually constantly reading about the corrupt evangelicals and their very large hand in the destruction of our democracy, and constantly here talking about it.

Read this:

http://www.evangelicalright.com/

or some of my question. OUCH.

Answer 1

1. Don't be a dick...I think that pretty much sums it up

Answer 2

We have a moral code, not taught to us in any church, or through any book, but through simple common sense. God is not necessary for morality to exist. I'm a faithful and loving wife. I love my children, my family, and my friends. I do volunteer work, and I give to charity. I don't smoke, drink, or do drugs. I haven't even had a speeding ticket. Not ONE of my atheist friends has been divorced. They are all in long-term, loving marriages. We are good people--not because we fear some sort of punishment in some afterlife, but because we are simply GOOD PEOPLE. You don't need GOD to do the right thing, you just need some common sense, and half a brain. Just because we don't share someone else's beliefs about a deity, does not mean we are immoral, or enjoy "being bad". (That is how the ignorant think.) It means simply one thing, and it's not that complicated. It means we simply don't believe in the same religious things that others do. Personally I would rather be a good person because the goodness comes from my heart, than be good because I'm afraid of some punishment if I'm not. Goodness isn't really good if it's simply motivated by fear, is it? I think if there IS a God, even he would agree with that.

Answer 3

I'm sure they do. My sister and her family are atheists, though every time I see the rising sun or a flower grow, I question how they cannot attest to a higher power behind all of Creation, but c'est la vie! My sister is honest and lives a life of honesty. She is rather more confused about God so just chooses to not figure it out, but lives with integrity and honor. So yes, atheists have a moral code I would think. It's obvious to me, that if you live by the sword, you'll die by the sword! So, atheists included, must adhere to some set of standards. Many brilliant people in this world are atheists, Bill Gates, for one. And he is an outstanding example of a human being. When you compare his contribution to humanity with that of Roman Catholic priests who sacrifice little boys for their fetishes, it makes one wonder, where in Hell did their moral code come from and yet they're out front, conveying the word of God to the masses? I'd say many atheists, though I'm not one myself, can match with any of those who claim to be highly religiously devoted individuals, as leading exemplary lives worthy of respect and emulation.

Answer 4

My Top 5:
- Thou Shalt Eat Kittens For Breakfast
- Thou Shalt Sacrifice A Newborn Baby To Satan Every Sunday
- Thou Shalt Lie With Your Wife's Sister As Thou Dost With Thy Wife (Preferably With Both Together)
- Thou Shalt Drink The Blood Of Thy Dead Father To gain Eternal Life
- Thou Shalt Marry Your Same-Sex Neighbour Just For The Heck Of It.

Answer 5

My moral code is based on the society that I live in. I follow this societies laws, for the most part. The other parts of my moral code could be defined by seeing my place within the greater community of humans being, my place in my country, my place in my culture, my place in my neighborhood, my place in my family, and my place with my friends.

The smaller that circle is, the greater my obligation to it. I have a greater duty towards my parents then I do to America as a theoretical institution. This, like everything, is a balancing act. If my father were the unabomber, the shere damage he was doing to the society out weighs my loyalty to him. I am duty bound to turn him in. I am also duty bound to continue loving him after I do.

You always have to balance your interests against other people's interests.

There is relativism, but I feel confident that my internal moral compass is generally fairly on target.

Have I made mistakes? Sure. Who hasn't

Answer 6

A compass points north, but due to variations in the earth's magnetic field, it rarely points at the earth's true magnetic north pole.

True north is a navigational term that describes the location of the north pole relative to the navigator's position (originally it was the celestial north pole marked by Polaris.)

In other words, different people in different places can have different magnet compass readings for north, but TRUE NORTH is the same for everyone, everywhere.

In my mind, atheists follow TRUE NORTH PRINCIPLES, which transcend religion, culture, and geography. I don't know exactly where these come from (maybe the collective human experience), but I believe that deep, deep down, everyone has them, whether they know it or not, whether they admit it or not.

I try to follow these rules...

1) Take care of yourself so you can take care of others.
2) Take care of others so they'll take care of you when you can't take care of yourself (which inevitably will happen.)
3) Be considerate and responsible - of others and the world (ie. don't act without thinking & understand the consequences of your actions.)
4) Create more than you destroy (ie. try to leave things better than you find them.)
5) Be critical. (ie. judge situations and people on your own wisdom & experience, not what others say or believe, or what a culture believes, or a book tells you.)

Answer 7

What Christianity terms the golden rule - do unto others as you would have them do unto you - is one of the basic natural laws that seems fairly universal across religions and cultures (older religions had a form of it before Christianity). Most of a moral code can be built up from there.

Answer 8

Of course.... Morality is a product of ones culture. It is derived out of a largely unwritten agreement which is decided by society and learned by those within that society - the value of honesty is a good example - the remainder of morality is formalized under the law and it is also commonly learned by the members of society - murder is not allowed is the obvious example.

We are very likely of the same general society and it is safe to assume that we - you and I - share a basically similar set of morals which would probably include: the value of basic individual rights for safety and relative freedom of actions, speech, opinions and expression, etc.. The bill of right of the US Constitution is a good place to start if you are looking for a better understanding of my most basic moral values.

[][][] r u randy? [][][]
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POST SCRIPT to haveaname...; It is one thing to be stupid and quite another to be so stupid that you stink because of it.... Guess which of the two you would be most likely resemble.

Answer 9

No and I'm not Atheist. I live to the best to my ability. I happen to get along better with Atheist, Agnostics, and Pagans much better than the rest of these humans. Why? None of the above think as though they have a right to judge me.

Answer 10

Sorry I don't have a list or have a need to keep them consciously in mind... The proper behavior and values is just ingrained in me by the standards of my family and society.

And in reality, the 'Christian' ones are technically largely all the big common sense ones that most humans in the world would agree with...

Answer 11

mine is
1)only fight when its necessary
2)don't lie cheat or steel unless i have a good reason
3)don't kill with out reason
4)respect women
5)never back down

most of them go "with out a good reason" because i never know what will happen later and if a life is at stake then well you know