Without relying on traditional religious guidlines, are there any absolutes by which to determine morality?

Answer 1

Yes we have the Bible as the plumbline for morals.

Answer 2

Without relying on traditional religious guidlines (i.e the Bible) there are no absolutes by which to determine morality. Your question becomes a true statement.

Without written codes based on traditional religious guidelines, it's just one man's idea versus another man's idea of what's moral. That is called anarchy.

We use the Bible or other religious guides because we believe they are given from God and not man. Only a person outside our level of existance can be a completely unbiased (human-wise) lawgiver.


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Answer 3

I think that if you look at religions from a secular point of view, that those rules were created by humans. So they must have had an idae of what right and wrong was somehow. I think that (with the exception of the deranged) most of us have an idea of what we feel is right or wrong. Maybe it's our brain, our heart, or conscience, but something tells is what standards of behaviour we think we ought to live by. I think most people stay with or drift into religions that condone or verify what they believe. As for the big subjects (abortion, war) we all believe what we believe, not because we are on the wrong side of the debate, or because we are evil, but because our logic and our morality says it is whats right. So, in the end, I think what we beleive is the ultimate reality. Even if, for some, it is derived from religion.

I hope that made sense! :)

Answer 4

Indeed so. Consider evolution, which applies to societies as well as to species: a society which lives by a sound moral code will survive preferably to one that does not. This indicates that the proper standard of morality is: how does the proposed action affect society -- beneficial, adverse, or neutral? Clearly, a decision of this sort may turn out to be wrong for some reason, but that is simply because we cannot know, in advance, all of the effects (expected or not) of a particular action. It should be obvious that religion's claims of moral authority are specious.

Answer 5

It's all about having rights. If you want to have rights, you must respect those of others, and a system of punishment has to be in place for those who do not respect the rights of others. For example, we don't want to be killed, so we don't commit murder, and the law prohibits it and has a penalty for it.
That being said, there's a lot more to human nature than selfishness and hedonism. Compassion and empathy are also part of human nature. It's not a product of religion.
PS: Even a gorilla enjoys petting a kitten now and then. How do you explain that without religion? Oh, wait, gorillas don't have a Bible. Perhaps all of our feelings are products of nature. WOW!

Answer 6

No

You fall into that

Do Unto Others as You Would Have Them Do To You motif.

That's religious.

You put out what you get back.

That's also religious.

It's pretty hard to come up with ANY LINE that was written before Confusious or Jesus or Buddah or from some Tribal religion, from someone who wasn't some type of diest or multi-diest.

I'd really like to see an Atheist cite one quotation prior to those!

I Grog. I got wood. I got club. I see woman. I hit woman on head with club, drag her back to cave, have my way with her, make her stay, cook for Grog, tie her to wall.

Then you get into the debate as to whether that IS or IS not moralistic!

Answer 7

What do the secular humanists say? I suppose, without a religious guideline, people can still figure out right from wrong.

"Do unto others" is a pretty good barometer of moral absolutes - don't you think?

Answer 8

So what you're asking is for us to lay aside all absolutes and tell you if there are any absolutes that aren't part of the absolutes which we can't draw from.

Right?

An absolute has no alternative because it is truth. Only truth is absolute.

Your question tells me that you would love an answer of absolute truth that isn't the absolute truth.

It's obvious you simply don't want to retain God in your knowledge and you're looking for a substitute.

I got a news flash for you. There is no substitute. You won't find some other dimension or reality where there is another truth. Truth is absolute.

You just don't like it.
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Answer 9

Yes, ones that are transparently obvious. The idea that a ridiculous old book -- that says God kills Egyptian children whole sale (Exodus) or that anyone who throws kids against children (Psalms) -- does NOTHING to promote morality.

Answer 10

if you feel that you are old enough to tell right from wrong .. real right from wrong, not "eating meat on a Friday is a true hell worthy trespass" crap but if you think that you make good decisions and hold true to what you believe in then you should be happy with your self! and your morals!

Answer 11

No.Without Scripture every man does what is right in his own eyes.Some do good,some bad.It is an abyss of moral relativism.