This is the ever present morality question that if you don't believe in hell what keeps you from doing immoral deeds and hurting people, because there is no karmic influence.
Well my retort as an agnostic/atheist is that I have empathy.
And byt the way, if the only thing keeping you from hurting other people was the idea of hell, then doesn't that make you the immoral and "evil" person, and not I?
2007-03-16 20:12:27 · 9 answers · asked by valkyrie hero 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I am agnostic and I try to always do what I think is right. I am human and I do things that I regret, but hey no one is perfect. I have morals because I don't like causing other people pain and it is self regulation. I don't need someone to tell me what to do or not do. I can make my own decisions.
2007-03-16 20:59:06 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are way out on a limb here on three counts.
1. Christians do not do good because of their fear of hell; they do good because of their love to God.
2. Christians recognize the brotherhood of all humanity. That's why they do good.
3. On what do you base your empathy? If it's the societal norms in which you were raised, then would you detonate a bomb in a crowded mall to make a political point (as in Ireland)?
Nobody is saying that atheists don't have morality. What we Christians claim is that your morality is based on situational ethics. We Christians have absolute standards : The Ten Commandments. Admittedly, many Christians do not live up to what they know!!
2007-03-17 06:38:43 · answer #2 · answered by flandargo 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Athiests are the most eligible to say what is moral and what is immoral since they know there is noone else to say that.
God believers does all bad things and believing a comeback or "forgivenness" by god.
Who told Athiests do not believe in "Evolution" of man and society. If the world has to be a good place to live, they understands the importance of having a moral mind and living accordingly. They give, support and call for eveyone to be like that certainly selflessly than "God fearing" does selfishly for their own place in heaven.
2007-03-17 03:23:53 · answer #3 · answered by r_govardhanam 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
If the fear of hell or the chance at heaven, are the only things that keep people from doing immoral things, then I would say your god is pretty sick and twisted. Really do you think that all people before you bible were entirely immoral, and evil?
2007-03-17 03:25:35 · answer #4 · answered by Magus 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The true character of a person can be measured by what he does when no one is looking. Religious people think someone is watching them all the time and "behave" themselves because of that alone. A person who is not religious behaves himself because he/she has true character.
If a person has to have reward or punishment to act appropriately, that person has very low morals to begin with.
2007-03-17 03:39:56 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree... it is only those who are moral without the threat of hell that are truly moral... just my opinion.
2007-03-17 03:16:35 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
and I drink again!
morality has nothing to do with religion, they would just like to believe you have to have faith in a god to be good!
2007-03-17 03:17:38 · answer #7 · answered by kaltharion 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
wisdom
2007-03-17 03:15:06 · answer #8 · answered by chi 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
absolutely!
2007-03-17 03:15:41 · answer #9 · answered by Brendan G 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋