If there wasn't a God, would you be 'good'?

Question

This question is mostly aimed at religious people, but agnostics and atheists should feel free to express their view.

By good I mean moral, alturistic to other people (both relatives and sttangers etc.

I have to state that I am a staunch atheist and I think I'm pretty 'good'.

Bit of a typo there...I meant strangers not sttangers.

Answer 1

There isn't, and I am anyway.

I consider myself to be a decent, law-abiding person. I also try to be kind and friendly to others.

Answer 2

This is a good question and I find it difficult to tease out what I was taught growing up adn my actions today. Let me explain: I was raised Lutheran and learned that God was always watching me. Growing up, this ensured that I wasn't deviant - a good thing for an otherwise rebellious teenager. Fast forward to present day - I no longer believe in the Church (I see many "church goers" as being full of hate) and don't consider myself to be highly religious (although I do think I am spiritual.) I like to think I act moral and good and just, but I dont' consciously use God as a moral compass anymore. However, it's difficult to separate what I was taught earlier in my life as that might influence my actions still today...

Answer 3

I dont believe in God but I follow the law of the land (granted my right foot occasionally gets a bit heavy when Im driving) but by and large I think Im a good person. I work, I pay my taxes, I dont steal, Ive never physically hurt anyone (apart from when I played rugby)
Staying out of trouble is easy. I have never been in trouble with the law. I dont know why some people have such a hard time with it

Answer 4

If there is no God then there would be nothing. No you, no me, no other human being, no animals or plants, no heaven , no earth, no planets, sun, moon or stars. For the Lord God himself has created ALL things.

We cannot claim to be good if we don`t exist.

By the way the Christians responsibility is to tell others of the Gospel and it`s message. We certainly cannot prove to unbelievers that God does exist, however the unbeliever has to prove to him/herself that God does not exist.

I am not good because I am a Christian. I came to realise, when I was converted to the Christian faith, that I am a vile sinner as I humbly stand before an almighty God.

Answer 5

What you people don't understand is, the reason behind your good, is God.. Remember all you atheist out there whom just in the last twenty to thirty years have resin out of hiding. This country of ours was settled on the basis of religion, good and bad was based on religion and the bible. If you trace back our history all the laws, which were "morays" at first were based on the bible. So if your good, and obey all laws which were based on the bible, then you are hypocrites to your atheism. You can't escape using the bible even if you are atheist, because everything you do that is good, laws, being nice, giving to people, helping people is based on religion so then you are hypocrites to your own practice..

Answer 6

Well ya have to start from the beginning or make a statement like, if God somehow or other disappeared and left us in the hands of satan.. that would be a better question. Because in order for us to be good, we would have to be loved first, and showed what good is. Without God, there would not be anything, so from my personal perspective you question has holes in it.. So I will rearrange you question and ask what would happen if God turned his back on us?? We would be dead, brought back to life for eternity to be tortured by satan for his pleasure..

Answer 7

I suppose I'd continue to be "good" in the present religious-based definition of the concept. However, without a yardstick to measure "good" and "bad" against, would the concept of "good" even be relevant?

What is "moral"? Without some absolute measure of the concept, isn't it pretty much just whatever each individual, or each community thinks it should be?

Answer 8

Belief in God is not the same as fear of God. A lot of religious people (especially 'Christians') are the worst people in the world. Many of them are busy posting on the internet, fufilling prophecy.

'There will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them — bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up.' 2 Peter 2:1-3 NIV

m.

Answer 9

There isn't.... and I'm not.

And for that, I win.


As game theory quite clearly dictates... The way to do best at life is to be selfish while everyone else is being altruistic....


I mean technically nobody is altruistic.... but a lot of idiots like to pretend to be. I'm an honest arsehole, have no place for "good" in my life... and benefit far more from this arrangement than I would otherwise.

I wouldn't be "good" even if there were a god either. If I won't let society boss me around, what the heck makes anyone think I'd let some fat, invisible dude in the clouds boss me around either?

Answer 10

I am agnostic, though raised a Methodist. I am moral and good because I choose to be. I was taught right and wrong by my parents, not by a religious book or leader.

Answer 11

I'm good without being religious and all the prayin and waiting for the afterlife. My relatives would be desperate and only have Ice Cream left to comfort them.