http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/moral
No reference to religion. Therefore, morals may be influenced by religious beliefs, but they are not the same as religioys beliefs.
Explain to me then, Christians, why you seem to still believe that you can't have moral structure without first completely giving your mind over to the church? If anything, we have MORE moral structure, because we can use our own minds to decide, not go with everything the church says. Explain this...
2007-03-26 10:16:22 · 19 answers · asked by Godfather76 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Nicole:
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/atheism
Has nothing to do with ungodliness or wickedness. You troll.
2007-03-26 10:31:51 · update #1
Cortney: According to your answer, isn't it better to be moral and atheist? I mean, you need someone to tell you to be good, we do it for the simple fact that it is good. So aren't we better people?
2007-03-26 10:33:05 · update #2
Morality comes from altruistic motivation, not from the fear of a supernatural being or punishments after death.
A 3500-year-old and a 2000-year-old ancient text don't teach morality. The followers thought they were some kind of a natural law
2007-03-26 10:21:01 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Non-Christians can certainly have moral structure without "giving [their] mind over to the church" (and by "church" I can only assume you mean the institution, not the body of believers as "church" is described in the Bible) - where does it say that they cannot? It's unfair to say that all Christians simply follow what their denomination tells them to do, without backing it up with scriptural evidence, because that's simply not true.
I think you're a bit confused when you say you have more moral structure because you use your own mind to decide... if something is moral, it's right, and if it's right, it's the truth... and if it's the truth, it's factual, not opinion-based, as you seem to suggest when you "decide" what is moral and what is not. Morality, as stated in the definition you cited (the concept that there is a right and a wrong), cannot be relative; it's true for everyone.
And I would agree with you when you say religious beliefs are not the same as morals - God (not religious "beliefs") has told us what is right and what is wrong, so God is the one who conveyed morals upon the world. If you have a moral structure, you're ultimately just following the structure of right and wrong that God set up, whether you believe in Him or not.
2007-03-26 10:39:49 · answer #2 · answered by bstnhckygrl 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Morality apart from God is subjective. Ultimately it's based on selfishness. Belief in God gives believers an objective basis for morality which is absolute and not based on what I may want at the moment, whether what I want is for the good of all or just my own good, or my own harm, if that's what I want.
2007-03-26 10:28:35 · answer #3 · answered by hisgloryisgreat 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't disagree that people can live morally if they do not have religious beliefs, but believing in GOD and his son that's a diff rent thing, Morales are based on what you believe and think and ones character it has nothing to do with being a born again believer .
2007-03-26 10:31:25 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am a Christian and I believe that morals are subjective. How can one know that they have heard God correctly if there is any difference in moral opinion. Especially between religious sects that claim to worship the same Deity.
2007-03-26 10:23:56 · answer #5 · answered by cementshroom13 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
"there's a different reward in condescension. Thats what brings them here. Agree?" that still brings lots of the theists here too, ya know. The R&S area isn't a hangout for the religious, and unfastened speech helps the two aspects to bash one yet another.
2016-10-19 23:55:28 · answer #6 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To be sure morality is not exclusive to the Church of Jesus Christ. We differ from the rest of the world in the areas of both Faith and obedience...
2007-03-26 10:31:17 · answer #7 · answered by bonsai bobby 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you absolutely CAN be moral w/o religion, i do agree. I guess my feelings about religion and morals is this: anyone can be moral, but it is RELIGION that makes me accountable for my actions when I am immoral. That grounds me. It guides me, to make good MORAL decisions. If I did not have God on my mind for my decisions, they might not be good ones.
2007-03-26 10:22:30 · answer #8 · answered by Cortney N 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have yet to see a moral instruction manual for atheists. How much structure is that. How do they know if their morals are correct?
2007-03-26 10:21:04 · answer #9 · answered by Edward J 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Well....there are some people who can't BE moral without the threat of Hellfire and damnation behind it.
And that's the ONLY reason why I'm thankful for fundamentalism.
2007-03-26 10:19:43 · answer #10 · answered by mamasquirrel 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋