Why do people think they need God to be moral?

Question

I have seen many religious people claim that they get their morality from God and ask atheists where they get their morals from.

To all you religious people, let me ask a hypothetical question: Suppose you don't believe in God. Would you lie, steal, cheat, rape, kill, etc., etc. because you don't believe in him anymore and won't have to face eternal punishment?

In case you didn't realize it, the above question is a trap. If you answered yes you would, than you've just shown that you're a shady character and the only thing holding you back is fear of eternal punishment, not because it's immoral. If you answered no, then you've just shown that you don't need God to be moral.

Answer 1

I feel that there are people out there who do not believe who live outstanding lives(but for themselves only)
To say that just because you don't believe does not mean that you will not go unpunished. Judgment still awaits us all (for those who are good and for those who are bad)
I will not sit here behind my computer and state that just because someone does not believe that they are going to hell, just as well as I will not state that just because someone does, that they automatically have that "Golden Ticket"!

Man can not enter into Heaven by Good Deeds alone, just as well as he can not enter off of just the "Belief" either.
If you really pay attention, the rules that govern us are the laws of God, and when Jesus came here on earth and preached, He stated that He did not come to change the laws, but to for fill the prophecy for us all.

Answer 2

It's not that religious people require God to be moral (I'm not religious by the way), it's that they find faith in God to help them REMAIN moral. Everyone is tempted to do something wrong, and most people do occassionally, whether it be lie, cheat, steal, etc. Let me ask you a question. There's been a very obvious drop in religious influence on society... and there is definately a obvious drop in morality as a whole. Isn't it possible that these are related? Young people (especially teenagers) believe in God a lot yes.. and drug use, underage sex, crime in teenagers... all these are drastically on the rise. People who don't believe in an afterlife, or who don't believe in judgement, can sometimes be less moral as a result.

Your question is also flawed. I personally don't think I need God to be moral, but your question cannot take into account everyone. Maybe there IS someone who is weak and tempted by evil all the time and the only thing giving them the strength to not give in is their belief in God. Isn't God a good thing in this case? Or maybe there is a person who made a mistake, and would torture themselves over it their entire lives had it not been for the idea that God forgives? If this thought allows them to accept their mistake and live a better life, isn't that belief in God a good thing?

You are attacking one of the most moral influences we have in this world. There are millions of people in America who live decent, morally just lives and religion has an influence on that. Perhaps if those kids who shot up the high schools believed in God, they would have found a way to forgive those who wronged them, rather than take vegence. Imagine a world with no God... nothing to put your faith, nothing to believe in if someone needed too. Whether God really does exist, or whether its just a way for people to help themselves guide their lives and live as good as they can, it is still a good thing. That's just my opinion though...

Answer 3

hy: As a Christian, firstly, I can tell you, that Christianity is NOT for moralists; see: Book of Romans Chapters 1 through to 3 (inclusive). You can not even, find the word "moral" in the Bible (K.J.V.) ! Righteousness is counted by God through faith - not the deeds of humanistic righteousness! Self-righteousness has no place in spirituality but has a place in religion. Have you not considered the religious leaders of Christ's day ? They [Pharisees] kept the law but ended up murdering Jesus Christ ! Paul, the Apostle was "blameless" in the law prior to converting into Christianity; see: Book of Philippians 3rd Chapter, verse 6) ! The "religious" people, prior to converting into Christianity, did lie, cheat etc. - as any human being does.

Answer 4

In the case you presented, that forces people within your argument, you are correct. Though your logic has fallacy which I will try to point out. It is not the threat of punishment that keeps the good good it is the fact that good is ultimately correct, morally and scientifically. The idea is that God is a standard to compare to. God is all that is righteous.

Answer 5

God IS moral.
He protected his people [ then] the Jews, from attacks by outside powers.
If some of them died, it was their own fault for attacking.
Any foreign peoples who joined WITH the Jews were treated as aliens, but enjoyed the same safety and privileges.
And we must never forget. Even if a person dies, God can undo any damage. Example; Lazarus. John 11; 1,2

Answer 6

No your trap is set on your self, because that is a human argument and we are dealing with the God of Heaven and not humans, so we try not to steal cheat and lie not out of fear but out of reverence because we know our heavenly father does not like it and we aim to please him and not man. Now as far as having bad character we are all sinners and liars and lazy and will cheat when we can That's why we need Jesus because he paid the price for our sins and forgives us IF we repent, now go read this and get back to me:
http://www.freedomcame.com/glory/

Answer 7

You are right, I do things because I fear I will get punishment for it. Suppose there was no God, and I knew it, if I had the option of stealing a million dollars I probably would. I would never get punished for it. And guess what? If you think realisticly, you would do the very same thing.

Answer 8

I would assume that we are all made by the same creator, which in EVERY CASE, is our parents. Who they were made from....their parents, and so on. "Who we are" is defined by where we came from. Traits from the ancestory of both parents combine to make you YOU.
The results of good Parenting also comes into play when it comes to your behavior.
That is why we dont murder, steal and create chaos whether we believe in god or not.
I wont go into a lecture about whether god exists or not, but the arguement lies in who the FIRST parents were, and where they came from. Religion says one thing, while science is still trying to figure out another.

Answer 9

Reminds me of Plato's Republic...or maybe it was one of the other ones...one of the iterloculars cites the myth of Gyges and the magic ring of invisibility as evidence that if men were free of consequences they would not be interested in justice. (Think 'The Hollow Man')

Anyway, I'm curious nevertheless what atheists would describe as an apropriate/non-relativistic standard by which to gauge their morality....or if they're content with moral relativism, and why.

-Rob

Answer 10

If a person is self justified, isn't it just a matter of saying, "Well I thought that was good at the time", to justify everything?
No wonder the atheists all say they are good, they have nothing to measure themselves by, other than themselves.