who have better morals - atheists or christians?

Question

first of all, i am neither. i am pagan.
i hear a lot of christians claiming that atheists are not moral people since they are not god fearing people, so they don't need to have morals since they're not trying to get into heaven. that's a fair enough assumption, but does not make it true.

i also hear atheists saying that christians are hypocrites and claim to have good morals but it's mostly just talk.

is the problem that christianity is held to a higher standard of moral code based on what they believe and preach to atheists, so much so that they have a hard time living up to their own expectations? or is it just that atheists have lower moral codes and comfortable with the fact that they are able to live up to them?

maybe atheists are just realistic about humanity and try to live life as a good person without being holier than thou? or maybe christians are setting an example that the rest of us should look up to?

i think christians set up unrealistic standards compared to atheists

i am hoping that this question will help each group see that the other one has a good set of morals and it's just individuals who make the groups look bad

Last Ent's Wife: please feel free to drink on anyone one of my questions, and for that matter, even when you see one of my answers!

Answer 1

First off, Blessed Be! My grandmother is a Wiccan priestess and a wonderful woman.

I would have to say atheists have better morals.

Why?

Christians are GIVEN their morals instead of EARNING them. They are told how to behave and are threatened with eternal punishment to keep them in line. Their values are preached over and over past the point of brainwashing, and they associate with others who reinforce their morality.

But just like a winter jacket thet protects you from the cold outside, it still does nothing for the cold INSIDE. A colorful candy shell of goodness that looks great from the outside, but only covers a being filled with ignorance and fear.

Non-Christians have a better understanding of how the world works and know that they are responsible for their own actions. They do not rely on awkward justification, biblical interpretation or forgiveness to make themselves feel better.

Which would you rather look up to: someone who preaches goodness but is found to lie about his drug addictions and secret homosexuality, or someone who doeesn't believe in God but is helping to cure cancer, Parkinson's Disease and Multiple Sclerosis? Is an altruistic atheist really worse than a deceitful Christian?

I would trust the word of an atheist over a Christian's any day, because I know the Christian will find some way to justify breaking their promise.

Answer 2

That's actually a pretty darn good question.

But honestly, I don't think there is an answer to it. Some do and some don't. It depends on the person, and how much they follow what they believe/don't believe in.

Christians 'should' have very high morals, seeing they are to be God fearing individuals. But like you said, Atheists may just be realistic about humanity and try to live life as good perople.

But, can one truly be moral without guidance from someone who is all righteous? Not really (in my opinion).
I think a person with the most morals is one who follows the Bible teachings, since that's where morals started - written down at least.
But again, it's an individual thing. Not one group is more moral than the other. Seeing there are some who just assume the name 'Christian' and some Atheists who actually live good lives.

Answer 3

I believe that anyone, regardless of their religious affiliation, has the capability to have good morals. I think it depends on how you were raised, your personality, and who you surround yourself with. I'm sure there are plenty of people who are raised as strictly Christian (or Buddhist, Jewish, Mormon, etc.) and, because of their personality or who their friends are, are not very morally righteous people. The same can be said for atheists. One factor does not shape a person's morals, just like no one factor shapes a person's intelligence, personality, food preferences, etc. To say atheists are less moral than Christians, and vice versa, is stereotyping, which we all know we shouldn't do. Does it really matter, anyway? Shouldn't we judge each individual instead of the whole? Or, better yet, let's not judge at all!

Answer 4

Er, you seem to be assuming that Christians set higher standards for themselves than do atheists. I don't agree at all with that.

Don't forget that Christians are FAR more likely than atheists to support the anti-abortion and creationist causes. They also tend to put loyalty to their religion ahead of basic honesty - and sometimes even brag about doing so, as though it's a strength rather than a weakness.

The atheists' beef against Christian morality is not that it's too high a standard, but that it's too low.

That being said, yes, there are moral and immoral people in each group.

Answer 5

"who have better morals - atheists or christians?"

To answer this question as simply as possible I'd say that neither group can be said to have morals of any type. Each person within those groups has to be seen as an individual. Groups don't have morals that are consistent across the board.

My answer to the above query would be "Neither." There are, after all, screw balls in each group.

Kev

Answer 6

As a Christian, it drives me crazy reading some of the earlier answers! And not because I want to accuse the atheists and claim that my way is the right way (even if I believe that with everything I am). What drives me crazy is that people go around claiming that they are Christian, but live unholy lives.

For example, one answer above said that Christians put their religion above honesty. I'm sure that person has encountered people like that in the past. Well, I'm here to tell you that those people are likely not true believers. We have this belief in Christianity that once you pray to God to be our Lord and Savior we are saved! Like magic!

However, its not like that at all. Once we're pray to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, we enter the process of sanctification. In short, that means that day by day, we are trying to be like Christ. Our "religion" is actually a relationship, where we interact with God and try to be like His Son more and more each day. Its like running a race.

Please stay with me here! Our belief means that we should never put "religion" above honesty. Our God claims to be truth! Thus, honesty should be something we practice all the time! If we are not honest, we are sinning and not honoring God.

Unfortunately, I would say most "Christians" do not follow the wonderful teachings of Jesus. And since their faith is hallow (James says that faith is dead without works), they are not true believers. There is no "fruit" in their lives, showing that they are in fact Christians.

As long as people claim to be Christians but don't live like Christ (the irony!), the original question is something that will continually come up and that is plausible. If we live no better than anyone else, how can we call ourselves followers of Christ?

Answer 7

There is probably little difference in the morals of both groups. The only difference I see is that Christians are forgiven for the bad things they do and atheists are not. According to the Christian belief, if you are a Christian every good thing that you do is applied to your account as good fruit and every bad thing that you do is hidden forever under the blood of Christ and never held against you. A non-Christian's good deeds are worthless in hell, and his bad deeds actually cause him more torment when he gets there. This is why a Christian is merely a sinner, saved by the grace of God.

Answer 8

Good Question,I think if you are non christian then morals are down to your own conscience and how others roundabout you effect you with their morals or lack of,if you are pagan then i guess you feel a bigger pull towards how you treat nature and the environment as well as other people,but if you're christian and genuinely want to pursue the morals of Christ then the sermon on the mount(matthew 5,6,7)is for me the highest set of morals ever known,right at the beginning of the sermon it says"blessed are the poor in spirit",i think if you understand that then your morals no matter how good you think them to be will definately improve.

Answer 9

Atheist aren't limited to whatever might offend god, as a basis for morals

Answer 10

Does this question count in the drinking game?

Atheists have morals.
Christians have morals.

You can't lump everyone into two groups and pick a clear winner. The issue isn't about morals.