What's with the christianity (especially the 10 commandments) is the basis of law and order argument?

Question

There are plenty of societies around the world that are not christian (Japan for example) and are quite moral regardless.

I don't believe you need religion at all to be moral. Animals from lions to killer whales for the most part don't kill their young. They take care of them. You will find exceptions, but then again you also find them in humanity. Pack animals like lions, chimpanzees, bison, wolves, etc do not kill their fellow pack animals. They work as a team because that's how they learned to survive, as a team. You will also find animals that mate for life. Animals don't have religion and yet they follow a fundamental set of rules common in their species.

I believe what we call "morality" comes partly from genetics (evolution designed humans as social pack animals), but mostly from society. You base your beliefs on what is right and wrong from what your parents, preachers, and friends taught you.

I'm reminded of a Daily Show episode. Cons were out protesting in support of having the 10 commandments in an Alabama court case. Fake daily show reporters went out to investigate. One of the cons said it it wasn't for the 10 commandments how would we know killing is wrong.

I started to LOL. As if you need it to know its wrong! Japan, South Korea, Singapore don't have it and they know it's wrong.

Matt,

First of all, there are countless religions claiming to have absolute truth. You PICKED (or your parents did) christianity.

Second of all, all christians pick and choose what to believe in and how to interpret it. If all christians had the same interpretation to christianity there would only be one denomination instead of several.

Answer 1

The Ten Commandments are Jewish in origin. The Judeo-Christian belief is not that religion gives us morality, but that religion is the result of mankind worshipping the Author of morality.

All people have a sense of right and wrong because they have one CREATOR who has set eternity in their hearts. Inherently, most people know the difference between right and wrong.

Religion merely recognizes that our moral code has an ultimate source. Animals also follow a code that is inherent to them through the same CREATOR.

You don't have to have a religion to be moral. But if you have a religion, you ought to BE moral.

Answer 2

First of all you are way off the mark. The 10 commandments were given to Moses who was leading the Jews at the time. It isn't just the Christians who argue that the 10 Commandments are the basis of law today.

The 10 commandments, the Bible and the Creator were extremely influential in the establishment of justice in the United States. Just read pretty much anything written by the founders. This is a nation founded under God. It is designed to be tolerant of all religions that support morality and are based on the 10 commandments.

Read what the founders wrote. Not what someone else thinks they meant or wishes they meant.

You are also wrong regarding animials and morality. Animals are not moral nor are they immoral. They do not have the ability to even comprehend what morality is. That is what sets us apart from animals. BTW, animals killing and even eating their young is not at all unusual.

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Answer 3

Well, you kinda answered your own question, with survival. Animals do what the do for survival. Moral people do what they do both for survival and morality. An example, have you seen an act of immorality and been deeply saddened. I have. Take Jessica Lundsford. Her story didn't affect my survival one bit, but it is a horrible death that emotionally effected me. A few animals react to death of their own, but not on that level.

Anyway, do you need Christianity to act moral? No. But you can't deny our culture is different than others based on Judeo-Christian values. Sure there fundamental morality that is universal, but there are differences. For example adultery and thievery. However, murder is fundamental. So in reality, you just confirmed absolute morality, you just asked about in a previous question.

Answer 4

Mankind is unique from animals in that we have things like developed societies, history, culture, art, justice, morality, technology, science, philosophy, transcendence of environment, a sense of self-awareness, and most importantly; religion and knowledge of God.

Its true you dont have to be Christian in order to hold to good morality. But you do need to be a theist in order to have a proper grounding and understanding of it. Otherwise, choosing good morality to the atheist may as well be as arbitrary as picking MCD's or Burger king, you arent obliged in any objective sense to pick either. Morality becomes a subjective picking and choosing what YOU think is right and wrong and not what is ACTUAL right and wrong.

Answer 5

As a Christian, i do not say that the ten commandments are foundation of the rules. i have self belief the Bible is the optimal authority, meaning it overwrites the different rules set with the help of human. in accordance to Jesus, my Lord and God, there're purely 2 uncomplicated rules that the Bible makes a speciality of. they're - Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, your concepts, your soul - Love your neighbor as your self.

Answer 6

The Ten Commandment were not given to the Christian but to the Jews.If you want to bash a faith be sure you get the right one.

Answer 7

Have a look at Constantine and St.Augustine's accomplishments, and ask "Since when has Christianity been an issue of law and order in any high ethical sense?"

Answer 8

I don't see lions or killer whales aborting their babies because they don't want them
i don't see lions or killer whales wanting socialized medicine
i don't see lions or killer whales wanting legalized marijuana
i don't see lions or killer whales co existing
i don't see lions or killer whales producing nuclear weapons
i don't see lions or killer whales believing or not believing in god
your lions and killer whales scenario is irrelevant

Answer 9

good point, we should mate with the whales and learn their culture