Why do atheists know right from wrong?

Question

The atheist believes there is no God, we came from nothing and we're going to nothing.

If there is no "God", then there is no right from wrong.

My question, why do atheists still understand it's wrong to kill someone, but giving to the poor is good? Where does that right from wrong idea come from?

Answer 1

Good one-

but they don't know

the answer is God

Answer 2

If there's no god, there's no right, right? But isn't right and wrong just something that you're taught? If an atheist thinks it's wrong to kill someone, but that giving to poor people is good, it's because that's what they've been taught to do! Or perhaps have learned from their own experiences. I'm sure people were aware killing other people wasn't a good idea before the ten commandments. It gives you a bad social standing generally, even if you've got an army to back it up with. Because it's just not nice! You don't need a Christian morality to tell you that. Many religions and philosophies are based around pacifism. But you can be taught morality without god. Equally you can be very religious and still be a violent person. Also, why are we coming from nothing and going into nothing if we don't believe in god? We all come from something even if we don't believe in god! They're called genitals. Or even chemicals. Are we going into nothing? Again, we're certainly going to be turning into different chemicals! But is there an afterlife? If there is, does it only exist for those that believe? Man, if that's the case I don't think I want to believe in god! I know this site's all about answers but your question just throws up more questions for me.

Answer 3

So, you're saying you needed God to tell you right from wrong. You needed a book and a church to tell you that. And I beg to differ with you about this - If there is no "God", then there is no right from wrong. What about all the people who DON'T follow the Christian god? I don't just mean atheists, I mean every other religious group on earth?

Why is it wrong to kill? Would you go on a killing spree if the bible told you it was okay? I stole something once as a kid, my mom yelled at me, I was punished. I didn't do it again. I lied about something, I got caught, I got punished. I give to people directly from what I have because I don't want anyone to suffer. My mom taught me my morality. Not from a bible, but from her sense of right and wrong.

Will people ever get over the idea that atheism equates to immorality? This whole subject bothers me. I don't want people to think I'm horrible and amoral just because I choose not to believe in gods.

Answer 4

The answer to your last question is evolution. It would not benefit a species that travels in packs to kill its own. Anti-social behavior does not help the survival. From this naturally developed rules which kept the species going, weeding out and punishing those who tried to ham the pack. Right and wrong are not just moral imperatives but actual survival skills for a species that lives in packs. Religion formed as a way of passing on those rules to the next generation. When left unchecked it goes to extremes and eventually dies out to be replaced. Such was the case with the religion of the ancient Greeks, Romans, and early Nordic peoples. Such will (hopefully) soon be the case for Christianity and Islam.

Answer 5

Morality doesn't come from god.

An atheist can be a moral person because we live in a society. Society teaches us that killing is wrong (not because god said so, but because it undermines the culture). We understand that helping the disadvantage is good because when all people are well fed, healthy, and educated, the whole of society benefits. Morality is important in social groups because we need to feel safe and be able to predict how others will behave. Living in social groups enabled humans to survive and thrive.

Even animals build social orders with *moral* codes to govern behavior.

Answer 6

I never seem to find myself understanding where questions like this come from. Nonetheless:

*Drink!*

Considering the amount of greed tied to religion, how, exactly, does a belief in God generate morals? You don't need a mythical being to know that what feels good to you will usually feel good to someone else. You don't need an imaginary friend to care about people, or to find that the very sight of suffering bothers you.

I have a counter-question for you, and you can edit your question in order to answer it. Let's say you need help. You're in an accident. Which would you rather have helping you: Someone who thinks that God has a score-card, and would allow him to burn in hell if he just stands back and watches you suffer... or someone who truly feels that it's her duty as a human being to help another that she's capible of helping? In other words, a selfish person, or a selfless person?

Answer 7

It’s called morals and having a heart. If you had to have to bible tell you that it’s not ok to kill someone then there is definitely something wrong with you. If you think about it, maybe atheists are better people because most are good people even though they do not believe they will be rewarded for it after death. Where as most religious people are only good because they fear the consequences if they are not. Just a thought.

Answer 8

I'm an atheist and I know right an wrong. I don't know why, but I sure do know what it wrong and what is right. And thinking that killing someone is bad is freaking human nature. I don't care what you believe in, we are all human, and we all have the ability to see right and wrong, whether we all excersise it or not. I think it's important that you save sex for marriage. Does that make me less of an atheist? There are different degrees of atheism. Just like any religion, it can vary from person to person.

Answer 9

Non christians are aware that they are human, and that this means they are a higher thinking life form that can distinguish right from wrong by feeling and understanding how they would like to be dealt with. They have had much practice in this since the rise of christendom, who's followers seem a bit less than human because they cannot access their morality and integrity and thus must have their every action dictated to them, as well as having as escape rout for when they f*ck up, because they KNOW they will and don't want to be answerable or accountable for it.

Answer 10

Because we are able to think. Morality is not some exclusive concept reserved for people with fantasies. Man had morals before there was any thought of a god. There have always been good people and bad people. The former mayor of the town I live in was a good christian. Went to church every Sunday and prayed with the best of them. He was also a pedophile. And since he was the mayor in a small town he could get the pick of the 10 year olds. But he was a good christian. I was thinking that homocide was justified in this case, but he was soon out of office and in jail.

Answer 11

Your statement "If there is no 'God', then there is no right and wrong" is simply illogical. By what reasoning do you conclude that? While right and wrong, good and evil are relative terms, morality is based upon what Christians call the Golden Rule, which was actually first formulated by an agnostic (Confucius) around 500 BC: "Whatsoever you would not wish for yourself, do not inflict on others." It's the basis of all morality, and it has nothing to do with your stupid god.