Why be nice to other people if you're an atheist?

Question

I mean really people? If you don't believe in a God, then there must be no consequences for your actions...right? Ignore some interstellar karma that'll come back to get you, because that would also be bogus!

Knowing this if you're an athiest, wouldn't it just make more sense for you to lie, cheat, steal, and kill to get what you want and make your life a little more enjoyable even if it's at someone else's exspense? It's not like they would care once they were dead if there were no god, and like I said you'd never have to pay for your so called "evil" deeds just as long as you were happy.

Answer 1

Not just the opposite, atheists do not have a church to go to where they are encouraged to convert others and impose principles to be righteous. They have to have their own code of conduct to make of this life a nicer place to be. There are not confession boxes or Brothers and Sisters just common sense and friends.

Answer 2

Sweetheart, I take responsibility for my actions as an atheist. It is a fallacy to believe that morality can only come from an antiquated book. We are all born with some sense of innate morality and we learn as we grow - I don't kill to get what I want because it goes against my humanity and everything that I believe in. Atheists do not believe in God - this doesn't mean they do not believe in acting humanely. We have ourselves to answer for. Believe me, when I do something I am sorry for I punish myself a great deal more than I'm sure any god ever would. Guilt, you know, and the want to do right and not hurt anyone in the process. Come on - do you really believe that all atheists are 'evil'? I think this question is making YOUR life a little more enjoyable at the expense of atheists. Think about it. Atheists inhabit the least amount of jail space in the U.S., and that is taking into account the number of atheists in the world as well as the percentage of religious. Here are stats of the number of people belonging (or not) to certain religions in the world:

1. Christianity: 2 billion
2. Islam: 1.3 billion
3. Hinduism: 900 million
4. Secular/Nonreligious/Agnostic/Atheist: 850 million
5. Buddhism: 360 million
6. Chinese traditional religion: 225 million
7. primal-indigenous: 150 million
8. African Traditional & Diasporic: 95 million
9. Sikhism: 23 million
10. Juche: 19 million
11. Spiritism: 14 million
12. Judaism: 14 million
13. Baha'i: 6 million
14. Jainism: 4 million
15. Shinto: 4 million
16. Cao Dai: 3 million
17. Tenrikyo: 2.4 million
18. Neo-Paganism: 1 million
19. Unitarian-Universalism: 800 thousand
20. Rastafarianism: 700 thousand
21. Scientology: 600 thousand
22. Zoroastrianism: 150 thousand

And the percentage of atheists in jail? 0.1, taking into account the ratios of population v. percentage.


Atheism is not hedonism. Please look up the two and recognize that your theory just may be false. Really, at the end of the day when I am finished robbing, killing and sodomizing farm animals there is nothing more I want to do then help the poor and hungry.

You'll be overjoyed to know that atheists and agnostics also have the lowest rate of divorce.

Answer 3

"If you don't believe in a God, then there must be no consequences for your actions...right? "

I am a nice person because that is who I am. I live my life in a way so as to enhance the lives of others because that is how I choose to live. I do the right thing solely because it is the right thing to do.

Based on what you said, looks like I should be the one getting into heaven instead of you. I have no motives.


Such a sad, sad person you are. ~sighs and shakes her head~. It is nice when you clearly state your reasons though, rather than cloaking it I suppose. Simply put, you are a Christian to save your own hide. I am a good person simply because I choose to be, there is no reward except my own personal happiness.

Answer 4

People like you make me want to lie to, cheat, steal from, and kill ... people like you. But, since I have an ethical code which prevents me from doing so I won't. You are so shallow; a worm couldn't drown in your train of thought. What makes you think Atheists want to fulfill their desires at the expense of other people? Atheists are so much more ethical than religious people that only a moron like you would even ask such a stupid question. Your ethical system (if you even have one) is bogus. If the only reason you are nice to others, is because you desire and fear eternal reward or punishment, then guess why Atheists find religion so hypocritical. Use what little imagination your BB sized brain can muster moron.

Answer 5

As another person said, you sound like a really horrible person. It would seem like your religion (if you have one - it seems you do) is the only thing giving you any sense of morality.

Anyway, to more appropriately address your question, the answer is that, to some extent, what goes around comes around. To SOME extent. Laws exist that will get you in a lot of trouble, more trouble than is worth the gain of your "immoral" actions. I still value things like honesty and respect of others' freedoms because I would hate to be deprived of either.

Edit: By the way, if you ARE religious, it is most likely the case that you will not end up where you dream of living for all eternity. I'm pretty sure that most Gods/gods don't want their sheep to be wolves in disguise.

Answer 6

Because it's the RIGHT thing to do. Atheists MAY not believe in God but they ARE PEOPLE. They too have a set of morals that they abide by. For a Christian you are very ignorant. It's "do unto others as you would HAVE them to unto you" NOT "Do unto others BEFORE they do unto you". This is NOT the first question from you that's been a BAITING question. You just WANT to cause fights don't you? As an outsider from this Christian-Atheist WAR going on here I'd like to ask YOU. Is trying to START a fight one of the ideals of the Christian Faith? Answer to yourself HONESTLY. You know full right that it's NOT. So, STOP it and grow up and stop acting like a little child. The REST of us are so SICK of seeing all of this fighting going on. It's about time that the REST of us start to report these folks who are fighting. From BOTH sides. I don't mind answering REAL, insightful questions, or even DUMB questions from children (real kids, not these ones), Or even responding to a joking question about Bran Muffins or the Flying Spaghetti God. I DO mind seeing all the hateful argueing and it's getting boring to the point of insanity.

Raji the Green Witch

Answer 7

Very good question. There is no divine reason. But there are consequenses to being mean to people. Many people won't like you if you be mean to them. You could go to jail for being too mean.
But aside from the physical consequenses, there are mental ones. Unless we are sociopathic, we do care about our relationships with people. And when we damage them it does affect us. I think a lot of people believe that power and fame and material things will make them happy and they wouldn't need people if they had all those things in the quantaties they would like to have. Because there are many messages in our society(TV commercials) that give people the impression that happiness will come from these things. In my own experience, the more I learn about myself the more I realize that people give power and meaning to these things. Driving a Farrari doesn't mean quite as much if theres no one to share it with and no one to be impressed when you drive by.

Answer 8

Are you jealous?
Whenever I see this question (which is asked A LOT on here), I have to wonder if the asker isn't just a tad jealous because they think the atheists are having all the fun.
Why do you feel that atheists would need to be immoral.. the bible sets people up to want to do that which is forbidden.
Those who don't have those taboos don't have the desire to go out and do them. That's a christian problem, not atheists.

Answer 9

Well, if consequences are the only reason you are a good person that does not say much. Anyone can be a good person, they don't have to do it because they believe they will be punished if they are not.
Humans were kind and killing way before the bible and many have killed in the name of God, but I guess that is ok...not.

Answer 10

Again, another one who misses the point of atheism by assuming that as an atheist, it must necessarily follow that I have no morals. No, it would not make more sense, because we are still accountable to the community, the law, and ourselves.

Why do people think that all atheists do is "sin" night and day? It's not as if we're all out killing, being promiscuous, taking drugs, and driving haphazardly. Come on, now.