If there isn't a book about How to be a Good Atheist?

Question

then what exactly are commonalities with regard to moral obligation to society? I don't advocate religions necessarily, but they do offer members at least a unified, cohesive moral code (even if they are, as I am sure many of you will claim, nothing but attempts to impose control over the weak) which helps because everyone is on the same page and KNOWS that everyone is on the same page. If there isn't a booklet on How to Be a Good Atheist, can there really be anything immoral? Osama bin Laden (extreme example, for sure) claimed it was a moral responsibility to strike back at the west for trying to impose our culture on the Arab world. Did anyone of the people that died Sept 11 go to Afghanistan and open a Christian church or strip club? Probaly not. Does that mean western culture isn't at least seeping into the Arab world? Again, probably not. So, who's right?

All I'm trying to say is that a degenerative moral code is as evident as global warming, and I liken it to that for a reason; because it is obvious both are happening, and yet we, as a society, still allow debate about whether or not it's really even happening.

My last Q got lots of responses suggesting common sense was the answer. I say it's time we use it.

Answer 1

you want to have a book that tells us how to no believe in GOD?

Answer 2

I'm not sure what you're getting at, but I don't see that a "unified, cohesive moral code" offers very much. For example, isn't such a code what justifies the behaviors I've linked to below?

I don't see that having an official guidebook does a whole lot to prevent immoral behavior, and the evidence of James Kopp, Eric Rudolph, the other antiabortion terrorists, Pat Robertson, the creationists and Fred Phelps all back me up pretty effectively. And of course with very little effort I could add a whole 'nother set from radical Islam.

Answer 3

Atheism isn't a religion, and so we don't necessarily share a defined moral code. That doesn't make us immoral.

In other words, I think you're asking the wrong question. You seem to want to know if atheists believe that morality is objective, or how we decide what is moral for the group. The answer is, there isn't an answer that all atheists will agree to. ALL atheism is, is the lack of belief in deities. Everything else--spirituality, morals, ethics, knowledge--is founded in beliefs somewhere else.

Answer 4

IF all people lived by the golden rule, you would not have any problems in the world. Religions seem to cause world wide problems, not solve them. Why is it that the religious are more concerned with Atheism than they are about themselves? No one appointed them as the guardian of morals, what is right, what is wrong. I have no problem with your believing whatever you want, but YOU are not allowed to harm me in any way. And many of these religious intends to do just that. More sin has been committed in the name of God than all other sins put together. Is this what religion leads to? If so, all religious people need to stand back and take a very good look at themselves.
Do unto others as you would have done unto you...that is ALL we need for a very good life and civilization. And this is not religious, superstitious crap...it calls for no more than common sense. Too many religions require a suspension of dis-belief to believe them!

Answer 5

You seem to be a bit of a statist, or at least one that believes that freedom is dangerous.

And it's especially ironic that you cite bin Laden's actions after saying that religions offer a unified, cohesive moral code. Something tells me that Keith Ellison and Osama bin Laden have wildly different moral codes, and yet they're both Muslims.

Answer 6

So there must be a book that codified morals for morality to exist?


Mother Theresa and Hitler were both right. In their situation, in their culture, in their person and their group, their goals led them to take the actions they took.

Looking at their actions from a different point of view, I could view both of them as having been wrong. Mother Theresa worked to heal the sick and dying... WHY?! If we keep saving the genetically weak, we are going to obliterate our species! She was killing the human race all in the name of saving a few humans. Hitler killed millions of people because he needed a common enemy to rally his people -- it's so easy to say murder's never justified ... but is that true?

So if Hitler and Mother Theresa can both be considered good, and both considered bad, based on the goals of the culture and decision makers, then no, no book of morality will make morality any less relative.

Christians pick the Bible, they are part of a group -- within that group, the Bible's absolute, but they still made a choice to pick that book... relativity rears its head.

All morality is relative, it only becomes absolute in the context of a goal. Since, however, the goals are chosen essentially at will, then the morality that follows from those goals are also chosen essentially at will.

Answer 7

It seems to me that people used to hold all kinds of silly things as "immoral", and we are simply shedding that silliness. If you want to call that a "degenerative moral code," then that's your unique perspective. I call it society balancing what is actually important against the chaff that can be discarded.

It is also naive to think that religions offer one codified morality. Christians don't agree amongst themselves on what is right anymore than they agree with Muslims or Buddhists what is right or wrong.

Answer 8

non-religous people tend to use rational thinking, logic, local society habbits/behaviors and science to determine what is right and what is wrong. In america, i am Agnostic, which means in essence that i believe in the possibility of a higher power but it cannot be proven or disproven either way so whats the point in taking part in anything. I don't oppose it, there's lots of good things about religion. Recently i used some pamphlets by jehovas whitnesses regarding happy family life to make my family life better... however, i skipped over all the parts that said do it for god, and blah blah. I think theres some good things about all the religions but i also don't think anyone has it right. And why would we? The bible itself tells us we're imperfect so why would you believe your interperetation of it is perfect? People use the bible and its power over people for evil all the time, it's wrong and personally i think life would be a whole lot better without it. But again, maybe that's not true, maybe right now we would be in a much worse state. But who knows? No one is "right". David Koresh thought he was right, so did a whole lot of other people and they followed him right to the grave. That's serious faith. if your pastor or elder religious figure told you that god came to him and said that you all need to die along with him... would you do it? I think not. If our president of the USA said he talked with the pope and the pope agreed, and said that what we're doing in iraq was the best thing to do... would you believe him? Some people would believe it or not.

Answer 9

bin Laden contines to fear what our adminitration is doing to its culture, not us as a people. They fear we are beginning a Holy war against Muslims. (Which we did, by calling them all terrorists)
Religious persecution is and always has been at the forefront of societies. Many people were killed for not believeing one religion or another. Many people fled Europe to the 'New Land' soley for that reason. Religious freedom. Wars have been fought over one belief over another. Its not a new thing. There is no right or wrong. It just depends on what/who you believe.

Answer 10

Atheism doesn't include a moral doctrine. Nothing actually is immoral. Morality comes from empathy, and you don't even need to be atheist to have empathy. I consider the Biblical God to be a very good example of poor morals.

Answer 11

You do realize that the Golden Rule "do to others as you would have done to you" is not particularly a religious idea don't you? Or do you think a book is needed to explain the idea? Pretty simple code if you ask me.