If there's no god, no heaven, and no hell, then why be good?

Question

I see this idea posted on here quite a bit.
What do you think of it?

Answer 1

I don't need reward and punishment to shape me into being good.
I think it's sad that Christians think they do.

Answer 2

I read this book by C.S. Lewis a long time ago, and in it he asserts that people are born with some desire or knowledge to do what is "right" or "good." So I guess, even if someone doesn't believe in God, heaven, or hell, they still might be inclined to do what is right.

Of course, this opens the door for a lot of interpretation. You asked, "Why be good?" Good is subjective. Good to me might not be good to you and vice versa. It's an interesting question, but I think that people are inclined to pursue some sort of moral good, by their own standards anyway.

Answer 3

I think it makes perfect sense and is what is wrong with the world today!This is a tract that is in the shape of a bullet available from Way Of The Master...The front says"The common denominator"

Experts tell us shooters have this in common — they are people who feel that they can't cope with life's problems, or they feel underappreciated. Yet who among us doesn't have these feelings at some time? That's life. However, there is one common denominator that the experts don't mention. Each of the shooters had no regard for human life. This may be because of their world-view — that humanity is the product of evolution, and there are therefore no moral absolutes — no right and no wrong. "Thou shalt not kill" isn't part of the curriculum. Columbine killer Eric Harris wrote, "You know what I love? Natural Selection! It's the best thing that ever happened to the Earth. Getting rid of all the stupid and weak organisms." In the 1960's, authorities removed the Ten Commandments from our schools. It seems that they didn't like our youth being given moral guidelines, so they have replaced them with security guards and metal detectors. A wise man once said, "First, I fear God. Next, I fear him who fears Him not." Someone who has no respect for God will lie to you, steal from you, and even kill you if he thinks it's necessary. Nevertheless, after death each one of us has to face a moral absolute, especially if we have taken the life of another. If God is good He must punish murderers. The Bible tells us that God is so good He is going to make sure that absolute justice is done on the Day of Judgment. How will you do on that day? Let's see if you have kept that absolute standard, commonly known as the Ten Commandments. Is God first in your life? Have you made a god to suit yourself? Have you ever used God’s holy name in vain? Have you kept the Sabbath holy? Have you always honored your parents implicitly? Have you hated anyone? If so, then the Bible says you are a murderer. Have you had sex outside of marriage? If you have, you are a fornicator and cannot enter Heaven. Jesus said, "Whoever looks upon a woman to lust after her has committed adultery already with her in his heart." Have you ever lusted? Have you ever stolen something (irrespective of its value)? If you have, you are a thief. If you have told just one lie (even if you call it "white"), you are a liar, and cannot enter the Kingdom of God. Listen to your conscience. The Law leaves us all sinners in God's sight. On Judgment Day we would be found guilty, and end up in Hell forever, but because Jesus paid our fine on the cross 2000 years ago, God can forgive us. The Bible says, "God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Then He rose from the dead, and defeated the power of the grave. If you repent and trust the Savior, God will forgive your sins and grant you everlasting life. Confess your sins to God today, put your faith in Jesus Christ, then read the Bible daily and obey what you read (see John 14:21). Thank you for reading this.

Answer 4

If there were none of those, then your point is well taken. The point is, apart from God who provides a hope and a future as well as judgement, there exists chaos and self-indulging. This world shows far too much order to presuppose the latter.

Answer 5

Because you shouldn't be good hoping you'll get praise and go to heaven. And you shouldn't avoid being bad just so you don't get punished and go to hell. Don't be good for God, regardless of whether or not he exists the people that live today do. And don't you think that a good portion of them deserve your kindness? People should be good because it's the right thing to do.

Answer 6

I think it's ridiculous. I'm a Christian, but if I only engaged in good behavior because of the threat of hell or the promise of heaven, I'd be a sociopath. What kind of person needs to be bribed into being good, or continuously threatened to avoid being bad? One can, and must, be good for other reasons. Additionally, I know plenty of non-religious people who engage in upstanding behavior, so there goes the theory that they're being good in order to avoid hell (because they don't even believe in hell to begin with).

Answer 7

It makes all sorts of false assumptions.


People are moral for many reasons, but religion and fear of punishment are not usually among them.

Some religious morals have no basis in anything other than religion, yes, but these tend to be the morals that aren't really, well, moral. For example, the various condemnations against people who don't have sex in the "proper" way are purely religious (except for prohibitions on incest and bestiality, which are universal and in no way grounded in religion).



Morals come from human empathy and some ethical philsophy. We don't need religion to be moral. In fact, I'd be frightened of someone who only lived morally out of fear of hell.

Answer 8

If there is no God, and thus Heaven and Hell don't exist, then all we have is our mortal life here on Earth. So, why not try and make it as nice as possible?

Answer 9

It really depends on your personal beliefs. I believe in all of those things, but it's not what makes me what to strive to be a better me. Having hard work and determination pay off is what makes me push to be better, not necessarily the thought of "where am I going on judgment day?"

Answer 10

Because I have this amazing ability called empathy and conscience that makes me want to do good things rather than bad. I don't need a damn book to tell me to be good, and anyone who is only being good because they think they have to isn't really a good person, are they?

Answer 11

I guess this idea was posted by a Christian or a Muslim, seems strange but some religious people wouldn't be decent people without religion


scary, isn't it?