How come non religious people sometimes have more morals than religious people?

Question

i never understood this.. i'm not a religious person (i'm not atheist though) and I refrain from cursing, drinking, and i know right from wrong, but how come so many proclaimed religious people sometimes don't act so righteous

Answer 1

maybe they are just self righteous ...
definition: confident of one's own righteousness, esp. when smugly moralistic and intolerant of the opinions and behavior of others ...

Answer 2

For whenever people of the nations that do not have law do by nature the things of the law, these people, although not having law, are a law to themselves. They are the very ones who demonstrate the matter of the law to be written in their hearts, while their conscience is bearing witness with them and, between their own thoughts, they are being accused or even excused. Romans 2:14-15

Although man has become corrupted from the way he was created, certain moral laws just seem to come naturally. All societies have laws regarding the taking of human life for example and there is at least an awareness by most people that lying, stealing , cheating or causing bodily injury to someone without good cause, is wrong. People know that abusive and vulgar speech is wrong also since they attempt to protect children from it. However, their conscience has become hardened and excuses them. Sadly, some professed Christians have allowed their conscience to become "seared as with a branding iron" (1Timothy 4:2) so that they easily excuse their own sinful acts.

Answer 3

many are on board because it is the popular THINg in their circles. they also like to get their get out of guilt free card for a week when they go to church. bottom line is there are a lot of pretenders and the reality is they would rather live their own lifestle usually dictated by money and power all the while keeping there false persona as being someone well rounded with the faith of god displayed around their neck like an expensive diamond when in reality it is just a cheap zirconium knock off. this has been going on for thousands of years, nothing new. true christians do make their mistakes but they are not pretenders they live their lives based on scripture and when they slip up they go home at night and ask for forgivesness. the pretenders go to church for an hour a week and don't think one minute more about religion till the next week in church

Answer 4

Its not just sometimes.

Its usually.

The USA was founded by people fleeing religious dogma and persecution. In doing so they established a state that was at least secular and at most atheist (most of them were atheists). In doing so they showed more morality than one and a half thousand years of Christian rule.

Their reward was a right wing counter insurgency. The USA is more viciously right wing beligerant religiosity now than ever. It is little more free than 4 centuries ago. The high morals of the secular have been drowned in the mire of Christian dogma.

And no, this is not an apology for Islam. If there is one religion with a worse track record, it is easily Islam.

The only true way to peace and love is atheism.

Answer 5

I think that it's because main stream religions of this country choose to isolate and turn away certain kinds of people (i.e. gays, interracial couples, certain racial groups which cause judging amoungst the parishoners and they tend to believe certain sterotypical facts that aren't true. You could say that it's bullying. They look down on people and it gives them a certain amount of power. But yes, even in church a pastor will tell you that someone could go to church 3 times a week give every spare dime to the church and sing the loudest knowing all the hymns but turn around and be the opposite of what they are practicing. Hypocrites.

Answer 6

Because so many people on this Earth never seem to understand the fact that, religion will never get anyone into heaven, just a personal relationship with our savior will , he's the way, no other way is their given to man, to the fathers house but through Christ Jesus, you don't have to be religious, just forgiven, because we all have sinned and come short of the glory of the lord, we just have to be honest enough to admit our sins, to God and ask to be forgiven of them and he will forgive, after all he died for us !

Answer 7

One of your key words is proclaimed. I can procalim that I am typing right now using a refrigerater. It does not make it so. A Christian ( which is the only group I can answer for) is known by the fruits he produces (love,joy,peace,faithfulness,gentleness and self control) It doesn't matter what he says he is if his life is not bearing these fruit then he is not a Christian.

Answer 8

Yeah maybe they are away from complicated doe's and donts of religions, and the clashes between truth and logic. They act more in senses, and do, what they think is appropriate, instead of balancing their actions in religious theories, with a blinfold(most of the time)!!

Answer 9

Because morality has nothing to do with religion, notwithstanding its claims to the contrary. Morals derive from evolution, which applies to societies, as well as to species: a society that lives by a sound moral code will survive preferably to one that does not.

Answer 10

Religion has little to do with morality on a personal level.

Religion is existential hope, morality is social practicality.

Answer 11

Atheists don't mix REAL morality up with rubbish about keeping Sunday special and so on.

CD