Many religious folk claim that you need religion or at minimum a belief in a god to be moral. Most religions are only about 2000-5000 years old. However, the human species has been around for at least 200,000 years.
If religion is needed for morality as religious folk claim, how did the species survive and thrive? Wouldn't man have killed each other off long ago?
Since man is a social animal by nature, isn't morality developed based on the need and drive to be social?
2007-08-15 08:21:13 · 32 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
And if praying to a rock or to the sun (as some of the "rituals" replies imply) can guide morality, why simply not revert back to that? It's a *LOT* cheaper.
2007-08-15 08:27:23 · update #1
oh you're silly, we all know that the world was only created 6000 yrs ago, so there weren't any people before that. therefore religion started whent the world was created and people were created
2007-08-15 08:27:46 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 3⤋
who was there in the beginning to know how mankind acted? i can name abraham lincoln as a former u.s. president because someone was there to see him be president and recorded it for us to refer to today.
i repeat, who was there in the beginning to know how mankind acted? i think you need to start there before you proceed any further.
one more thing, religion is simply a collection of activities based on tradition. if i clean my carpet relentlessly throughout the day, i could say i clean my carpet religiously. that's not the same as morality. you seem to be using the terms 'religious' and 'moral' synonymously.
if you are sincere and open, i'll take a risk and answer your question (i said that because others i know who have asked a similar question were in debate mode and I guess I'm scared you might be too and thus, fluff my answer off); my personal thought is that true morality is not a 'religion' but 'relationship' with Christ. if you dare, check out the following free television broadcast:
2007-08-15 08:37:06 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Man didn't have to kill each other off long ago. God killed off man with a flood and only left living, moral Noah and his family. Morality is a God thing. Jesus was slain from the foundation of the world to redeem man so morality is definitely a God thing.
2007-08-15 08:59:49 · answer #3 · answered by Jeancommunicates 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Morality and religion don't correlate. But humans are superstitious animals and it's likely enough that religion is much older than 5000 years. There is archaeological evidence that even Neandratals had a form of religion and believed in an afterlife.
2007-08-15 08:26:53 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
ah, yet again such sensational #'s that have been proven wrong by less popular scientists. We only have so much evidence. When you only have so much, doesn't it occur to people that there is enough lacking to not be able to make such bold claims?
And you are making a statement negating that some (me) believe that Adam knew God from day one, and then again so did Noah. I want to know how many nations believe in NO God(s)? It's an impossiblity. Even the most advanced societies have superstitions and idols, if not down right worship of a named God.
Does that mean every person does? No, but you asked about species, not one or few humans.
religion seems to be unavoidable when it comes to any kind of beliefs.
2007-08-15 08:32:48 · answer #5 · answered by Melodya 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Belief has been around since the dawn of man. However, I'm a Christian, and never have believed that religion should be equated with morality. I have quite a few friends who are atheists, and they've clearly demonstrated themselves to be moral people without the benefit of religion. I see morality and religious belief as two separate issues.
2007-08-15 08:25:42 · answer #6 · answered by solarius 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
The most recent religions replaced human spirituality as "main stream" Shamanistic/spiritual leaders, stories of creation, glorious deeds and morality stories have existed through all of human existence and pre human as well. One needs only to see cave paintings to witness early religion. Although it's not the same concept that it is today, all these things served the same purpose.
2007-08-15 09:03:45 · answer #7 · answered by Ken O 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Morality will become part of a society regardless of teachings. Usually morality is based on fear of reprisal or need to coexist peacefully. I do not believe you need religion to be a moral person. But, civil and moral laws are steeped from religious aspects adapted to the modern day society. God Bless.
2007-08-15 08:28:57 · answer #8 · answered by Jason J 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
That's only a valid question if you believe that morality is an extension of religion. I believe... no, I know that religion is a manifestation of how man rationalizes his inherrent morality. This is the only explanation for why som many of the world's religions throughout time have comeup with similar moral codes with only slight variations.
2007-08-15 08:25:17 · answer #9 · answered by hyperhealer3 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Morality does not come from an external force like 'God' but, as you say, from the needs of the individual. Locke and Hobbes were two philosophers with plenty to say on the origins of morality, if you're interested.
Look for Hobbes 'State Of Nature' for more info.
2007-08-15 08:26:50 · answer #10 · answered by SS 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Your question doesn't make any sense, because if your talking of religious people, don't you realize that we believe GOD CREATED US. Hence, religion, or at least the knowledge of God, good, and evil, was with us from the beginning.
Also, I've answered a similar question before, check out my best answers, you'll see another point of view on this subject. Good day, and God Bless.
2007-08-15 08:32:08 · answer #11 · answered by marriedw/children 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋