for all atheists?

Question

if your an atheist do you feel being moral makes any sense. or is it what makes you happy all that counts. i dont mean this in a rude way but what profit do you gain by being moral if it dosnt benefit you. just wondering how you feel on the issue.

Answer 1

I've seen this question many times. I truly hope that most religious people actually choose to be moral first, and use their religion as a guide as to how to be moral, rather than choose to be moral only when their religion demands it. While I may not necessarily agree with their choice of a guide, I do respect that, like me, they are basically trying to be good people.

Morality should be based on ethics, social justice, integrity, and personal commitment. It should exist without the prize of reward or the threat of retribution.

Morality based on fear of retribution by a more powerful force is no more enlightened than the morality of criminals, who's only aversion to crime is the fear of getting caught. Worse, a morality that allows penance after simply asking forgiveness dangerously allows one to be immoral whenever it is justified in their mind, believing that the weight of their moral transgression is simply washed away with a mere "post-sin" desire for forgiveness.

Answer 2

I think atheists may stronger morals then most religious people. Why? Because when I do something the right way for example do not steal or something along that line I do it because I believe its the right thing. Not because I think I will go to hell if I don't.

Also I am not a full atheist. I believe there is a chance some form of higher power might exist but none that are currently worshiped. For example this higher power might not even care or judge us at all or it could be more judging then any current god?

But I also think there is no god at all I am the type of person that will sit back and live a kind and honest life and see what happens when I die if anything.

Look at it my way there are many religions that all think they are the sole correct religion. So Basically only one religion will make it to heaven or what ever happens when you die and the rest will not. So why play lottery and take a chance perhaps the "Real" god does not like anyone worshiping fakes so I could end up in hell for picking any religion then. But everything I am saying is only my thoughts and even I agree that I know nothing. I hope that if there is a god or higher power that there is no requirements to for fill and perhaps the only things that matter is to live life without breaking any morals. Its ok to lie from time to time even religious people may break small rules from time to time in some cases but I think that no one should ever , Kill , Steal , or rape. Those are the main morals.

I am not trying to be rude I am ok with any religion that does not kill , steal or rape.

Answer 3

morality has nothing to do with religion, so beyond that I'm not sure what your trying to ask. if it's about self benefit or the preservation of ones self, then you should expand your question to more than just the atheist, because any person, and there is no discrimination in this, can and will make moral decisions that benefit only them. perfect example:

let's say you walk into a mall and see a large group of people standing around talking. you think nothing of it and carry on your way. after the group disbands, you notice something on the floor where they were standing. so out of curiosity you look to see what it is and find a $20 bill. Are you really going to track down each person from that group to find the original owner of that bill, or just keep it and be on your way?

There you have it. a very simple moral question than many people are faced with every day. Now, does that question have anything to do with religious beliefs?

Answer 4

morality is very subjective but one of it's driving factors, and the reason i have mine, is empathy. it does benefit me because it is my line between what i will and will not do, and that i feel a deep dislike of crossing that line, and the things that result, whether they happen to me or another. in a way sticking to my morales does make me happy, or at the least avoids unhappiness as a result of doing certain things.

think about it this way; other than fear of a god and his/her punishment, what benefit does anyone who does believe in a god gain form having morales that an atheist cannot? an atheist and a theist both draw the line somewhere, and leaving divine retribution aside, the reasons are pretty much the same in either case.
i don't think a line drawn purely out of fear of retribution serves any purpose other than saving the others affected a lot of misery. the person concerned is no better person for it at all.

Answer 5

Being ethical and conscientious generally does benefit oneself, as well as others. Greed, theft, deception, violence, or what have you, may temporarily bring some self satisfaction, but it often ends up causing more problems in the long run.

I have to go back to the thought - how moral are you if the only reason you refrain from harming others is because you fear that a higher power may punish you for your actions at a later time? You're not really being very good of a person, rather you're being like a child who doesn't want a spanking. Pretending to be good while wanting to do wrong.

I often conclude that the atheist who wants to help his fellow man because it is inherently the more positive and correct course of action, is more moral than the religious person who does it because he wants to get into heaven.

Answer 6

We are social being and we do realize that benefit to society as a whole translates to the benefit of individuals in the long run. Morals or ethics are precisely meant to ensure security and wellbeing of the society as a whole... in my view morals have nothing to do with God, although belief helps by prompting individuals to try and follow ethical norms prescribed by religion. The atheists too ought to follow certain morals if they are clever enough to realize the long term benefit hidden in them for every individual as a part of the society.

Answer 7

Just because some of us chose not to believe in a religion, and we chose to have our own beliefs of how the world around us came to being, does not mean we are only in life for our own gain. I consider myself to be a rather moral person, and when i do something, its not for what I get out of it, it is because that's what i think is right, religion plays no part in it, its simple right and wrong.

Answer 8

being an athiest doesn't mean that u become a bad human being, infact it has help me become a better person. becouse i dont belive in hell or heaven , i believe that whatever good or bad u do u'll get the result in this world only. for that reason when i even think of doing bad to anyone i get scared that it is gonna come to me to i stop.
it's just about changing my point of view, nothing else i belive things r very simple i dont know y religion makes it so complicated and twisted.

Answer 9

Religion does not have a monopoly on morality. Those who are not religious can still have morality through ethical principles, and there are numerous systems of secular thought that advance morality; for example, utilitarianism or deontology.

Answer 10

our culture is based on judaic law and we have inherited a moral code from that -- not from the christian church.

i think their are valuable reasons for following judaic law based on how to treat other humans. depending on your philosophy as an atheist its necessary to not kill, steal, lie, etc. out of respect to those around you. in turn it is hoped they will do the same. unfortunately when you have pragmatists next door it doesn't always work.

while it is conceivable some dumb atheist might become an atheist just in retaliation to a dysfunctional church and establish themselves as a god head and go crazy from it most atheists would consider a god more like a philosophy -- technically a theology -- a set of ideas that you build your life around. you don't build you life around yourself unless you have no philosophy or theology or are a pragmatist. can you tell i don't like pragmatism much?