Are people good only because they fear punishment and hope for reward it is true or false?

Answer 1

Not necessarily, people will do good things because they want to live an honest and fulfilling life. Some people do good things because they want to help others and know that if you do good things, good things will hopefully happen to you.
There are obviously going to be people that only do things for their own means, but its better to be a good person with values.

Answer 2

I fear no punishment in the after-life and do not expect a reward, but I still try to live my life as a good person. People who are only good because they fear punishment or expect reward are very easy to manipulate. How else do you think they get people to blow themselves up? We are all stuck here together whether we like it or not and if we are as good a people as we like to think we are then we should be able to be good people just because it is the right thing to do. Too bad that is clearly not the case.

Answer 3

I am good, 1. because I fear where bad will put me In Gods eyes. 2.I choose to be good for the feeling you get when you do the right thing.3.I hope the reward is that I get to serve an all mighty God when I'm done. So I guess the answer for me would be yes It's true.

Answer 4

The world offers and gives rewards for the good in people. Car insurance is lowered. Obey laws stops you from going to jail. Rewards in credit cards. Tax cuts on things you do to improve your home. that is nothing compared to Christianity. We do it because we love God it is he that gives us a reward. We call it gifts. Christmas most people give gifts to ones they do not even like to save face. Is that a fear of punishment or a hope that they would get a reward of praise?

Answer 5

Clearly it is not true.

Some of the most moral people I know are atheists and most of the rest of the moral people I know (I define moral as being honest, caring, and non-harmful) are mainstream Christians, Reform Jews, liberal Muslims, Unitarians or Wiccans. Most of the most immoral people I know are from literalist Christian groups, ultra-orthodox Judaism and Fundamentalist Islam.

None of the groups that I see full of decency and morality tend toward even believing in any form of punishment -- and the atheists also don't believe in any rewards.....

That of course is subjective -- based on the people that we know.

On a more objective level. 9 of the 10 states with the highest levels of divorce, domestic violence and abuse are in the South; at the same time 9 of the 10 states with the lowest levels of divorce, domestic violence and abuse are in the Northeast and West coast. Exactly the opposite of what you would expect if fear of punishment and hope for reward (religiously) were behind good behavior.

I have to unequivocally say that people being good or bad has nothing to do with their level of religion and associated fears of hell or hopes of heaven.

Kind thoughts,

Reynolds
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Answer 6

I believe that there are no Christians who don't do kind deeds. Even hypocrites do. They acknowledge publicly the greatness of the Lord Jesus and they need to show to people that they are doing good to convince others that they are true believers. I hope the Lord will change their hearts and they also will come to know the truth of God. Atheists are trying to convince that they are don't fear anything. It is untruth. To get reward for good deeds is not bad thing. This world full of people who want to get what they didn't deserve. What else. Christians are not from kingdom of greed. They are the kingdom of God.

Answer 7

Hummmm. Have to pick true or false, eh? Well - probably (while young) true - although I have met some young people who are good and kind just because that's their nature. And, well, probably true for lots of older people too. Some are good and kind out of fear, some are good and kind just because they are or have learned to be. Some are good because of the theory of reciprocity.

However, I really don't think we can put people in "true/false" categories we are much to diverse to be able to answer that way.

I think the questions would have to be more (obviously) directed to a targeted group - say, Christians / Muslims / Jews / Buddhists / Hindus, Or, for example: teenagers, men, women, or perhaps Italians (or Irish, or German, or Mexican, etc.).

Peace.

Answer 8

Fear of punishment is probably a major motivating factor. Reward, also, but rewards are fewer and less forthcoming.

Evidence for this is demonstrated by the reductions in theft by shoplifters and employees when businesses have cameras in place recording activities throughout the workplace.

It's also demonstrated in the behavior of police following the proliferation of videocameras in police cars and more subtle recording devices in cell phones, etc.

Answer 9

What you speak of here is called 'attrition'.

Attrition is the repentance of sins which is motivated by the fear of punishment rather than by the love of God.

So your question is virtually impossible to answer in the 'black and white sense' that you ask.

Humankind is tantamount to diversity thus some of the people may only 'act' good because they are afraid of the consequences, whereas others are genuinely 'good' people.

The famous 'meek shall inherit the Earth' springs to mind.

Answer 10

Both true and false. Some are good for fear and reward. Some out of guilt and others because of ethis and moral values.