A friend just ask me if you have to beLieve in God to have moraLs. I thought yes, but now I wonder ~ is it possibLe to not beLieve in God and stiLL have moraLs and vaLues ?
2007-09-11 18:12:50 · 21 answers · asked by Jamie D BABY! 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
it is possible, but it doesnt make sense. Where did morals and values come from then?
2007-09-11 18:16:15 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
A person can be an atheist and yet be moral by society's standards. However, keep in mind that even if you believe in God you are not good. The Bible says that no one is "good" but God.
2007-09-12 01:34:11 · answer #2 · answered by studnet 15 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A person does not have to believe in God to have good morals. In fact I know very moral athiests and some very immoral people who believe God exists.
Of course, neither the atheist nor the false believer will enter heaven, but that wasn't your question.
2007-09-12 01:22:57 · answer #3 · answered by teran_realtor 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Morality is more fundamental than God.
Belief in God does not grant morality. Disbelief in God does not eliminate it.
True morality is based on logic and empathy: the empathy to care how your actions affect the rest of the universe and the logic to figure out how they do so.
If God exists, he can either agree with morality or disagree with it. He cannot create or determine it.
If God's decisions are based on morality, then he will not condemn people to eternal hell for lacking faith in him. If he does condemn people to hell for that, then God is immoral and should not be worshiped by anyone.
2007-09-12 01:24:24 · answer #4 · answered by scifiguy 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's the old "all morals come from a god, and specifically my god".
If you found out tomorrow that no gods have every existed, would you start killing, raping and stealing? Is your belief the only thing preventing you from doing that right now?
If so, are you really a moral person?
For a more detailed explanation: http://www.abarnett.demon.co.uk/atheism/morals.html
And let me point out that your god is not somebody I'd consider moral - sending bears to kill kids for making fun of a bald guy, murdering babies, drowning kittens...
2007-09-12 01:19:13 · answer #5 · answered by Dreamstuff Entity 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Of course you can be a good and moral person without believing in God. You just can't go home with Him when you die.
2007-09-12 01:18:29 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
There are many societies that have morals, ethics and laws without the belief in any god.
You do not have to believe in any god to be a good person. And, you are not necessarily a good person if you do believe in a god.
2007-09-12 01:17:35 · answer #7 · answered by CC 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't agree, having a sense of right and wrong ( one that is relatively consistent with the rest of humanity) is a common trait among all humans regardless of their beliefs about God. This fact is actually one of the best augments for the existence of God.
However from a biblical perspective I don't know you can do anything that is truly "good" unless you are indwelt with the holy spirit and are doing it for the purpose of furthering God's kingdom ( many Christians rarely even have that motive.)
That is not to say God can't use any act for his ultimate Glory which is the only good.
2007-09-12 01:21:52 · answer #8 · answered by Dane_62 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
No. You can be a good person without believing in God. It depends, though, on how you're motivated to do good. If you're good because you like being good, and doing good things, then God doesn't matter, and you'll be a great person anyway.
But if you need a God to keep you in check, if without some sort of punishment, you're liable to go off killing, raping, or whatever, then you will need God to be a good person.
2007-09-12 01:17:32 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
I guess I miss the point of this question. But yes you can. You can also be self-righteous. The idea is to not only believe in God but to receive also.
2007-09-12 01:39:01 · answer #10 · answered by Frank O 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not neccessarily,.. but know that you have to be more than a good person to enter his kingdom.
There are truly good people in the world that has not accepted the salvation of the lord.
But reversing this question.. JUST being good won't get a person to Heaven,.. They must have a personal relationship with God.
Being good will keep you outta jail,.. but it won't keep you outta Hell!
2007-09-12 01:36:35 · answer #11 · answered by g d 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋