Why do Christians think that morality is something given or created by God?

Question

When I see a Christian say that they act morally because of God I get a little scared. They don't want to murder or steal or do anything else that is regarded as bad because it's a sin. They think that is the what morality is; being told what to do and what not to do by some kind of supernatural power. Does anyone else think this reasoning is seriously flawed?

Interesting vid regarding this question:
Sharpton vs Hitchens.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWt8a1aMkZ4

Your god's rules or commandments don't apply to me, I have my personal moral code which is vastly superior to the Bible's.

Answer 1

i dont think its a christian-only trait .. but i do think that all things good and right and moral are God-like ... 'righteous' if u will ..

Answer 2

They think that because they want to believe that everything revolves around their religion. The truth is, the christaian bible is full of immorality, such as slavery, dashing babies head against rocks, and stoning people to death.

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Why Christians Must Steal From Secular Morality:
http://www.caseagainstfaith.com/submissions/steal_morality.htm
Christians must steal their moral rules from secular morality. They have no choice, as the Bible does not offer a moral system, it only offers a series of contradictory commands and a supposed threat of punishment in the "afterlife" for not following them - a punishment that is given equally to all violators - whatever the sin.

The Bible does nothing and can do nothing towards inculcating moral behavior on its own. Christians must steal from secular moral systems, and then merely graft their 'God threats' on top of this moral system. This is necessary. And the reason for this is simple: there is no morality in the Bible and there can be no morality in the Bible, because the Bible holds that 1) ALL 'sins' are equivalent (destroying any moral sense) AND 2) all moral behavior is immaterial, because works cannot save a person, AND finally all people are damned from birth.

In reality, Christians realize that some actions are more moral than others. They realize that moral actions exist in a hierarchy, and that rape is far worse than stealing a pencil. Yet the Bible holds that all 'sins' are equal, as all deserve the same punishment.

Christians also realize that humans can be moral agents... they expect moral behavior from others, and they view their own children as something to value. Yet the Bible holds that man is worthless, that he cannot be a moral agent, and that his sole salvation comes from grace. However, since Christians realize, implicitly, that all of these these points are obviously, prima facie false, they must steal from secular systems, that hold that 1) man obviously has a value 2) all 'sins' are obviously not equivalent and 3) a person cannot be held to be doing anything 'immoral' without intent.

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Origin of the 10 commandments:
http://www.atheistalliance.org/outreach/news-2002_spring.php
http://www.rationalrevolution.net/articles/ten_commandments.htm

Morality Without God:
http://www.atheists.org/Atheism/cohen.html

Morals Without Gods:
http://www.secularhumanism.org/index.php?section=library&page=sharris_26_ 3

Answer 3

I think most people have difficulty separating religion and morality. Christianity focuses strongly on the importance of being a moral person, but it doesn't stress any reason for it except to earn (or be worth) God's love. It sets up a reward for good behavior. Since an atheist (or an agnostic, for that matter) doesn't have that reward of a closer relationship with God, Christians can't understand what would make them want to be a moral person. It makes our motives less than clear to them.

Answer 4

Even if you're not christian, still you believe in God. Human beings are God's creation. Morality is human beings action. Do's and don'ts are for morality sake on what have you in mind. It's a sin not following the ten commandments of God. It's illegal not following the law of the government. To commit a crime is a sin no matter whether christian, muslim, pagan or whatever belief an individual practice.

Answer 5

Christians believe that everything is in God, and God is in everything. Christians believe that everything is made of God and by God. That would include the material world and its rules and principles from which physics, life, and morality have evolved. God is not a magician, rather a master craftsman.

The last bit of your sentence does not describe the belief's of a true christian. Christians believe in logic and reason, and free will. They do not believe in being led externally by visions or other such pseudoscripture. A christian seeks knowledge and wisdom from the teachings of God (Gods philosophy) which require both knowledge and reasoning to apply to one's life. Do not be misled into thinking that all Christians act as fundies do.

Answer 6

Stop attacking Christians. There are plenty of other religions that have moral standards and moral absolutes. Stop being a Christianityphobe.

Why do you hate Christians so much? You have never had the courage to answer!

Answer 7

Christians believe that God defines what is good because He is good; therefore, if God is good, then His laws are the correct method of determining right from wrong. What God defines as right and good is moral, and that which is outside of God's Will is wrong. It is an absolute if one professes to follow Christ.

As a Christian, I seriously resent Sharpton being used as an example. That is beyond flawed.

Answer 8

well, there are some societies that may think that murdering their neighbor is the right thing to do. ie Islamic terrorists. They go to heaven for murdering women and children.

Some societies think that lying is ok, or adultery. And the Bible is a fixed standard that determines right and wrong..

It is mankind in general that is flawed and man's reasoning is flawed because he is flawed. God created us and knows what we need..

Car makers tell us how often we should change our oil to get maximum miles from the car. "who are they to order us around?" They know what is right for the car because they made it to be treated that way for best performance and any other treatment leads to second best for the car..
nuf said, your reasoning is flawed.

Answer 9

No - i think it would not advise which you subsequently are stable - yet God is. he's incapable of being something - for this reason we are separated from him because of the fact we are no longer stable continually and he could have no longer something to do with sin as he's organic and holy. for this reason he sent his Son so as that we can be reconciled with him by his sinless Son's dying and resurrection. God isn't the author of evil. That comes the Evil one that we've fallen into by our option to sin. he's not the author of dying the two, that grow to be no longer his plan for us. yet our selections have delivered dying, soreness, greed, mendacity, etc. - the flaws of evil and the Evil One. do no longer blame God - God is stable for all time - and he's extra beneficial and extra significant than we are. we don't layout God, and say who he's or how he could be - God is God, and that's the place we initiate. that is not any longer approximately me. have you ever study "the point-pushed existence" by Rick Warren? It solutions those issues so needless to say. Have a super Thanksgiving.

Answer 10

Well....we think God created everything -- including our brains which have the ability to reason between right and wrong. If some Christians think that God is telling them to behave in a good and decent way then what's the difference?

Answer 11

I agree with you. But the Bible itself says that laws are given to govern the lawless. In other words, people who are otherwise unable to control themselves. So in that sense, I guess it's a good thing these people have the Bible to tell them what is right and wrong!