What morals values does Atheism give our society?

Question

How does an atheist decide whats right and wrong?
What do you base your morals values on? and why would they be good for the society? Question if you where in a dark ally where theres alot of crime, and you were by yourself when all of a sudden 10 large men started walking towards you... Question would it or would it not make a difference to you if these men were just getting out of a Bible study?
Give an intelligent answer if possible...

Answer 1

What if you saw 10 Atheists getting out of a science discussion. Would you feel threatened by them?

Concience and society provide morals. Religion isn't necessary.

Answer 2

An atheist decides what is right and wrong because it's usually common sense. We don't need a book to tell us that murder isn't a nice thing to do to someone. If you do need a book to tell you that, then something's wrong with you. This can be said for all issues of right wrong. There are only a few topics in which the bible says something is wrong that I don't believe is wrong. One such topic is premarital sex. If two adults want to have sex, what's wrong with that? (yeah yeah, there are risks of pregnancy and STD's... but that doesn't make it "wrong". Driving a car is risky but not wrong.) But anyways, basically, I've always been an atheist my entire life and I've always been a good person and have had no problem understanding what is right and wrong. It's mostly common sense.

For your question about the 10 large men, I suppose that I would be less afraid if I knew they were coming from a bible study because the kind of people that would attend a bible study are usually the kind of people that would not attack me. (At least not right after the study). It's not so much that people are good because they study the bible as it is that the kind of people that would go to an organized study of the bible are usually studious people that think the bible is good for its peace-teachings and stuff. Let me finish by making a point: I'm a "stone-cold atheist" (as described by a friend once). I have never and would never attack someone in an ally. That's obviously wrong to do because it wouldn't be nice for someone to be attacked. But I have known people that claim to be very religious and also claim to have beaten up and robbed people.

Answer 3

I believe people have an instinctual sense of right and wrong. We are taught as young children to play nice and to share just because it is the right thing to do...period. That education continues through our entire lives, and there are things you just...know. I believe society in general promotes people to behave themselves. I do not think religion plays any role in it whatsoever.
Why would they be good for the society? Are you meaning why would an atheist's morals be good for society? If so, why wouldn't they be? Atheists are not evil people. We are just ordinary people that do not believe in a deity. That is all that seperates us from the religious crowd. You can be a good person and not have god in your life.
If I were in a dark alley and 10 large men started walking towards me, yes, I would be uncomfortable. I would be because I would be alone...at night....and these men are complete strangers to me. I would feel very vulnerable. I do not think it would make much difference to me at all. There are Christians in prison too. They are convicted murderers and rapists just like anybody else guilty of the same crime. Besides, how would I know if they just came out of a bible study group? It is not like I am going to go up and say "'Scuse me....Are you guys bible studying Christians by any chance?" Nope..I am gonna look for an opening and move myself into a crowd if possible.
Long story short....I would be nervous regardless of religion or lack thereof in a dark alley. I think anyone would unless they were Chuck Norris.

Answer 4

The professed atheist that I knew did have something of a moral code. But it was based on expediency and situational ethics. He did not understand the spiritual basis for it.

Any high ideas or principles that they have, are based on that which is superficial. They do not operated with God's purpose in mind; they operate in accordance with the world's principles. As a matter of fact, they fit in well with the world. The Bible says that the Spirit of Christ is at enmity with the world.

In a crime ridden area, it would make a difference if 10 Christians came towards you or 10 prison escapees. The atheist also would appreciate the difference. That is why is it so important for Christians to let their good works shine before men so that they would glorify your father who is in Heaven.

Atheism is intellectual dishonesty because in a study it was proven that we are all neurologically wired to believe in God.
The Bible says also in Psalm 53:1, that the fool hath said in his heart that there is no God. I believe at the subconscious level, the atheist knows that God exist!

Most carnal and luke warm Christians appear to be functional atheists. If they only had a revelation of the deep riches and the treasures that belong to them in Christ, they would immediately change.

Answer 5

What's to decide about right and wrong? Don't kill other people. Don't hurt others. Don't take what doesn't belong to you. It all makes sense. I based my moral values on the fact that I'm one of a community of human beings and in order for all of us to get along, we have an innate set of rules to live by. Official laws were made because some people don't get it, but by and large, people do know how to behave.

Were I in that dark alley, I would probably be afraid, yes. I'm one person and they're 10 big men. Anyone who wouldn't be cautious and a little afraid is an idiot. People make snap judgements based on what they see and feel at any given time.

If I knew they had just gotten out of a bible study, I'd be equally afraid because large groups of males tend to get rowdy and I'm a woman. Bibles don't mean a thing.

If I knew they were atheists, I'd be equally afraid for the same reason.

Bottom line... I do what's right because it's the right thing to do. Religious folks do what's right because they're afraid of being punished by god.

Which of us has better moral values?

Answer 6

An atheist decides what is right or wrong by his own moral compass, the same as a Christian, Buddist, Muslim, Pagan, ect... If I were is a dark alley where there was a lot of crime, I wouldn't care if they HAD come out of bible study. Being able to read a bible and discuss it does NOT atomatically make one a good person.

It is insane to think just because a christian knows not to hurt people he isn't going to. Atheist also know not to hurt people, and still no garantee.

Morals? No more or less than knowing about Christianity, really.

Answer 7

If they were just getting out of bible study they would be so hoped up on "religious purity" they might go kill some people in the name of their god.

Think it's far fetched? It was called the Inquisition.

Edit: Oh man you will notice Deslok says it was atheists being immoral where in New Orleans the overwhelming majority is Christian. Of course he doesn't mention the Red Cross amongst many others, an atheist organization, helped people. He is the type of person I hate. He lies to try to support his stance.

Edit Edit: Then there is Capnarlo who is so deluded he think morals have anything to do with religion. Apparently, he has been sheltered from higher education.


Edit for the Deslok because he is not the brightest:

http://www.redcross.org/museum/history/charter.asp

Please point to me where in the Red Cross Charter and rules it indicates ANY association with ANY religion. Oh, you spelled genius wrong and no I am not being sarcastic.

As undeniable atheistic organizations who helped with Katrina here you go:

http://www.gatesfoundation.org/UnitedStates/SpecialInitiatives/KatrinaRelief.htm

Looks like you lose again Deslok.

Answer 8

Atheism isn't a moral doctrine. It's a lack of belief in gods.

I get my morals from common sense living. I would never be walking alone in a dark ally where there is a lot of crime, but if I were that stupid, and if ten large men started walking towards me in a threatening way, I'd probably take my knife out and prepare for battle. It would make no difference where they were coming from. I've studied and taught knife fighting and martial arts for 10 years. Drop the first one, and the rest will run.

Answer 9

Your question, had you framed it in the following manner would have made more sense to both Atheists and believers:
... people in the US throw away 2.5 million plastic bottles every hour. Is this moral or immoral?
Or even better, is it moral or immoral what we humans do to the earth and its creatures?
You will find the Bible does not address these questions so we could be forgiven for thinking the Bible is losing its relevance to our life today.

Answer 10

It would make a difference if they were just coming from Bible study. I think I would be more afraid. That Bible is full of killing those who believe differently.

As far as moral values, they actually don't come form the bible. People knew right from wrong before man wrote the Bible. Most moral values come from society. We learn very young that doing things society frowns upon gets us into trouble - with our friends, our family and the law. We also learn that things we don't want done to ourselves are things no one should do.

Answer 11

If you actually read the bible you'll see it condones such things as slavery, rape, and murder in all kinds of different contexts. Anyone basing an ethical system on what is actually written in that book would likely end up on a plane with box cutters.

Atheists on the other hand, see no fantasy land after death. They live and love their families in the here and now and want good things for themselves, those they love and the communities they belong to. Just because there is no supernatural sky bully to threaten your eternal soul doesn't mean we're all going to start frothing at the mouth and killing everyone we see.

Religious people do scare me, they value death and inhuman existence over the life they have. People who only have this life to look forward to, tend to think of it as precious.