2007-10-09 23:38:31 · 32 answers · asked by rihannsu 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
What a stupid question.
2007-10-10 00:14:16 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
I believe there are other reasons than religion for moral behavior. As we've seen time and again morality isn't always a given, just becauses someone is religious. Everyone has to have some set of morals to guide them. They may not be yours or mine, but I don't think only the religious have them. Why do we have to feel that someone is watching to make sure we do the right thing. Maybe their sense of social obligation or just their sense of self is what guides the atheist who has morals and not a higher power.
2007-10-10 00:16:28 · answer #2 · answered by ? 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Of course it is possible for an atheist to have morals. And I think their morals are of higher value because they are not generated by fear or a wish to comply but the desire to live in harmony amongst other people. I have morals and I don't answer to anyone higher - I also think the way I conduct my life is much more "christian" than any Christian I have ever met.
2007-10-09 23:54:36 · answer #3 · answered by LillyB 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Morality and church going is not exclusive.
As I have to live with myself and I have not given myself an out to just ask to be forgiven for my sins, I actually LIVE with the consequences of my actions, my morals are probably higher than most Christians.
Ask yourself this, Question: why are nearly all mass killers highly religious? Answer: because all they have to do is ask and be forgiven by Jesus and get their buy into heaven. Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy, Tookie Williams, BTK killer all proclaimed finders of Christ.
Why/how do you think that a book and god is the only way to make you a good person? Looking back over my life, the times I have been screwed over/had my hard earned money stolen from me, were from businesses/people that had a fish on their letterhead or cars. Beware the fish people.
Peace to you and try to open your mind without being so holier than thou. You aren't.
2007-10-09 23:47:30 · answer #4 · answered by Gem 7 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Most people judge others by what they know of themselves. If you think that all people need a higher power to answer to before they will act morally, then it is very likely that's the type of person YOU are and so you expect others to be just as depraved. I can happily say that not everybody is like you!
2007-10-09 23:57:21 · answer #5 · answered by Tea 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's not about answering to anybody. It's about living a harmonious life with other people and living with a moral sense of human nature. I am an athiest and I don't live under any fear of a god or anything. I do whats right and treat other people as I would want them to treat me because of a sense of right and wrong that I think every normal person possesses.
2007-10-09 23:42:04 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 8⤊ 0⤋
Morals are certain things that a person believes in that helps them run their life in a successful way. A person whom does not have morals, would do as they please and more than likely do something that would endanger their life. Just because you do not believe in any religion, that does not mean that you do not have certain self inflicted rules to live your life by.
I think it has nothing to do with religion at all. That would be faith and following the Rules of the religion that you belonged too, which may in fact impact such morals of an individual.
2007-10-09 23:42:35 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 0⤋
This is THE question..I turn it around.What are morals?Morals are the ethical decisions one makes.If one needs an outside influence to TELL them "thou shalt not kill,murder,steal,bang your neighbors wife..Why,that person isn't moral at all,the best that could be said is they may be obedient for fear of punishment,unable to determine that murdering is wrong without a god telling them so.That is the height of IMMORALITY,which,I guess,is why Christians exist.They WANT to go kill,steal,and rape,as evidenced by this question and the thousands of similar questions.They realize they are morally bankrupt,and unable to tell that raping is immoral,needing a god to tell them.Therefore,not only are Christians immoral,it is IMPOSSIBLE for a christian to be moral,thus the constant need for "commandments" and the reward/punishment scenario.Calling a Christian moral is akin to calling a prisoner "law abiding"..Of course they are law abiding,someone is always watching them,and punishments are severe.An atheist is moral for morality's sake,not from any commandment or fear of punishment.This distinguishes true morality,freely practiced,from enforced morality of Christians,who by their own admission,don't realize killing and raping are wrong,but thankfully,they have a god that can instruct them with these brilliant insights
2007-10-10 00:04:34 · answer #8 · answered by nobodinoze 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I answer to myself thanks, not to mention the laws of this society and what is best for it, as well as to the natural rights and obligations of humanity in general.
Religion and morality are very seperate things. Just ask the Spanish Inquisition or any of the other great religiously motivated bastards that caused so much pain and suffering through out human history in the name of whatever deity they happened to follow. I'm sure I could produce a fairly long list just off the top of my head if I had to.
2007-10-09 23:48:13 · answer #9 · answered by Caffeine Fiend 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
From what I've seen, the 'purest' atheists adhere to a code of public and private behavior that essentially hews to Judeo-Christian 'morals' minus the belief in a supreme being. The atheists' non -belief in religion doesn't ordinarily translate into anarchist/anti-social behavior on the temporal plane.
2007-10-09 23:53:58 · answer #10 · answered by Goethe's Ghostwriter 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
It's the old "all morals come from a god, and specifically my god".
If you found out tomorrow that no gods have ever 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?
If theists believe they are rewarded for doing good, it's only atheists who only do good because they are good, not because they believe they will be rewarded.
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...
For a more detailed explanation: http://www.abarnett.demon.co.uk/atheism/morals.html
2007-10-09 23:47:41 · answer #11 · answered by Dreamstuff Entity 6 · 5⤊ 1⤋