Or another way of asking is; can morals come from within or do they have to come externally? And if you believe the latter, what happens if a person has some internal conflict with an externally imposed set of morals?
I'm asking because I often see answers to questions referencing morals and religion...
2007-10-31 22:15:39 · 17 answers · asked by Dastardly 6 in Politics & Government ➔ Politics
I believe that man's inherent internal morality led to the invention of religion and not the reverse as so many believe today. Religion is an attempt at rationalizing one's own internal morality.
2007-10-31 22:24:21 · answer #1 · answered by hyperhealer3 4 · 12⤊ 2⤋
yes an atheist can have morals most atheist i know do have morals i believe it's both internal and external the internal has to do with guilt and emotions which people naturally have. externally morals can come from what we are taught or our environment. there has always seem to be a set of beliefs that people have felt is wrong or right. and internal conflicts with external morals generally pose the situation of guilt for either outcome so you then must decide what is the best and most beneficial choice to make in the long run. also atheist can learn morals from a religion without being religious or believing in a god. thus the difference between moral theist and moral atheist is that moral atheist don't believe divine reward or punishment in another life by a god. they are moral for their own reasons and feel fulfillment in this life
2007-11-01 05:43:11 · answer #2 · answered by most hated human 2 · 4⤊ 1⤋
It's more complex than just internal/external.
Good behavior does not necessarily require morality. Most of us pay our income taxes because we fear the consequences if we don't. We do our good deeds because that kind of behavior makes us feel good.
Morality is doing the right thing for the right reason. Fear of punishment and desire for feel-good rewards are not the right reasons. Fear of punishment is cowardice and seeking rewards is suck up.
We don't need God to do more in externally setting morals. We already know that we ought to treat others as we would want to be treated (The Golden Rule). Where we need God is to hold us to the standards that we already profess.
Our human nature has a tremendous capacity for self deception. If we are our own moral authority, we will justify and rationalize whatever we need in order to judge ourselves as good. Even criminals plotting their next crime judge themselves to be basically good.
But it is harder to justify ourselves and rationalize our behavior in front of what we believe to be an all knowing God.
2007-11-01 06:33:33 · answer #3 · answered by Matthew T 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Sure they can.
Religion and morals are not synonymous.
There are some cool atheists. Then there are some here who might have great morals, but they sure hate all Christians and seem to think it's funny to ridicule us and tell us how immoral we all are.
Sometimes I think that a few feel as if Christians are the immoral ones and the atheists are the "holy" ones.
It makes me sad, for we're really good people if you only give us a chance.
2007-11-01 05:34:05 · answer #4 · answered by batgirl2good 7 · 5⤊ 1⤋
In religion there were moral that guide human how to behave in this world.
Atheists are people with no religion. As human being I believe they also know how to have morals and behave well. But their morals just depend on their logical thinking.
In religion, sometimes we can't find the answer on why must we behave like this and not like that. It's natural because in religion there'll be a question on certain matter that we not able to find the answer.
2007-11-01 05:29:39 · answer #5 · answered by angkasawan 2 · 5⤊ 2⤋
as it is explained in the Tao, morality WITHOUT religion is superior morality, since it does not know it is being virtuous.
more simply put: a child grows up in a religious household and is taught not to lie, according to the strictures of his family's religion. the child does not lie, believing it will cause him some spiritual harm. another child grows up in a non-religious household, and is never taught that lying would lead to damnation of any sort. but this child also does not lie, since it's just not a nice thing to do.
which child is the more virtuous of the two?
2007-11-01 11:32:04 · answer #6 · answered by Andrew 5 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Yes
2007-11-01 07:35:04 · answer #7 · answered by Don't Know 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Yes, they can have morals. Moral values are philosophical absolutes. Religion helps us to keep them and to associate with those of similar values. One can believe there is a God and place himself in the hands of a greater being. One can think of himself, I am the greatest being. Both can agree killing and stealing are wrong.
2007-11-01 05:26:42 · answer #8 · answered by Homeschool produces winners 7 · 7⤊ 1⤋
Absolutely. Religion is thrust upon us . Morals are inbred. We exist with inherent codes, but we are creatures of our environment, thus we are adaptable to the world around us.
2007-11-01 07:30:16 · answer #9 · answered by sinbaad 3 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Societies cannot exist without a set of moral or ethical rules and these are very similar cross culturally. I'm talking about your basic rules such as don't kill, lie, steal or commit incest. Atheists as well as people of faith follow these rules.
2007-11-01 05:39:46 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 1⤋