Question of morals for atheists?

Question

Where do you get your morals from? I'm not saying that you need to have a religion to have morals, I don't, I'm just curious to know where you learned what is right and wrong?

By the way, I am an atheist, there seems to be a bit of confusion there...

Answer 1

All evil is a form of theft, whether you are stealing objects, lives, innocence or the truth. It is forcing someone to engage in an outcome which would be individually irrational for them to engage in. So, strangely, I get half of my morality from the "Edgeworth Box." A tool used to teach market ideas to undergraduates.

The other half comes from Reversal Theory in psychology. The idea is that our secondary emotions are related to mastery and sympathy. Not all people hold these emotions, sociopaths for example feel no empathy. However, morality presumes that a person engaging in a behavior has all these emotions, there are eight secondary emotions. Generally, however, it is here that morality enters into the problematic mode. It is here that loyalty to others versus loyalty to self; empathy versus individual goals and so forth enter.

I learned right and wrong at home of course, but I have refined it through economics and psychology. It seems everything we discuss ends up being boundary cases of either our secondary emotions, or the rationality of our transaction sets.

Answer 2

We get them the same place that you have received them.

From our parents, from logic and from society.

Many Christians assume that they get their morals from God or from religion or church. But all you have to do is read the bible and consider the effect that applying biblical moral standards to our current society would have.

Imagine if Men read Numbers 5 and followed the moral guidance there? Would you appreciate having to drink water tainted with sacrificial animal blood to prove your fidelity to your husband?

Taking the New Testament into account, Read 2 Timothy 2:11-16. Do you as a woman, agree with that moral standard. Should you have the right to voice an opinion? Are you only saved through childbirth? That is what Apostle Paul believed and taught.

My guess is that you have a completely different moral standard than any person who was alive when the bible was written had. And if you could go back in time, and apply your morals amongst those people, you would be stoned as an immoral heretic.

Your morals come from society, logic and your parents, just like mine, unfortunately some religious leaders feel the need to lie about the origins of morals in an attempt to build up belief.

Answer 3

I think mostly from personal experience. I've seen very religious people behave in seriously amoral ways so I can't attribute moral behavior to religion or the lack there of. Most morals and ethics are learned through peers as they affect you the most as you grow anyway. For me its simply a matter of harming others or influencing others in negative ways is just plain not good. It's also recognizing what is right or wrong for me might not be for another, particularly when no harm comes from the issue at hand.

Answer 4

The basis of pretty much ALL morality is the Golden Rule. And the Golden Rule = common sense. NO faith or religion required. Which is why most atheists, just like most adherents to religions, are pretty moral people.

Answer 5

Probably the same as you. Everyone gets morals from lots of places like family, friends, environment, etc. And some use religion as a source. You say yourself you don't need to have religion to have morals, which means you recognize that your morals have come from a variety of sources. Take religion off your list of sources, and it is probably pretty close to most atheists.

Answer 6

Society + each person has an 'internal compass'.
Ancient Egyptians and Greeks had morals and laws with no Judeo-Xian influence. In fact, there are a lot of similarities between Greek Mythology and Christianity. As we all know, the Greek myths were around before JC.
Also, that mass murderer (I can't remember his name right now but he was really famous) that went to gay bars to pick up guys. He had sex with them then killed them and tried different ways of either bringing them back to life (injected acid). When that didn't work, he preserved their bodies as long as he could, so he could eat them.-That guy was brought up in a Christian home in the 60's but their are plenty of atheists and Christians that would never dream of doing that.
Also, it's somewhat acceptable in mainly Muslim communities to mutilate female genitalia. To them, that's moral, even in this age.
So, I definitely would say it's a combo of instinct and culture.

Answer 7

Where did Charles Manson, Jim Jones, and David Koresh get their morals from? They are ALL responsible for the deaths of others. Either through murder or mass suicide from their cult religion. All had a belief in god and thought they were doing god's work. All were apopolyptic christians and crazy megalomaniacs.

I live my life according to common decency. I know that if I want others to be nice to me, I have to be nice to others. It is a kindergarten lesson in humanity.

~Atheist Witch

Answer 8

Common sense.

BTW. The 10 Commandments came from the Ancient Egyptian's 'Book Of The Dead'. So your morals came from them.

Answer 9

Morality is a basic human function. We learn it from our parents, from people in our communities, and from just having a basic understanding of right and wrong.
We don't need to have the "fear of god" in order to treat others as we would like to be treated.

Answer 10

It is inherent in humans to have morals or a sense of right and wrong. We aren't totally animals. We are spirits living in animal bodies to have a physical experience.