Morality and religion are NOT mutually inclusive, so why do certain people claim that atheists can't be moral?

Answer 1

Because they either would be raving psychopaths themselves if they decided their faith is wrong or they just like to insult and hate others.

Answer 2

Almost every time I see a debate where a theist brings up the moral argument for the existence of God, the argument is misunderstood. It doesn't seem to matter how educated the other person in the debate is, either. You can almost always count on them misunderstanding the argument and taking it to be saying that atheists can't be moral.

In the moral argument for God, it is said that if there is no God, then there are no morals in the objective sense. There are just subjective moral preferences or culturally constructed views of reality, but there are no universal moral obligations that apply to people regardless of their personal or cultural views.

This has nothing to do with whether people believe in God. If God exists, and if there are objective moral values, then atheists can be moral. They don't need to believe in God in order to be moral. It's only necessary that God exists. But if God doesn't exist, then nobody can be moral because there would be no objective moral values. Not even theists could be moral if there were no God.

Everytime I hear somebody complain about Christians or other theists for saying "atheists can't be moral," I'm suspicious, because (1) I've never actually heard anybody say that, and (2) I quite often witness atheists and others MISUNDERSTANDING Christians and other theists who make the moral argument for God's existence.

Answer 3

It's a very immature morality when social and personal behavior is constantly monitored by a father figure.

We always hear the comparison of God's love being that of a parent. The difference is parents st some point allow their children to grow up, not so with the Bible God.

Certain people need a Daddy to tell them what to do their entire lives, and they expect to be punished severely if they make Daddy unhappy. It would be completely pathetic if it wasn't also terribly kinky.

If one believes that God is omnipotent, the accept that He is in all people just the same. God is no respecter of persons. Those who claim superiority by evoking God are in no better position than those who don't believe.

Pantheist

Answer 4

Because they are "sheep" who are supposed to follow the "shepherd" and assume anyone not of the faith is a "lost sheep."

In essense, they believe and do what they do because that's what they've been told to do. Since it addresses intention as well (for instance, can't look at someone with "lust in your heart" else you've already committed adultury), they are more bound in what they believe. Since atheists have nothing telling them to be moral, just obey the law (and wild sex or lying aren't against the law), then atheists would, in general, have no sense of morality, and only obey the law. Also, with the legal system being shallow, its easy to discard, whereas "the word of God" is more important, thus not to be discarded.

Whew, there ya go, I think I expressed why they feel that way.

Anyway, they basically feel that the root of all good is in their God, so anyone who doesn't follow that God also lacks the essense of goodness. Therefore any moral code would be selfserving.

Personally, I think doing something good because someone tells you to is less of an act than doing something good because you feel it is right.

Answer 5

You are correct. They are not mutually inclusive. I have know some very moral atheists and some immoral religious. Heck, the Catholic church has had a few immoral popes in our history.
But to answer you question why?
1) Examples. A few bad eggs (such as some on yahoo answers and other places) come across as insulting and negative - this leads some to believe all are that way (in the same way that all other prejudictic thoughts begin).
2) Some believe that anything that is not their belief is bad - similar to (1), but possibly just out of self conceit or some other reason.
3) Some believe that only God gives morality. And lack of God leads to lack of morality.

Good question - let's see how others answered!
Sorry to point at anyone, but Atheist has given an answer that refers to my (1). he/she has made a large number of assumptions about religious people. Atheist is wrong in these assumptions. Sure, SOME are like that, but not all. In the same way that SOME atheists are immoral, but not ALL.

a) sheltered (wow... I thought all my expose to at-risk youth and their lives made me very much LESS sheltered)
b) listen to everything a pastor says (hmmm just my paster or all? There are many pastors I would argue forever against - probably some the same you would. Even my own priest occasionally says things I disagree with because he is speaking his own view and not that of our faith)
c) scientists are all conspiring against us! (even the religious ones who support our views? weird...)

Ezsum assumes they are all intellectually lazy. Many would respond the same way about Atheists (and would be equally wrong)

Spirit wanderer - 'Cause they're usually willfully ignorant on the subject - What evidence do you have for the usually. I would assume this means more than 50% of the time. Where's the proof? what study do you have to support your background.

PAULO - while I agree with your middle paragraph, I'm would not agree that it is flawed, selfish, self-serving definition. Some try to define their morrality based on good for all. How is that self-serving? It isn't like they say, how can I make morality only for me!

Again - while I have 'attacked' some responses here to some extent - it's purpose is not to attack individuals, but to use actual responses to this very question to show why some believe what they do.

Sure, some is blindly following what they taught.
But some is following what they have seen.
Some is their view of what morality IS.

Heck - I've seen religious people make attacks and horrible statements on this site as well. I in no way try to say it is one sided. The same reasons exist for why some think religious people are idiots/cruel/whatever.

We can have excellent discussions on the subject, but as long as we are human we will bring our views into the subject. it is very hard to discuss something calmly and without attacks. Here's hoping we can ALL take steps in that direction.

Answer 6

Anyone who claims that atheist cannot be moral obviously doesn't know many atheists. Morals are a social adaptation that allow us to live in a civilized society by promoting a certain code of behavior. Morals are rooted in basic human traits like empathy and conscience. Morals far predate religion and will outlast religion.

Do you know what people are called when they only live lawfully and decently to avoid punishment?

Sociopaths

And the moment they think the authorities back is turned, they can remorselessly commit any sort of atrocity that comes to their mind. I won't trust anyone who's only motivation to be decent is fear of going to hell.

Answer 7

Enigma, my dear, I have asked several similar questions. Christians claim that morality comes from god, but when asked if they would act differently if there were no god, of course they wouldn't because they are good people.

Hypocrisy, circular logic, and a great superiority complex make up this great religion, so who are we to question what is moral?

Answer 8

I think it is just bashing...I am a Christian and I know Atheists can be very moral. I think it is the same phenomena that makes some Atheists say Christians can't have a brain.. I wish everyone would stop generalizing and stereotyping, and just communicate.

Answer 9

some people just think that way... maybe its naievty? or their religious influences that has them convinced that morality and religion go hand in hand. or they've come across far too many atheists that are also infact without morals so what they've seen only proves what they probably already thought.

either way. it shoudln't matter as long as we all understand out own personal morality!

Answer 10

'Cause they're usually willfully ignorant on the subject. They believe that morality comes from religion, when it's the other way around, religion comes from morality (though you can obviously have morality without religion, as shown by a myriad of atheists who are more moral than most theists.)

Answer 11

Becuz that's what that preacher man told 'em in tha churchhouse and the revrun he aint never wrong

Um OK--They really cannot comprehend that religion and morality do not necessarily go hand in hand. Ignorance continues to breed ingnorance