Is atheism dangerous for society?

Question

If you do not believe in God is there a reason to be moral? If there is no reward for being moral why not indulge in the conveniences and pleasures of life? We are all going decompose anyway so why not disregard the rights and privileges of others?

You guys are not answering the question. "No" is not a respectable answer.

If you think you are moral what drives you to be moral?

You guys have a conscience after all. Who gave that to you? Or where did it come from?

Jaicee, you have a point.

I am playing the role of devil's advocate here so please don't take my questions as an offence.

If you are not a threat/danger to why society why did George Bush say this. "I don't know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered patriots. This is one nation under God." -- George Herbert Walker Bush

Answer 1

We must take a world and historic view of this issue to understand it. We must look at humanity as one organsim, like a human body. No group of humans has no history. All good comes from God and all evil comes from ourselves. Humans did not just figure out what works best on their own. Humans have been educated. The educators of humanity as a whole are the universal educators that have appeared from time to time to give humanity the prescription for progress, happiness, and prosperity. With their fingers on the pulse of humanity, these universal educators have brought the elixir of successful living. Humanity has always lived under the influence of these amazing universal educators, and their energizing and beneficent influence has affected everyone present, past, and future, whether we recognize it or not.

These universal educators have brought practical and spiritual teachings which are the driving forces underpinning an ever advancing civilization, and an ever advancing understanding of the physical universe, and an advancing understanding of what it means to be human individually and collectively. These universal educators' teachings have been the impetus behind all human progress.

Left alone without the beneficial influence of these universal educators, humans would be ignorant of their higher nature and live, like the animal, only to fulfill their physical and worldly desires and comforts. Humans, like we see today, are poor physicians, diagnosticians of their own sicknesses. Even if they have succeeded in healing one part of the body of humanity, another part is still sick and the illness eventually comes back. These universal educators, these divine physicians have taught humanity of its extraordinary capacities.

To claim morality is a human invention is ignorant and absurd. History proves otherwise. It is equally absurd to think without religion there would be no wars or conflicts and that humanity can solve its planetary problems. Absurd, shallow, short-sighted.

Answer 2

I think we can say anything is dangerous. I am sure you will have a ton of people saying religion is dangerous since wars are associated with it. However there will be always something you can say a majority is associating with. I think it comes down to a persons actions and well if they group under a banner, you can't blame said banner. Banners can also bring us together to unite and share positive things.

I am not for a secular society at all. I live in a land that allows it which is good, cause people would fight over that or how people worship etc if we didn't allow it. I do feel it would be good if there was some sort of exposure by parents to basics of religion. A positive promotion of understanding I am for. So maybe it can be dangerous. A lack of understanding can harm other areas in a person's life as well. However everyone is different. Now I sound like Hilary Clinton.

Answer 3

If you believe in God and that your morals come from god then you can do some very bad things and still think they are moral (e.g. kill innocent people) while those of us who don't believe in mythical creatures can use our evolved morality (you know, the one that allows us to get along in groups without killing each other off) to not be dangerous.

Disregarding the rights of others is going to result in a very bad society that we don't want to live in so we don't do it.

As for George H. Bush, he's smarter then his son but still an idiot. In fact it is the Christians that shouldn't be considered patriots since about half of the ones in the US put their religion before their country.

Answer 4

Atheists are moral for the sake of morality, not because we fear a spanking after we die. The religious often (not always) accuse atheists of being amoral, but that implies that if God didn't exist, or if He did but just didn't punish anyone, the religious would have good reason to go running around in the streets, murdering and raping and pillaging. Essentially, what they're saying is, "Well, I don't see why you behave morally - if I weren't going to be punished after I died, I'd be horrible!" I think there's an argument here that atheists are actually more moral than the people who accuse them of not being moral, because they behave better than their accusers would in their position.

Answer 5

Atheism is death for any moral infrustucture because of the collapse of religious guidelines.
Lets take europe for instance an average woman bearing 2.1 children is merely enough to replace current population.
In the Uk the birith rate is 1.78,in Italy 1.24,in Germany 1.3 and France 1.7.
European nations can maintain their industrial societies and social welfare systems through mass immigration :Africa, Asia and Middle East.Europeans are commiting auto genocide.100 or maybe 50 years the church of england will be the mosque of england led by the Ayatolla of Canterbury.
Strangers will pass through great museums,libraries and cathedrals and wonder what it all meant...if the current trend continues.

The United States fertility rate fell from 3.6 1950s to 2.9 1965 and today 2.05(remember 2.1 is replacement rate)world congress of families Geneva,Switzerland.
The last 30 years 70% of U.S growth is due to immigrants and their children.
Cause :abortions,co-habitation,late marriages,no marriages,
women opting careers over children,and couples limiting their families.
In his monumental "Story Of Civilization"(book III "Ceasar and Christ") Will Durant describes a world much like our own.Third century AD the population of Rome was declining.

Durant tells that infanticide although a crime was widely practiced.The historian speculated that "sexual excesses may have reduced human fertility."hmmm...

Also attributes the population decline to contraception, abortion, and ablest men marrying late ?The Empire subsequently drowned in a human tide of hearty barbarians.

You know who didn't practice infanticide,abotion and who married young and had large families at that time "christians."

That seems fair you choose life you get life ! You choose contraception,abortion ,feminism, vonluntary childlessness and an anti-child / anti family culture you choose death.

Death for you and death for your society !!!

God places guidelines for a reason...many say the religious are of low iq and stooopid(stupid) that maybe so,but they are wise and humble which is a key to truth revealed.

Our Lord chose fishermen not Pharisees and Scribes ?
Humility vs Pride that is the real battle.

Fidel Castro swore the Catholic Church was his "mortal enemy" subsequently later in his life appealed to a catholic cleric to educate cuban youth about the beauty of life due to the abortion rate in Cuba; couldn't he have gotten an atheist to teach what some perceive as trivial ?

These are trendy beliefs we neither possess common-sense or logic....interesting.

The worst punishment God gives the earth is not "natural disasters" rather punishes the world with it's own sins.
He's not wanted so like a gentleman he leaves the world to take the course it wants because man likes to believe he is his own god.

Your sins are your own executioner,make no mistake.

Pax vobis

JMJ

Answer 6

of course not. if anything we're safer, we don't go around bombing abortion centers, causing "hate" crimes or anything like that because our god doesn't approve of that. some morals ya'll religious folk have, huh?

just because we don't have a god, doesn't mean we don't have morals and know right from wrong, nor are we heartless.

if only you'd pull your head out of your anus, perhaps then you'd see that we're people, just like you. we're not all cold-hearted and careless.

next time, take the time to learn something before opening your mouth and making yourself look bad.

*****
why did bush say it? look at the other things he's said, and i'm sure you'll find your answer. he's a close-minded dumbass.

we are motivated by ourselves to do good, our morals are for ourselves, not because we'll get punished or rewarded for doing certain things. but because it makes us feel good that we did something good just because we wanted to.

Answer 7

in terms of the incident you cite, right here is an excerpt from Countdown with Keith Olbermann, wherein he calls out Rep. Davis: "for sure, Assemblywoman Davis owes the witness and all people in this usa who believes in freedom of religion an apology. And if she will‘t parent that out, she could renounce and take her prejudice along with her. She additionally desires to strengthen her own education. That word, 'that's the Land of Lincoln, the place human beings have faith in God'; omit Davis suggested that for the time of Springfield, the place, while Lincoln first ran for Congress in 1846, the destiny great president became accused by using his opponent of being an atheist. You no longer only spat on the popular American freedom to embody faith, a faith or no faith, Assemblywoman Davis, yet you apart from would made a rattling fool of your self interior the approach. State representative Monique Davis, Democrat of Illinois, immediately's Worst man or woman interior the worldwide." And in accordance to Wikipedia: "On Thursday, April 10, it became suggested on Countdown with Keith Olbermann, that Alderwoman Davis referred to as him in my view to say sorry for her comments, and that he ordinary her apology. She suggested that she became offended by way of taking photographs deaths of two pupils till now that day." only an FYI.

Answer 8

No.

That's such backwards logic. People are mammals. What differentiate mammals from reptiles is their room for compassion. We are social animals. Why would it be surprising that people who have no faith wouldn't feel for their fellow humans and try to conform within one culture. The culture is really what drives morals. May that culture be atheistic or religious.

If you feel your moral is derived from fear of burning in Hell, then good luck to you. I am moral because I care/feel for people.

** To answer your second question **
I am moral because the world is a better place when people strive. I want to break bread with everyone, regardless of race, gender, and religion, and hear their story. I don't want to contribute to the madness and sadness in the world.

** To answer your third question **
The desire to care is an instinctive nature of mammals. The desire to be a part of some group is also. How a baby monkey clings to his mom is quite similar to a baby to his. Culture just cultivates ideals of right and wrong. Talk to people from other countries, their ideas are very different from ours. That's why we can eat beef without moral torment but a Hindu cannot!

Answer 9

this is a dumb question. people with sound morals don't need the threat of hell to keep them in line.

you'll find more natural vitue among the secular crowd than all you who need "saved." saved from what? yourselves?

Mat 9:11 And when the Pharisees saw [it], they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?


Mat 9:12 But when Jesus heard [that], he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.


Mat 9:13 But go ye and learn what [that] meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.



there you have it, sinner.

Answer 10

Not at all, just the opposite. Atheism encourages free thinking and tolerance. Do not assume that morals come from religion, because plenty of non-religious have morals. Most of them, actually.

And look at this:

Religious people-- They do good because it will get them into the good side of the afterlife. They do good because they will be rewarded.

Atheists-- When they do good, it is for the sake of doing good...not because of the threat of Hell.