For those who think you need Relgion and The Bible in order to have morals?

Question

If you reject Deuteronomy and Leviticus (as most do) then by what criteria do you decide which of religions moral values to accept?

If "we" have the ability to choose/decipher between good and bad -- moral and immoral -- within the very book that many claim is their sole reason for their moral parameters, then how is it that we need religion (aka The bible) to guide us and tell us what is right and wrong?

In other words: How can you choose which of "Gods" words should be followed and which should not, if it is only through his words that you find your moral direction?

Cindy, dear, I was raised Catholic. I read the bible front to back many times.

Answer 1

I find it unfortunate that you didn't get any really great answers to this question. It took me reading it twice to really understand what you were asking, and I'm not religious. I think your all too important point was missed.

If more people asked these all important questions then they would probably no longer be religious, at least not in the same way they are now. But to ask this kind of question is against what their belief tells them to do, isn't it? I mean, if they question God or anything about their religions teaching isn't that a sin punishable by hell? If they really believe that stuff, they'll never let this kind of knowledge in to their minds.

Answer 2

Well I really think that morals and beliefs vary from culture to culture. To us in the United States, crashing a plane into a building and killing thousands of innocent people with no warning was wrong. To those who did it, it brought them religious glory, which they probably derived from their religious book so it was right. We don't really have the ability to choose what is right and wrong. We are taught it, or we learn through experience of things happening to us. When someone does something to you and you didn't like what they did to you, it is wrong, and you wouldn't really want to do it to someone else. But if something was never done to you, and your whole life you saw people doing a certain act to people and said it wasn't bad, then you would do it without thinking it was a bad thing to do.

Answer 3

Many people get lost w/o a map or a compass. Our founding fathers felt the ten commandments were a good place to start because that's what was available at that time. Some feel that if there were no religion it would have to be created to assist those who get lost. Peace

Answer 4

I don't reject Deuteronomy and Leviticus, I just think they have to be interpreted in the light of guiding Israel.

What does God require of us? According to Micah, it is to do justice, to love mercy and to walk humbly with our God. We also have the Golden Rule to help us decide what is the right thing to do. What more do we need? Practically everyone, including atheists, will agree to justice, mercy and the Golden Rule. So what is the problem?

The problem is not one of choosing which of "Gods" words, the problem is with our own incredible power of self justification, rationalization and self deception. We accept justice, mercy and the Golden Rule but reject God because He sees right through our attempts to rationalize away our behavior. We hate God's authority over us.

Answer 5

1) Even though morality is guided by religion it is a seperate entity that is usually instilled in a person by a parent or a vital influence of trust.

2) You should not have to choose which of gods words to follow. He makes it pretty clear. "Thou shalt" and "Thou shalt not" are easy enough for a pre-k toddler to decipher.

3) Many moral people will be in hell. It's not about your works alone. It's whether or not you choose to believe in him.

Answer 6

Knowing right from wrong doesn't have to come from a book. It really is within you. If you have to be TOLD what you feel, you have issues.

Since everyone like to quote books, I'll do so, too: 'An ye harm none, do as ye will.

Answer 7

We do not follow the Levitical laws simply because they were not meant for everyone, just the Hebrews, at that particular time. A good rule of thumb is, if a law or rule is repeated in the New Testament, is one to be followed. Unless you have an overarching moral authority, you fall into moral relativism, that is, what is good for you is good for you, and what is good for me, is good for me. Problem is, what if I decide what is good for me is to break into your house and steal your stuff? Who are you to say it is wrong? Widespread moral relativism leads to anarchy, everyone doing what they think is right. In order to have an overarching moral authority, you must have one who is above humans, who is not depraved and determining what is good based on their own self interest. What is right and what is good is spelled out pretty clearly in Scriptures, the problem is, many do not wish to bend the knee to the only moral authority, God.

Answer 8

I think maybe its time that you read the bible for yourself, instead of reading what others accept or reject about Gods word and asking questions from that viewpoint , rather than an educated question from your own knowledge of the subject at hand.

Namely,

God tells us that he wrote the commandments on all of our hearts, instead of on stone as they used to be.
Now, that is where you get your morals from. Does not matter if you believe in God or not, he has said that he wrote the commandments in our hearts.

The bible is Gods word, and if we want to get to know our creater better and find out what he wants and expects from us, then we need to read his word in order to know these things.

Answer 9

Matthew 22:37-40
37Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38This is the first and great commandment.
39And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

These scriptures lead and guide us. If we love the Lord and our neighbors we will keep the law in our hearts.

Answer 10

I think our morals come from 2 sources.....

your parents & your own inner moral code which I believe we all have.

If you believe in religion then religion reinforces those 2 things.