Another atheist question (but this is serious this time)?

Question

Ok, please answer this seriously and honestly. Do you have empathy for people? If you do, where does that come from? I mean, if you believe that Christian moral law is a joke why would you feel empathy for people?

Answer 1

Look into Buddhism. It also covers morals, many teachings are very similar to those of Jesus.
Oh and it predates Christianity.

Answer 2

One doesn't need to be a Christian to have empathy for their fellow human being.

And being a Christian doesn't guarantee having empathy for fellow human beings either.

In fact there are quite a few Christians who have zero empathy for atheists, so we could very well ask you the same question.

Answer 3

Empathy is a human emotion. It comes from a very complex series of chemical releases.

The reason Christian moral law is a joke is because it says your god gave you those emotions, and you're empty without god, or somesuch.

It's also a joke because believing that way is an effort of faith.

Which, it would appear on this board, a healthy half of us don't have.

Answer 4

Atheists do not believe any gods are real, what that has to do with having empathy for others or not, is quite beyond me.

As for "believing Christian morality is a joke" you really need to examine your sources for this kind of vague and unsubstantiated babble.

Answer 5

Yes, of course atheists have empathy for others.

Our empathy comes from the same place other non-Christians derive their empathy-- instinct and life experience.

Answer 6

Morals have nothing to do with religion. I am extremely empathic. I feel what people are going through, good or bad. Do you know what it's like to feel what others feel? To break down for no reason, to feel suicidal for no reason. I FEEL and experience others pain. That's how I know someone is in serious need of help. I live it. Religion can't touch that with a ten foot pole. You misunderstand. As a human being who cares for others I and my Atheist friends are moral. I don't need laws to be moral. I was born moral. It's encoded in the DNA.

Answer 7

I have never heard or read where an atheist though christian moral law was a joke. Many christians are a joke, but most moral laws are universal. They have nothing to do with religion especially christian.

Answer 8

Empathy and morality and kindness has nothing to do with religion.

Do you think atheists, if they see someone close to them crying or heartbroken about something, sit there with a blank look on their face because they don't know how to feel without Jebus? Ha.

Answer 9

I do have empathy for people. The reason is quite simple. I have the ability to imagine myself in someone else's shoes. That's all you need, really, along with a basic idea what you would not want to have done to you.

Answer 10

"If you prick us do we not bleed? If you tickle us do we not laugh? If you poison us do we not die?"

We... *are* human. People that can't feel empathy are considered mentally ill. Those are usually the people that commit mass murders. Conversely, a religion or "moral code" cannot make someone *feel* something. You don't have empathy because it's your "law," you have it because you're a human.

Answer 11

Are you REALLY trying to suggest to us that empathy didn't exist among the people of ancient Egypt, the Byzantines, the ancient Celts and the beaker people? Are you REALLY so arrogant to suggest that it took Chrstianity to suggest that seeing the perspective of other people MIGHT be a nice thing to do?

You are talking about something that is human. Trying to claim it for Christianity is like saying Napoleon is responsible for our being able to breathe. And you wonder why we call you ignorant.