Without religion, would anarchy reign?

Question

If I didn't believe in God, what would be the motivation for not killing someone over a simple disagreement. Why not rape, or steal, or abuse? This things would bring instant satisfaction.
DON"T answer prison or jail because there are far too many people who are NEVER brought to justice in this life.
Without a belief in a higher power of justice, what would keep people from acting like untrained animals?

Answer 1

No, please read attached, says it way better then I could!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/27/AR2007052701056.html

Answer 2

The same thing that keeps them from doing so now...individual nature. The prisons are just FILLED with religious people that supposedly had the moral foundation of a religious upbringing, and yet, there they are, Murderers, rapists, thieves, and whatever else. If is person is going to rape, steal, kill or whatever then no authority, religious or otherwise is going to prevent them. Some people just don't have it in them to do such things, and others, that is ALL they have in them.

Answer 3

1. A system can't reign.

2. Anarchism doesn't mean killing people, it means the absence of hierarchies, the absence of ruler/ruled, boss/bossed, or killer/killed. To kill someone is one of the most authoritarian and un-anarchistic things you can do to someone.

3. Most nonhuman animals which live in groups do deal with each other. Their practices may not be the right practices for us, but they exist.

4. If the desire to help people, or at least leave people alone, doesn't come naturally, what can I say...?

Answer 4

there is not any longer yet another "dark a while", thank the fates. Even Anarchists want technologies. non secular freedom ? perhaps faster or later interior the very distant destiny, yet I heavily doubt that is going to likely be by way of fact of somebody imposing their will on civilization customarily. faith is the only situation that has by no potential developed, by no potential more advantageous previous narrow and myopic ideals, instilling worry as a administration, reward as a objective. sooner or later "faith" will merely be replaced with yet another variety or concept gadget, which will meet the needs of a few human beings. For now, that is long history has produced greater bloodshed, dying and destruction than any political schedule considering recorded time.

Answer 5

No. Do people require belief in deities to be moral agents? Hardly.

And a counter position: many people who have claimed particular beliefs have acted in the most brutal, immoral ways, too.

It seems that god-belief doesn't really make anyone more (or less) moral. Ultimately, we are all responsible agents. Removing the confusion of god just helps us see it more clearly.

Morals do not have their origin in religion or anything supernatural. We create morality, whether we like it or not. The basis is probably to be found in our biology, but that's another story that you probably don't want to hear.

Answer 6

Take a look at the middle east. Muslims have religion all over the place and do not seem to have anything resembling morals, law, or order except in written form from this great mystery book the koran. If it contains all this great law no one seems to be following it.
Morality has to come from within.

Answer 7

hopefully, if you didn't believe in God, your motivation for not killing would be your own personal morals. Some of my morals may come from religious belief, but mainly, because society, and my own sense of what is right, stops me.

So, no, i don't think anarchy would reign without religious belief, because i don't think religion is the only thing preventing it at the minute.

Though maybe that's just me.

Answer 8

There are things called LAWS that deter and punish criminals. LAWS at least in the US, are not based on religion. So no, anarchy would not reign. It would probably actually be a bit more civil.

Answer 9

Why would one think that an atheist would need some remote entity to keep them in line. I know that murder is wrong and I'm a pacifist so I wouldn't even kill in self-defense. I don't need a fictional character or the threat of jail for that. I act and treat others as I wish to be treated. It's not a hard concept really.

Answer 10

people, this person isnt talking literally to do these things.

at the beginning there would be large massacres, many people would be raped, but then they would want to resist and protest. so after all those rapes and massacres, they would start fighting for peace. like today. the more violence happens, more people are against it and more demonstrations happens. by statistic the number of rapes is decreasing. so thats how it would get better. but maybe it would take many years.

but only one thing has to be there: love. without love, there arent many chances of people resisting and fighting for their loved ones. I have a theory but its a long one.

Answer 11

yes, there would be complete chaos!!!!! when there are people of faith no matter what that faith may be they have a higher understanding of right and wrong.most people do not want to do anything that would cost them their eternal soul.most people recognize to harm or kill another human being is to kill or harm one of GODS children as he is the father to us all!!! now if it is self defense or an act of declared war, ( not a holy war) then GOD knows the reasons. we are expected to defend ourselves.our families,our country and our homes.it is a right and a duty.being Christian does not mean being a coward at all! i know many awful things have been done to me and as a human i am tempted to seek revenge,however GOD has said vengeance belongs to him so i trust in the lord to avenge any wrongs done to me and to protect me and guide me and do not fear the enemy because there is nothing too hard for my LORD and SAVIOR and KING!!! AMEN!