Do you have to believe in God to follow morals?

Question

Preferably philosophical.

Answer 1

No
But you should accept that fact that a lot of the morality we accept in society has been heavily influenced by religion.

Answer 2

If we think that morality is just the behavior that we were trained to do, then the answer is no.

But being a moral person is different from just exhibiting moral behavior. Being moral means doing the right thing for the right reason while mere behavior means doing the acceptable thing for whatever reason.

Most people do their good deeds (acceptable behavior) because it makes them feel good. Being dishonest makes them feel bad. But feelings make a very poor foundation for moral action because feelings aren't based on reality.

Being moral means accepting a higher moral authority over us, a moral authority to whom we have an obligation to honor. That can only be God.

Answer 3

It is my opinion that believing in god gives you less morals than if you just acted on what you thought was right. How many people have died because they weren't christian enough for the next guy? How many gay people have been murdered because they were gay and someone's god says that gay is bad? How many wars have been started because one group of people believed differently from another?

You sure don't find atheists doing that kind of stuff. I'll take my atheistic morals ANY DAY over those of religious people.

No god = no war.

Answer 4

No; morals have been around for a lot longer than Jesus has. (no offense) Everyone has their moral code! Mine has nothing to do with God or with the bible, and I consider myself very moral.

If I don't hurt anybody else in any way, I don't see a problem. If there's even a slight potential to hurt someone including myself I don't do it.

It's very simple! I had those morals even before I read the bible!

Answer 5

No. In fact, one tends to only be moral by considering others, and not prescriptions in texts. So, it is the believer that is generally amoral, though their behavior may mimic morality the way a robot would following the same algorithms.

Answer 6

NOT AT ALL. If anything, atheists have a fundamentally BETTER sense of morality then a religious person. Atheists morals are derived from the "greater good" not the possible existence of a deity that you have to blindly believe in.

Answer 7

If you don't believe in God, on what do you base having any morals at all? Who decides what is right and wrong and how is it decided? If there is no God then everyone is free to do whatever they want to do without limitation. Who would be qualified, other than God, to call what others do wrong? For example, why is sex with minors wrong? Who says it is wrong? Why is it wrong to take a human life without just cause? Who says it is wrong and why ? No God means no laws which govern morality. If you don't believe in God then you must believe that we are nothing more than evolved animals and thus without morals, or a conscience. Who has the right to determine what is wrong or right if God does not exist? Who gave them that right?

Answer 8

nope, everyone has morals of some kind or another. I am thankful for the organizations that inspire their members to live good and to be a positive part of this ugly world we live in.

Every good moral can be traced back to the Bible. Godly people live the way they do out of respect and love for their Creator who requires love of God and of people. Ungodly, but moral people live the way they do out of respect and concern for each other.

Answer 9

Of course not. There are way too many different religions in the world for *morality* to have just been based on one of them.

Answer 10

Morals are to create a conducive environment and nothing to do with God. It helps you to make your mind fearless, calm and quite, which can be consider as a launch pad for spirituality.