Why do many religious people think morality is tied to religious faith?

Question

I find that many religious people seem unable to detatch the idea of morality from the teachings/rules of their religious faith.
Why is it so hard to believe that some people can be decent and in fact very moral without the bribery of 'heaven' or salvation or something like that. My question is - is there something in the bible that distinctly tells them that you can't be moral if you don't believe in god?

Just wondering because I often see a knee-jerk reaction from very religious people that automatically equates atheism with immorality. It stinks! Many non-believers are just as giving, kind, decent and "christian-acting" as those who hypocritically go to church but never do a good deed in their lives.
Anyone want to share thoughts on the matter?

Answer 1

I think it's an oversimplification to say that theists are only moral out of fear of hell. It's probably more accurate to say that they deeply believe that their moral sense is an evidence within themselves that Something higher and better than they are created them to know the difference between right and wrong.

They are as stupefied by the idea that morality can exist without a Higher Being as atheists are by the idea that it can't. It's just a difference in perspective--it doesn't have to deteriorate into the name-calling match that it always seems to.

Answer 2

For people who believe the Bible, God established morals. That's the answer to your basic question.

Christians are not moral in response to bribery. Heaven is a gift. It's ours for the asking. Moral actions are in response to the great gift we've received. Here's an illustration to this point: you don't love your parents SO they will love you, you love your parents BECAUSE they loved you first.

Christians often equate atheism with immorality because to deny the existence of God is to commit ultimate immorality. But, you are right, atheist can be giving, kind, decent, and "Christian-acting."

Your church going illustration isn't complete. Christians don't always practice what we preach. You call it hypocrisy. We call it a fact of existence and the necessity for Jesus. If we could do everything we preach, we wouldn't need Him.

Answer 3

I read this book The Science of Evil that posed the theory that morality actually grew out of the increase n group relations. When man was alone in a cave, man did what was necessary to survive. But as man moved to clans and tribes, in group relations dictated that the group work toward certain goals and things such as murder and stealing were frowned upon since it worked against the survival of the whole group. It makes sense when you consider that even today, war is alright against an outside group in order to help your group survive. Morals may just be the natural process that occurred for ensuring group survival.

I am a Catholic myself and I don't know if morals are dictated from a holy tablet in the sky or if they were divinely inspired or if they are just another piece of evidence of the evolution of our society and people. It is one of those things I will die not knowing but I do know that people have a general code that is encouraged and people strive to meet. Where it comes from, only God knows.

Answer 4

Morality requires looking deep inside yourself, and your connection with the greater whole of society, and the physical world arround you. It requires discipline and rigorous training. When the going get rough one has to have morals that are imprinted deep enough, to hold up under pressure. One needs to develop sensitivity to that which hurts people. One needs to study the serious problems that affect this world. I think meditation, mind-body exercises, eating healthy and not overindulging help one be more sensitive. Religion I believe should be training people well in this way, but any other institution, group, or individual that will put an effort in this regard, I would be supportive of them.

Answer 5

Morality and religion are completely separate.

To me, having good morals means.....
helping someone who is less fortunate than I am .... volunteering my time at my local animal shelter .....
picking a name off of the "Angel Tree" and donating toys and clothes to a child that is without .......
and spending 2 weeks in New Orleans, rescuing sick & stray animals after Hurricane Katrina ....
THAT is my "religion" .............
:)

Answer 6

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Answer 7

Makes me scared to think what religious people are capable of, if their morality is tied into their faith. What happens when you take that faith away?

Answer 8

You can act morally with no religion at all.

On the other hand many acts of evil do require a religion.

Answer 9

Beacuse it appeals to the idea that those who are devout and agree with one's own beliefs are good. While everything else is, if not bad, then certainly not as good.

Xenophobia... The persons who think that shared beliefs make people good are really just showing their egoism.

(As for the Bible, it says that no one is good but God. Take that as you will...)

Answer 10

Because it is what is tied to their own, they do not perceive morality outside of their own to be valid and actual morality.