Is Religion Necessary for Morality, Democracy, and Justice?

Question

Why or why not?

Answer 1

No, but it helps.

Lets take morality for example.

An atheist is one who believes there is no God.

As a Christian (monotheist), I know where other monotheists like other Christians, Jews, and Muslims are coming from. I know at least the basis for their standards of morality.

I even know somewhat where Hindus, Buddhists, and other "Eastern" religions are coming from.

But this is not the case with Atheists. There is no standard. Each one has to assemble his own code of morality. What does each one think is good and evil? And why?

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

No, religion is not necessary for morality, democracy or justice. It can help, but it can also be an obstacle to those things, depending on the religion in question.

Religion does fill a psychological need in humans. I think it's better for us to believe in something than to believe in nothing. Religion helps our brains give order to the perceived chaos around us. It's purpose should be to bring people together.

Now, it's common among Americans in general, and people on this board specifically, to say "religion" when what they really mean is Abrahamic religion. That set of religions - Judaism, Christianity, Mormonism, Islam - had a primary goal of establishing a patrilineal system of inheritance and patriarchal control of the masses. It's anti-democratic at its core, and seeks to reinforce a class of elite rulers and priests who control the production and behavior of the masses.

It teaches the poor to suffer in silence, knowing their obedience will be rewarded in the afterlife. Justice in this life is not a goal of that system. Morality is synonymous with obedience, particularly on the part of women, whose sexuality had to be strictly controlled. You can't have a patriarchy if you don't know who the daddies are, and women are brutalized in the Old Testament for compromising the purity of the bloodline.

Now, plenty of Pagan and indigenous religions are pro-democracy, define morality as cooperation for the good of the group and are egalitarian, so that members are equal in rights and responsibilities, and share equally in the common wealth. Most of the world lived this way before the advent of patriarchy.

So, no, I won't say we need to scrap religion altogether. I will say it's time to re-examine the cultural assumption that Judeo-Christianity can create anything other than oppression and war, then move to a system that will support the common good of the society. In other words, it's time to get back to the Goddess that let people live in peace for many thousands of years before YHWH and his kid messed things up for everybody.

Answer 3

No way.

Morality is something one forms themselves, and sometimes takes cues from other things.

Democracy is based on fairness, not on faith. That being said, I'm losing all faith in democracy...

Justice, like morality, is relative. There is a majority, of course, but people used to think the crusades and the inquisition were just.

Answer 4

Morality and justice evolved as human society evolved - religion was conceived in part as a "big stick" to enforce social behavior.

Democracy actually runs contrary to some religious teachings (including Islam and Christianity).

Answer 5

No. I'm quite sure that justice and morality has been based off more than a number of thousand-year old books, personally.

Seriously, religion does not equal morality.

Answer 6

properly. faith is amazingly open to interpretation. with your recommendations-set, i assume "hardcore" Christianity is greater desirable than dismissive (in accordance to you) of different religions. even if, many reform, cutting-edge, open-minded, and so on. Christians believe that Jesus grow to be the messiah and merely understand that no longer all of us thinks that. So what. No great deal. maximum different religions nonetheless have the comparable values, which includes purity of heart, community provider, helping your neighbor...issues all of us study in hardship-loose college. despite somebody's faith may well be, keep in mind that they maintain on with that faith for the reason that's what they believe. to that end, on some point, they're "pushing aside" different ideals. I actually wish no person judges a individual and what their destiny (ahem, burning in hell) would carry fullyyt in keeping with their religious determination. bear in recommendations that faith is a experience and a dating, no longer a series of regulations (for many sparkling-thinking human beings.) You sound very bitter and that i'm hoping you're surely greater open-minded than you look to think of you're by making use of being anti-faith.

Answer 7

No. One can be moral, democratic and just without a religious rulebook. In fact, I think people are MORE moral, democratic and just when religious dogma is NOT part of the process.

Answer 8

NO! religion is about spiritual growth, and is very individual. these things need to be decided on consensus, so religion cannot resolve them in a way that would be fair to all.

Answer 9

Not religion but Christianity brought about Western Civilization. And now that it is being destroyed and we are in another dark ages I realize just how important it is.

Answer 10

No, these are human concepts, not divine ones. I support all of them, and I'm an atheist.