How do atheists set their moral standards?

Question

Donna F - What is common sense?

Donna F - If common sense are so "common" how is it possible for us to experience "culture shock" at all?

I would give you 20 thumbs down if i could. :-)

Russ DG - Kant's categorical imperative. But did you know that even his philosophical ideas are flawed?

Spuddy - "Did you know atheists/non-religious have the lowest divorce and incarceration rate in the US?"

No i didn't know that. I have come across surveys and researches conducted by non-religious organizations that say the opposite is true. Do these research reports you've read explain the details on how the data were collected & processed?

i guess what i am trying to find out is, why do so many think its easy to set their own moral standards. Not saying whether they are right or wrong just think some ppl are way too naive.

Answer 1

Good question.
Some will say common sense, genetic imprints, natural conditioning, survival herd instict, concensus, deductive reasoning (aka. logic)... so on. Unless they are well versed in Niezsche and/or Kant, their logic would be laughable at best.

Answer 2

First and foremost is "Empathy" with all other living things .
That is the basis of the golden rule .
Would I want to be treated the way I am treating someone else . Let me empathize with this person and see .
Second , is there necessity for the way I am treating someone else . e.g. A person is shooting people at random in a Mall . the necessity of saving others is paramount and I may have to injure or kill the shooter .
Third , Will this action make my life , or the life of someone I care about better ( or worse) , keeping in mind #1. (above) .

These three rules are ALL you need to be a truly good person .

The rules in religious books also include instructions for those too dumb or weak to follow those three rules .Unfortunately they include rules that were only acceptable in the circumstance or ignorance of the time they were written in .( e.g. We now know that homosexuality is not a sin but a state of being . And masturbation is a natural act . ) And they also contain rules that were put there to help the religious leaders gain control and authority for what ever purposes they desired .

Answer 3

Morals are not set by religion, but rather society. Religion then reflects that. Religion does not have a monopoly on "morality," and those who are religious are not more moral than others. Did you know atheists/non-religious have the lowest divorce and incarceration rate in the US? Anyway, I base my morality on what my parents taught me, and what I feel is right, not what some alleged God said I should do so I can get into heaven. I do not act morally because it will get me "heaven points."

Answer 4

Relative truth: anything relative to what is convenient given a particular circumstance - a truth non existent. Because, any intelligent person knows that in order for a standard to be met it has to first exit. So what kind of frame of reference do they see when they look out of the window?

Random selections don't have moral standards do they? If we came from where they claim we did. We would have standards based on nothing but our own pointless personal survival. That's a scary conclusion considering how I've seen animals behave. Animals have no standards.

In other words all means justify an end and that end has no purpose other than to be met. Though with this bankrupt mindset there is no meaning to their existence, yet, they instinctively know that they must persist. This is about as rational as a dog chasing his own tail. And, not only can he not catch it, he doesn't know why he chases it in the first place. How is this even remotely logical? It isn't. Quantum physics can't even justify this one.

In order to live up to a standard a standard must be present. If they claim anymore than that, they are either in direct contradiction to what they claim to believe and in essence lying to themselves. Or they are willfully hypocritical.

There is reality beyond the void of their own perception. There is also a purpose for mankind. I pray that they come to know it. God loves them even if they don't believe in Him.

Answer 5

What have liberals and atheists to do with one yet another? Why are you blending politics and faith? From the 1st placed up it replaced into glaring the 2d Mahal replaced right into a clone. Did this clone assist you to comprehend for my section he/she is an atheist? If not, how do you comprehend or is it an assumption? Being an atheist does advise which you're loose to act the way you want, yet you need to have the skill and prepared to take the implications of your strikes, take accountability on your behaviour. Being an atheist is actual the astounding accountability, its all your man or woman without devil or god in charge or ask for something. And no, equity, honesty and transparency have not something in any respect to do with the skill to reason. you may reason from an unfair and cheating point of view. "Penster_x" mentioned it greater effectual than i will. He summed it up completely...

Answer 6

All moral codes derive from evolution, which applies to societies as well as to species: a society which adheres to a sound moral code will survive preferably to one that does not. (Witness the Shakers, the Jonestown cult, and the late and unlamented Soviet Union.) Hence, the test to be applied to a proposed action must be: how is this likely to affect society as a whole? Murder and theft are inimical to most any society, so these are properly condemned. The pretensions of religion to be definers or arbiters of moral standards are entirely bogus.

Answer 7

Its pretty simple, you dont get your morals from the bible, you get them from your parents, and any other source of morals such as books, TV, etc. So reading a book that tells Jews that they are the chosen people and can kill off an entire population wont give you great morals, where as reading books on situations that test moral strenth will give you more morals than the bible ever will.

Answer 8

Moral standards come naturally to humans. That is why we are capable of feelings like love and empathy. I live honestly without bringing pain to other creatures while looking out for my own security and safety. I do not make blood sacrifices to a jealous god, nor do I require that god torture to death his own son for my sake so that I can be forgiven for the evil nature that god himself created me with.

Answer 9

Believe it or not, some people are actually able to decide and figure out for themselves what is right and what is wrong without some pre established religion pushing antiquated rules down their throats. Religion does NOT make people more moral.

Answer 10

The most common rule among humans is the following:

Don't do anything to someone else that you wouldn't want done to you in similar circumstances.

It's a simple philosophy, but one that has survived thousands of years and implies no god at all. It's flexible enough to avoid legalism, helps ensure that a community can function with trust and good will, and prevents invasions of privacy when there is no compelling reason to do so (for example, to save a life that is at imminent risk).

^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^

Answer 11

Morals are founded in human nature and human experience. I do nothing to hurt anyone else.

Unlike religious people who get their morals from an old book and call homosexuality a sin.