I asked Christians why they're moral; they said they weren't. Why then do they judge Atheist's morality?

Question

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Yesterday I asked, "CHRISTIANS: Why are you moral?"

Only a few responded, but all said that they weren't moral.

(You can read their extended responses here:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071228113846AAXui00&r=w&pa=AptqD2bwHTHf5.mOaaE_vFLlctCAKjqTHcRAgGD9LZ1c3w--&paid=voted )

I was puzzled by this response because Christians so often say that atheists cannot be moral because we do not believe in any God that serves as the "giver of morals."

So if Christians, by and large, don't believe they're moral ("just forgiven," as I've heard the cliche), why the big judgment that atheists can't be moral?

(And while you're at it, if anyone can shed any light on why this isn't a classic schizophrenogenic double-bind [i.e., you must be moral, but it's impossible for you to be moral], you'll get extra points.)

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Further information on a "double bind":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_bind

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maahes007:
I looked over your article. If someone is not Christian, i.e., does not idolize Christianity's moral character as worthy emulating, then it is nonsensical of Christians to tell them the Bible says a behavior is wrong.

When the Bible is irrelevant, quoting it is like looking in a cookbook for the directions to change the oil in your Subaru.

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Answer 1

I'm an atheist, so my views on this are proably not really valid, but as I understand it, the logic goes that all human beings are immoral - Christians included - because we've fallen away from their great Standard-giver. So they think even they are sinners in the eyes of their god. Howevvver...He, this god (apparently alone among all deity-forms) has the right (as creator of everything) to lay down the laws of morality (and, apparently, to disregard them in his own case when he judges it necessary). So while they themselves are not moral, their god is the font of all morality (or rather, all TRUE morality). Therefore they try and follow the skipping, inconstant laws of that morality, as laid down in two entirely contradictory books, and as such - by the act of obedience - become more moral than those of us (atheists, followers of other faiths etc) who turn our backs on "the truth" of their god's morality. So they're trying to get us to at least be closer to their god's standards by telling us he says this or that is wrong, out of a genuine if misplaced attempt to help us avoid the damnation that this moral paragon of deism insists is the punishment for not following his laws...It's like a perversion of Orwell - no humans are moral - but some are less moral than others...:o)

Ah the hoops some people jump through, eh?

Answer 2

Obviously whom ever is the one bringing this mistreatment to you is in the wrong. Unless your reading their facial expressions which isn't allways correct at times. Whatever caused this in your heart and mind is trying to work on you and change you into another person. Bad thing is your letting it. Maybe if we all looked a little closer and payed more attention to each others hearts and minds the world would be a more livable place to live. Yes thats when morals come in. Because a person who doesn't practice anything and use them make them immoral. Which if all you do is sit in front of the tube with JJ Potatoe wedge crammed between your thighs while sipping a coke you may be what I described. Other then that you may be a moral person after all. Look moral in the Dictionary for the right definition. In there will explain most of your concerns. Just have patients, and you'll have virtue to put with those ever expanding morals we all achieve everday. Peace.

Answer 3

I am a Christian and I believe that if you are a true Christian you have to atleast try to be moral. Also a true Christian does not judge an athiest by thier immorality. We should not judge them at all. Atheism is not the "evil" people, they just don't believe in a God and as Christians our job is to spread the Good News to those who are in need. Will we succeed in every attempt, NO! But we try because even if you are the nicest person in the world and still an atheist, we are pushed to ty to bring you to Christ. Everyone makes mistakes...a true Christian knows that and acknowledges that they are part of that bundle.

Answer 4

I've often wondered this myself. They say that faith is more important that moral action. If you don't believe that moral action is the most important part of being a "good" person, how can you judge the morality of others? I've asked questions along this line, too. Atheists, agnostics, and liberal religious types get it, but nobody else does. It's like they think that by accepting Jesus as their lord and savior they are on a whole different moral plane than the rest of us.

Answer 5

I'd say that they, the previous answerers at least, can not separate the concept of morality from sin and vice versa. This in a way makes sense, as to them morality is defined by god's laws and to go against them is sin.

I'd have to think about it for awhile to determine if this is a reasonable association or not.

It does bring to mind the "all sins are equally bad" concept and so if you have committed one sin, you are just as vile as the worst sinner on earth and hence an immoral person.

Answer 6

Jesus summed up the law by saying Love does no harm to it's neighbor therefore if you always walk in love, you fullfill the law or "morals" as you are calling them. Morals is a word that is supposed to encompass good or righteous behavior with or without religious influence. the truth is, that the word "morals" can wind up having a variety of definitions while the word love is all encompassing. Love doesn't steal from someone, hurt someone by sleeping with their spouse, isn't rude, does not harm it's neighbor. Then of course we have to define "harm" and if you really take a close look at society today vs the bible you will see that God is a better Judge of harm than man is, as man is always tainted in his view of things. for instance, it was good not to HARM people by making them slaves but to rectify it now people are harmed by reverse discrimination and that also is not love. Doing it God's way in the first place would solve everything.
Christians believe it is right to love and if they find it difficult to do so they engage and ask for the power of the Holy Spirit to help them love more, forgive more, grow up in Christ to be like him more and more. What do you do besides pick the Christians apart? Sounds like a pretty non productive job you have selected for yourself. bless you.

Answer 7

Christians were not saying you could not be good. You misunderstand the concept that NO man is moral ..only God. This would apply to all religions and atheists. Only God is perfect. Man is never perfect. Atheists can be "moral"..all men can be "moral" by man's standards but not perfect in the eyes of God.

Answer 8

aw...let me put it this way. morality is a sense of right and wrong, or in our rather childish terms, 'good and bad'. they said they aren't moral as they can't say they aren't perfect; for Christians, saying "hey, I'm moral, come and have a go" is pride. Well can anybody say 'I have never sinned, I'm perfect, perfectly moral". All of us are born with original sin.Yeah, Christians are forgiven. That's the edge against atheists. There's someone up there willing to forgive, willing to love, as long as you're ready to repent. Christ didn't die for nothing.

Answer 9

Do you know what morals are? It doesnt sound like you have a clue.we can start with a person that doesn:t sleep around that person has morals. A honest person that takes pride in who he is that is a person with morals. A Christian who tries to do the right thing on Daily bases that is a person who has morals, we are forgiven for our sins providing we don"t do it again. It is not a easy task being a good Christian there is alot of us who are proud to walk in the lords Path the Lord is a hard act to follow.

Answer 10

Because one basis of religion is judging others to be as bad as you are - but the selling point is the forgivenness thing. Now, it still makes no logical sense, but it goes like: "I'm not perfect, but I'm forgiven by the fairy in the sky, so it's okay; you might actually be a better person than me, but you haven't begged the airy for forgiveness so you're a scumbag."

Never mind that getting forgiveness from a third party is an absurdity, I told you logic doesn't enter into it.