Atheist Morality

[Dameedna]

Hi All,

There is a lot of discussion around what “makes” an atheist a moral individual. There are lot of questions around why an individual would be moral, without a belief in God.

I want to ask a question to all the believers. What “makes” you moral?(regardless of what and how you define morality). What makes you do it? What is your motivation, what is your focus?

I ask this not out of curiousity primarily, but because I already think I know the answers. Just seeing if anything unusual comes up.

And I do thank any that respond.

Cheers
Dameedna

P.S I’m need to express the fact I’m agnostic, though I hope that won’t change how you will respond.

 

[ron77nyc]

The bible answers this question. Here is what it says:

Romans 1:20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

Romans 2:14 For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, 15 in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them.

 

[Dameedna]

I wasn’t asking for a bible quote. I was asking ‘you’ why you choose to be moral.

What I’m hearing is…

“I believe in God, the bible and I believe what it says to be true and that is why I behave with a moral code”.

Is that how you feel?

 

[ron77nyc]

I wasn’t asking for a bible quote. I was asking ‘you’ why you choose to be moral.

What I’m hearing is…

“I believe in God, the bible and I believe what it says to be true and that is why I behave with a moral code”.

Is that how you feel?

No. I apologize for my impersonal reply. I’m just saying that everyone has a conscience whether they believe in God or not. He made us that way. Even the hardest of criminals have their own code of morality in prison however warped it may be.

 

[Dameedna]

No. I apologize for my impersonal reply. I’m just saying that everyone has a conscience whether they believe in God or not. He made us that way. Even the hardest of criminals have their own code of morality in prison however warped it may be.

Well thank you again.

But it still doesn’t quite answer my question. Why do you choose to behave in a way you percieve as moral, rather than immoral?

God giving us a concience doesn’t answer the question as to why ‘you’ choose to be moral.(in accordance with your particular moral beliefs).

Why do you behave morally? Why do you obey moral teachings?

Why do you choose to listen, rather than ignore your god given concience?

 

[Dameedna]

… double post

 

[4Squarebaby]

Well thank you again.

But it still doesn’t quite answer my question. Why do you choose to behave in a way you percieve as moral, rather than immoral?

God giving us a concience doesn’t answer the question as to why ‘you’ choose to be moral.(in accordance with your particular moral beliefs).

Why do you behave morally? Why do you obey moral teachings?

Why do you choose to listen, rather than ignore your god given concience?

I choose to behave because I see two types of people. Those who want to be friends and those who will use their physical traits, it may be strength, aggression sexual attractiveness etc, to take from others. My moral behaviour predated my being born again.

 

[CHESTERTONRULES]

I wasn’t asking for a bible quote. I was asking ‘you’ why you choose to be moral.

What I’m hearing is…

“I believe in God, the bible and I believe what it says to be true and that is why I behave with a moral code”.

Is that how you feel?

Christians, and most citizens of the world, believe that God wants us to behave morally and that he has built a moral compass into our souls.

C. S. Lewis explores this in Mere Christianity. Moral norms are evidence of God’s existence and his concern for humanity.

 

[ron77nyc]

Well thank you again.

But it still doesn’t quite answer my question. Why do you choose to behave in a way you percieve as moral, rather than immoral?

God giving us a concience doesn’t answer the question as to why ‘you’ choose to be moral.(in accordance with your particular moral beliefs).

Why do you behave morally? Why do you obey moral teachings?

Why do you choose to listen, rather than ignore your god given concience?

I can only speak for myself. The reason for behaving morally is actually self centered. It agrees with me. Disobedience is like eating junk food, drinking or smoking, etc. It will give you immediate satisfaction but in the long run will kill you. I think we have all not listened to our conscience at times and have paid the price. As long as I am living there will be times when I am challenged to do the right thing.

 

[AshleyBelle]

I would say it boils down to faith, and love.

I choose to behave morally because I have faith and believe that it is pleasing to God. I choose to love others and behave in ways that please Him, because I love Him

 

[twb1621]

Morality supports the practices that take into care the way I wish to be approached and considered by others and to expect this from others it is how I present myself to others. It is to reflect self-respect as all moral values in order to justify the return of said respect and values from others, but having a proper knowledge of God, I know most importantly of all it is to reflect myself in a manner as befitting a creation of God as closely as humanly possible.

 

[edwest2]

Being moral is part of being human. However, it presupposes the recognition of a foundational morality that is built into the human being. I am moral not just because I am an individual human being but because I know I was made to be in relationships with others. I was also taught, at a young age, what morality was. This was later confirmed to me when I became an adult. And through the awareness that there is something greater than me that I must choose to be in a relationship with.

Peace,
Ed

 

[Dameedna]

I choose to behave because I see two types of people. Those who want to be friends and those who will use their physical traits, it may be strength, aggression sexual attractiveness etc, to take from others. My moral behaviour predated my being born again.

I’m sorry but I’m still not getting a clear answer from you.

You see two types of people.

Are you moral, because you make a choice between what you percieve to be right or wrong behaviour amongst humans?

 

[Dameedna]

Christians, and most citizens of the world, believe that God wants us to behave morally and that he has built a moral compass into our souls.

I wasn’t asking about christians or most people , I was asking the individual who chose to respond to this post. Why do YOU, behave morally.

I’m getting the answe from ou that you behave with morality, because God wants you to?

Is that correct? That is your reason?

Thanks
Dame

P.S. Nothing wrong with the answer, just trying to understand what individuals reasons are.

 

[Dameedna]

I can only speak for myself. The reason for behaving morally is actually self centered. It agrees with me. Disobedience is like eating junk food, drinking or smoking, etc. It will give you immediate satisfaction but in the long run will kill you. I think we have all not listened to our conscience at times and have paid the price. As long as I am living there will be times when I am challenged to do the right thing.

So for you, morality exists only when it helps you?

 

[ron77nyc]

So for you, morality exists only when it helps you?

I will admit I am self centered, probably no more than anyone else and I had to learn the hard way many times. I can remember times when I was disciplined by God and circumstances and my attention and motives were redirected by emotional pain. After that I learned not to be so self centered.

 

[Chancellare]

Hi All,

There is a lot of discussion around what “makes” an atheist a moral individual. There are lot of questions around why an individual would be moral, without a belief in God.

I want to ask a question to all the believers. What “makes” you moral?(regardless of what and how you define morality). What makes you do it? What is your motivation, what is your focus?

I ask this not out of curiousity primarily, but because I already think I know the answers. Just seeing if anything unusual comes up.

And I do thank any that respond.

Cheers
Dameedna

P.S I’m need to express the fact I’m agnostic, though I hope that won’t change how you will respond.

I too asked this question to myself. But in order to avoid reference to my own moral standards, I asked my son why he chose to stay out of trouble in school and among his friends and why he did not do drugs or bum around.

His answer was simple: “Ow Dad, I know you love me so how can I disobey you who worked hard to provide all I have?”

Stripped of religion, man (or any organism for that matter) will follow whomever shows him the way. In the same way, suppose my son grew up in a gangland and was left idolizing his gang leader instead of me, I suppose he will say the same thing of his leader or whomever he follows. This is the same as a pack of wolves or a school of fish.

 

[AaronK88]

I used to be an atheist before beginning my conversion to Catholicism. I was, for the most part, a conservative all my life until the beginning of high school, when I became an ultra-liberal. My senior year of high school, I started to see how disgusting my view points, especially on abortion were. It was also around this time when I really started to wonder about God.

But, my mom is an atheist, and if you didn’t know it you would think she was a Catholic with her belief system. I think there is an innate sense of right and wrong built into all human beings. Some choose to ignore it for self-gratification and immediate pleasure, others are drawn to it as a source of comfort that there is absolute morality in this world.

 

[twb1621]

I used to be an atheist before beginning my conversion to Catholicism. I was, for the most part, a conservative all my life until the beginning of high school, when I became an ultra-liberal. My senior year of high school, I started to see how disgusting my view points, especially on abortion were. It was also around this time when I really started to wonder about God.

But, my mom is an atheist, and if you didn’t know it you would think she was a Catholic with her belief system. I think there is an innate sense of right and wrong built into all human beings. Some choose to ignore it for self-gratification and immediate pleasure, others are drawn to it as a source of comfort that there is absolute morality in this world.

This is what is referred to as “Gods law written on the heart of man”.

 

[twb1621]

Dameedna;

although I answered your question in post #11, I have to ask what is it you are looking for here?