Secular Americans More Moral than Christian Americans

_{Image © Austin Cline
Original Poster:
Library of Congress}

As I reported several months ago, American Christians are far more likely to support torture than "secular" Americans. I’m not sure what “secular” means, but it surely includes atheists and agnostics, given how the term tends to be used in surveys.

This creates the curious situation in which atheists and agnostics are less likely to support obviously evil actions than Christians who might otherwise suppose that their religion is necessary for morality and moral behavior. What would explain this? Do similar differences exist elsewhere in the world or is it unique to America?

According to a survey posted on the National Catholic Reporter, here are the percentages of people who say that torture is never justified:

26% Catholics
31% White Protestant
31% White evangelical
41% Secular
32% Overall Population

Here are the numbers who think that torture is often justified:

21% Catholics
15% White Protestant
13% White evangelical
10% Secular
15% Overall Population

It would appear, then, that we atheists are far more likely than Christians, or even the whole population, to say that torture is never justified. We atheists are far less likely than Christians, or even the whole population, to think that torture is often justified (same is true for “sometimes justified”).

In America, then, Christians are far more likely to support moral evil than atheists or agnostics. No wonder Christian citizens and Christian politicians have been so supportive of Christian President Bush's efforts to authorize torture and abuse of suspects detained in the War on Terror. Why?

Atheism and agnosticism are not ideologies, religions, or belief systems and as such cannot be credited with necessarily making a person more moral. Atheism doesn't teach a person to be good or bad, kind or cruel. Perhaps the answer lies in Christianity — and specifically American Christianity — rather than atheism or agnosticism. Perhaps there is something about American Christianity which dulls people's ability to treat others decently, especially when the "others" are unlike them and living in another country.

This obviously isn't true about all Christians in America, but those for whom it isn't true need to address this issue.

Read More:

• Guide to Ethics and Morality
• War and Morality
• War on Terrorism
• Godless Liberalism
• News on Free Speech and Civil Liberties