Religious believers tend to associate their religion closely with morality. Some go so far as to think that the two are inseparable -- that without their religion, or religion generally, or at least some sort of theism, morality and moral behavior are impossible. Depending on their attitude, this can lead people to insist that unless a person is a member of their religion, or is a member of some religion, or is at least a theist, then they cannot be moral and if they are given any power then they will end up promoting immorality.
Read Article: Without God, All Things are Permitted: Godless Atheists Promote a Valueless, Immoral World without Order or Structure
[Bl.]Wikipedia is generally a good start in any quest. Sometimes it is entirely sufficient.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argument_from_morality
“All forms of the moral argument begin with the observation of moral normativity. That is, well-functioning human beings are typically aware of actions as being right and wrong. This awareness seems to bind us toward certain obligations, regardless of our personal goals and ends. In this sense, moral qualities have the appearance of objectivity: when we say “I ought to do something” we do not mean the same as “I would like to do something”. Another aspect of this is that an assertion such as “torturing babies for fun is wrong” is generally intended as a statement of fact and not opinion[1]
In its most general form, the moral argument is that:
Some aspect of Morality (e.g., its objective force) is observed.
“Belief in God provides a better explanation of this feature than various alternatives.
Therefore, to the extent that (1) is accepted, belief in God is preferable to these alternatives.”
[Bl.] “…moral qualities have the appearance of objectivity”. Now an obsolete argument. Neuroscience demonstrates physical correlates in brain configurations which produce these “objective” affects.
Where do these “configurations” originate the theist crows?
EVILution of course! An objective force.
Mwha ha ha ha….
In the last few months, in either Discover or Scientific America Magazine, there appeared an article on this very subject. the Scientists who submitted the article suggested that morality was hard-wired into our brains and had and probably continues to evolve. Oh, snap!
The Christians and there impressive fear-mongering machine are always on the look out for anything they can jump on and rape to death for their own ends.
If any one looks critically at their stated examples of immoral behavior or that living without their particular beliefs leads to immoral attitudes they might find that the cause of most if not all anarchy, or immorality is a result of rebellion against an oppressive system of governing beliefs forced upon everyone from a child to a whole county.
Most, if not all people, want the same things: to be happy, to be loved, to live their lives in peace. It is obnoxious, domineering, control centered, manipulative beliefs that the few try to impose on the many where trouble begins to grow…wa la, the excuse of immorality is born.
I think this is appropriate here. It’s from am earlier comment I made, some months ago:
Then would someone please explain to me why, if you look under the rock of religiosity, you find pedophilia, child abuse, witch torture, burning people at the stake, the inquisition, the Crusades, Salem, genocide, and a host of other goodies too numerous to name?
Don’t tell me these aren’t “True (fill in your favorite religious choice here)”. They are still part of whatever one you mention. When you actually read the bible, God is a psychopathic egomaniac and sadist (think of poor Job). If I gave all the biblical examples of god’s horrific deeds, this post would take forever to finish. So, I will spare you that.
I haven’t seen any atheistic leanings toward any of the above. Who has any evidence of inquisitions, witch hunts, stake burnings, etc. in the name of atheism?
So, who actually is the most “immoral” of individuals? Perhaps, believing in a god, any god, creates more immorality. Certainly when Carl Sagan or Einstein will spend eternity in hell, while a “Son of Sam” or Hitler (I know, godwin) will go to heaven if they repent and say the right words, that makes perfect sense. Riiight!!!
I contend, true morality is ethical behavior, and needs no god as a guide. As a matter of fact it is the belief in gods of various kinds, including the Christian one, that causes more problems.
If you need a sky daddy to tell you right from wrong, then I feel sorry for you. If you cannot formulate truly ethically based morality without your holy rule book, or your god, than you are indeed lacking in true morality.
BTW exactly what is so moral about discouraging people from using condoms to help prevent AIDS, or helping women not to have unwanted pregnancies with proper birth control means and family planning?
What’s moral about millions of pro-life parents, blindly following religious dogmas resulting in homeless, neglected, unwanted, unloved children left to try to survive because they’ve been abandoned by parents who couldn’t care for them?
More side-effects of boneheaded religious tenets that make no sense but are blindly okayed because of religion. More reasons to affirm that I, indeed, am content to be an atheist, and make no apology for it.
“No religion = no morality” is a lie told by the rabidly religious not to forward their own beliefs but to eliminate others.
Their goal is to label all non-believers (whether atheists or those of other religions) as not just immoral but also as criminal with no rights. It’s the first step to dehumanization and the rationalization of mass murder.
On the other hand, when I tell religious people that religion and morality are unrelated, the resistance to it can border on violence and the historical revisionism of those who are or aren’t christian is astounding. If I say:
“Religion has nothing to do with morality. Martin Luther King Jr. was a christian, and Adolf Hitler was a christian,” the rabidly religious will resort to one of two lies:
(a) They will falsely claim that “Hitler wasn’t a christian”, or
(b) They will falsely claim I am equating MLK Jr. to Hitler.
They know full well that neither claim is true, but they need to repeat the lie to convince themselves of it or try to convince others of it.
I’m finding it difficult to believe that religious wankery has gotten to the stage of proclaiming that ONLY sundry god-botherers have morals, ethics and standards etc. What a load of bulls**t!
And heres an article to show the MORALITY of the religiously psycotic!
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,432876,00.html
this is about the MORALITY patrol in isreal- the JEWISH taliban!!