Do Atheists Have No Reason to be Moral? Are There Atheistic Morals?
For most religious theists, their religion and their god provide the basis for their entire understanding of morality and moral values. They thus find it inconceivable that atheists who don’t believe in any gods and who have no religion could possibly have a basis for morality or even understand what true moral behavior is. Many go further and argue that this is a good reason to reject atheism, saying that it leads to immoral behavior, that it cannot account for the existence of morality, etc.
Myth: Atheists are Only Good Because Christians Force them to be Good
Religious theists' arguments against atheists' ability to be moral are frequently condescending and bigoted, but this myth about atheists' morality is not only all of that, but adds in unmitigated arrogance as well. Evidently, atheists are not able to be moral on their own, but theists are; thus we only see so-called "moral" behavior from atheists because religious theists - Christians, to be specific - force atheists to behave according to their religious standards. That's not morality, right?
Religious theists' arguments against atheists' ability to be moral are frequently condescending and bigoted, but this myth about atheists' morality is not only all of that, but adds in unmitigated arrogance as well. Evidently, atheists are not able to be moral on their own, but theists are; thus we only see so-called "moral" behavior from atheists because religious theists - Christians, to be specific - force atheists to behave according to their religious standards. That's not morality, right?
Myth: Atheists Refuse to Acknowledge the Influence of their Culture
Atheists frequently point out just how culturally, politically, and socially conditioned religious beliefs can be. Religions that are supposed to be based on revelations from an unchanging divinity about absolute standards of conduct end up teaching and promoting attitudes that look remarkably like those already fostered in the broader political and cultural climate. It's rather curious, then, for atheists to be accused of being ignorant of the cultural influences operating on themselves.
Atheists frequently point out just how culturally, politically, and socially conditioned religious beliefs can be. Religions that are supposed to be based on revelations from an unchanging divinity about absolute standards of conduct end up teaching and promoting attitudes that look remarkably like those already fostered in the broader political and cultural climate. It's rather curious, then, for atheists to be accused of being ignorant of the cultural influences operating on themselves.
Myth: Atheist Morality is Parasitic, Borrowing from Christian Culture
A popular argument used by Christians against atheists is to claim that atheists are only moral because they have inherited moral values from the "Christian" cultures in which they live. According to these Christians, secularists and atheists are living off the accumulated "moral capital" created by Christianity over centuries. If Christianity ceases to be a binding social, political force, that capital will no longer be created and will instead just be depleted until the well runs dry.
A popular argument used by Christians against atheists is to claim that atheists are only moral because they have inherited moral values from the "Christian" cultures in which they live. According to these Christians, secularists and atheists are living off the accumulated "moral capital" created by Christianity over centuries. If Christianity ceases to be a binding social, political force, that capital will no longer be created and will instead just be depleted until the well runs dry.
Myth: Atheists and the Atheistic World View Don't Allow for Forgiveness
I've encountered many different and unusual myths about atheists and atheism, most of which depend upon making assumptions about atheists without paying attention to who they are or what they do. This myth, however, may be the most absurd and ridiculous of them all. I'd concede that at least some myths have some tiny bit of misrepresented truth to rely upon, but this myth has absolutely nothing whatsoever to back it up.
I've encountered many different and unusual myths about atheists and atheism, most of which depend upon making assumptions about atheists without paying attention to who they are or what they do. This myth, however, may be the most absurd and ridiculous of them all. I'd concede that at least some myths have some tiny bit of misrepresented truth to rely upon, but this myth has absolutely nothing whatsoever to back it up.
Myth: Atheists Let Whims of Society Define their Behavior, Morality
One of the most common distinctions which religious theists try to draw between themselves and atheists is how they follow absolute, objective, eternal, and transcendent standards laid down by God while atheists follow... well, something much less and certainly not as good. There are thus many myths about atheists surrounding the presumed nature of what atheists believe and how they construct their sense of morality. In this one, atheists are told they base everything on the whims of society.
One of the most common distinctions which religious theists try to draw between themselves and atheists is how they follow absolute, objective, eternal, and transcendent standards laid down by God while atheists follow... well, something much less and certainly not as good. There are thus many myths about atheists surrounding the presumed nature of what atheists believe and how they construct their sense of morality. In this one, atheists are told they base everything on the whims of society.
Myth: Atheists Have No Reason to be Moral, No Basis for Morality
The idea that atheists have no reason to be moral without a god or religion may be the most popular and repeated myth about atheism out there. It comes up in a variety of forms, but all of them are based on the assumption that the only valid source of morality is a theistic religion, preferably the religion of the speaker which is usually Christianity. Thus without Christianity, people cannot live moral lives. This is supposed to be a reason reject atheism and convert to Christianity.
The idea that atheists have no reason to be moral without a god or religion may be the most popular and repeated myth about atheism out there. It comes up in a variety of forms, but all of them are based on the assumption that the only valid source of morality is a theistic religion, preferably the religion of the speaker which is usually Christianity. Thus without Christianity, people cannot live moral lives. This is supposed to be a reason reject atheism and convert to Christianity.
Myth: Atheists Can't Teach Right & Wrong to Kids, Can't Raise Moral Children
There is a popular but mistaken perception among religious theists that irreligious atheists have no good reason to be moral and, therefore, cannot be as moral as religious theists. Usually this misunderstanding is expressed as an abstract principle, removed from practical consequences; here, however, we have a myth that is just such a practical application of that misunderstanding. It's also completely untrue: atheists do not have trouble teaching morality to their children.
There is a popular but mistaken perception among religious theists that irreligious atheists have no good reason to be moral and, therefore, cannot be as moral as religious theists. Usually this misunderstanding is expressed as an abstract principle, removed from practical consequences; here, however, we have a myth that is just such a practical application of that misunderstanding. It's also completely untrue: atheists do not have trouble teaching morality to their children.
Myth: Without God's Absolute Standards, There's No Basis for Good Moral Choices
If religious theists find that they aren't getting anywhere arguing that there can't be any moral standards without their god, they sometimes switch to arguing that without a god to provide an objective set of standards then there is no way to choose which is the best among the various human standards — why not accept Nazi standards, for example? It's a mistake to assume that only a set of objective, absolute standards can provide us with any guidance in moral matters, though.
If religious theists find that they aren't getting anywhere arguing that there can't be any moral standards without their god, they sometimes switch to arguing that without a god to provide an objective set of standards then there is no way to choose which is the best among the various human standards — why not accept Nazi standards, for example? It's a mistake to assume that only a set of objective, absolute standards can provide us with any guidance in moral matters, though.
Myth: Atheists Have No Reason to Care About Others, No Basis for Feeling Love
This myth may appear to be incoherent - what do atoms have to do with caring about others? - but it's an expression of a popular theistic argument against atheistic materialism. Religious theists believe that "immaterial" feelings like love cannot have a material basis and must, instead, come from our immaterial souls which are created by an immaterial God. If someone doesn't believe that such immaterial beings are real, then they must not believe that immaterial feelings like love are real.
This myth may appear to be incoherent - what do atoms have to do with caring about others? - but it's an expression of a popular theistic argument against atheistic materialism. Religious theists believe that "immaterial" feelings like love cannot have a material basis and must, instead, come from our immaterial souls which are created by an immaterial God. If someone doesn't believe that such immaterial beings are real, then they must not believe that immaterial feelings like love are real.
Myth: Atheists Have No Reason to Fear Death or Punishment
The myth that atheists have no reason to fear death or punishment is one of the oddest and most difficult to understand myths I've ever encountered - but it is a real one which I've seen expressed by Christians. Not only is this myth basically the opposite of what reality is, but it doesn't even appear at first glance to contain an expected criticism like these myths usually do. So what if atheists don't fear death of punishment? Why is this a problem?
The myth that atheists have no reason to fear death or punishment is one of the oddest and most difficult to understand myths I've ever encountered - but it is a real one which I've seen expressed by Christians. Not only is this myth basically the opposite of what reality is, but it doesn't even appear at first glance to contain an expected criticism like these myths usually do. So what if atheists don't fear death of punishment? Why is this a problem?
Myth: Only Objective Moral Standards Allow for Moral Behavior
How can we adopt a moral system without there being a God? If God does not exist, is there any basis for ever being moral? That's the fundamental issue when discussing atheistic and theistic morality — not whether atheistic morality exists at all but instead whether any atheistic morality can reasonably be adopted. Thus some religious theists argue that only the existence of objective standards which we are required to obey provide a secure basis for morality and moral behavior.
How can we adopt a moral system without there being a God? If God does not exist, is there any basis for ever being moral? That's the fundamental issue when discussing atheistic and theistic morality — not whether atheistic morality exists at all but instead whether any atheistic morality can reasonably be adopted. Thus some religious theists argue that only the existence of objective standards which we are required to obey provide a secure basis for morality and moral behavior.
Myth: Atheistic Evolution Cannot Account for the Human Conscience
If religious theists are unable to demonstrate that atheists cannot justify a morality outside of the existence of their god, then some switch to arguing that our desire to have a morality and our basic sense for what's right or wrong cannot exist without a god. We might be able to find rationalizations for our behavior outside of God, but ultimate we cannot avoid concluding that God is responsible for our having a conscience because that could never have evolved naturally.
If religious theists are unable to demonstrate that atheists cannot justify a morality outside of the existence of their god, then some switch to arguing that our desire to have a morality and our basic sense for what's right or wrong cannot exist without a god. We might be able to find rationalizations for our behavior outside of God, but ultimate we cannot avoid concluding that God is responsible for our having a conscience because that could never have evolved naturally.