Can Atheists/Non-religious Lead Completely Moral Lives?

[Balthazzar]

Perhaps just being human leads to immoral behavior.

So then, can the non-religious become moral agents?
Moral: conforming to a standard of right behavior.

We all make mistakes and have a lot left to learn, so I'll suggest that completely moral behavior is impossible, no matter who you are. My definition of moral standard equates to correct, right, and accurate - Moral "value determinations" are always subjective. I suppose we can make up our own value systems and call them morality and possibly meet the standard, but even then, it would be difficult.

 

[ChristineM]

I am sure that you would be fine in your own eyes but what if God were your judge?

The judge is morality. Though if you need to cheat by adding a biased judge that's say a lot about your morality.

 

[Balthazzar]

The judge is morality. Though if you need to cheat by adding a biased judge that's say a lot about your morality.

I'm biased, but I can only judge based on my point of view as an individual. If right is correct and true, then wrong is incorrect and false. If right equates to true, then righteous is discernment between what's true and what isn't. If the devil is the deceiver of the whole world, a liar and a thief, then the devil equates to error, incorrectness, and dishonesty. I suppose we can play the part any way we choose to play them. This doesn't necessarily make us right, but it doesn't necessarily make it wrong. If you choose truth over error, it would be right and correct to do so, if not it would wrong and incorrect.

 

[ChristineM]

I'm biased, but I can only judge based on my point of view as an individual. If right is correct and true, then wrong is incorrect and false. If right equates to true, then righteous is discernment between what's true and what isn't. If the devil is the deceiver of the whole world, a liar and a thief, then the devil equates to error, incorrectness, and dishonesty. I suppose we can play the part any way we choose to play them. This doesn't necessarily make us right, but it doesn't necessarily make it wrong. If you choose truth over error, it would be right and correct to do so, if not it would wrong and incorrect.

A lot of ifs in that statement.

What you consider to be wrong may be right for someone else. Such a lot depends on the persons environment throughout life.

Personally i think Christianity gives the devil character a bad rap, based on his opposition to the god character.

And according to the bible those 10 were at gods command.

 

[Balthazzar]

A lot of ifs in that statement.

What you consider to be wrong may be right for someone else. Such a lot depends on the persons environment throughout life.

Personally i think Christianity gives the devil character a bad rap, based on his opposition to the god character.

View attachment 96094
And according to the bible those 10 were at gods command.

Subjectively, sure for someone else, but if it's right for me then it's right ... at least until I learn something better, which would be even more right than my previous right. I'm not perfect ... I rate my own subjective experiences. I'm unable to rate your own. Objective truth and living according to objective truth would be righteous behavior. Lying misleads, so it equates to incorrect behavior, which makes it wrong. Life/death ... sex- procreation - child birth is a death sentence, but without it there is no life to be lived. Go figure. The double edged sword that is our bipolar existence as living beings of the universe.

 

[Nakosis]

I am sure that you would be fine in your own eyes but what if God were your judge?

I see my morals as fair.
I would assume the morals of "God" would also be fair.
I'd hope it'd all work out.

 

[Arnaud1221]

In some phase of growth, yes. But at some point, a religion is needed. A secret religion.

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

I believe it wouldn't matter if they did, they would still be sent to Hell.

Then god is immoral.

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

...

My morals are based on reason.
...

Mine are based on reason in part, but also 1st person qualitative evalution of what matter to me.

 

[1213]

I do not know why you think you can determine who is and who is not a Christian™

I don't think I am the one who determines it. It is Jesus who does that and has the right to do so. Why do you think Jesus is not the right person to decide who are his disciples?

 

[1213]

...
You can easily come up with a reasonable argument for why that is the case

And I think I can come up to reasonable solution, because God has taught me well.

Reason determines it. That's why we can conclude that slavery is bad, even when a god thinks it is fine.

Even if the person willingly wants to be a slave?

 

[1213]

Please tell... what possible reason or justification would morally justify engaging in genocide?

If women are allowed to kill their babies, if they are too much burden for them, why should God not have the same right to abort evil people by using His people for that?

I think death penalty is not wrong, if person is evil and does bad things. But, I don't think humans should give such penalties, because they are not good judges.

Because it's a bad faith comparison and you know it.

Why do you think it was a bad faith comparison? Because it reveals the hypocrisy?

 

[1213]

And you have a different opinion concerning what jesus meant then those other christians.

If someone says Jesus didn't actually mean what he says, I would like to hear the reasons. After that I could decide should I change my opinion. And to me, there should be really good reasons to ignore direct words and replace them with some interpretation that changes the meaning totally.

 

[1213]

A lot of ifs in that statement.

What you consider to be wrong may be right for someone else. Such a lot depends on the persons environment throughout life.

Personally i think Christianity gives the devil character a bad rap, based on his opposition to the god character.

View attachment 96094
And according to the bible those 10 were at gods command.

I think it would be fair to show also the Bible life count:

Life given:
Satan 0
God countless numbers

God has given life, therefore He has also the right to decide how long life He gives. No reason to complain, if He gives eternal life only for righteous and not for those who are evil.

These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
Matt. 25:46

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

And I think I can come up to reasonable solution, because God has taught me well.

You have no use for invoking god at all to build the argument.
It would add nothing of value.

Even if the person willingly wants to be a slave?

Yes.

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

If women are allowed to kill their babies, if they are too much burden for them, why should God not have the same right to abort evil people by using His people for that?

Again with the bad faith argument. I've already dealt with that and I am not going to repeat it.
Upto you if you wish to maintain that dishonest charade.

I think death penalty is not wrong, if person is evil and does bad things.

I disagree. I think a death penalty option does society more bad then good.

But, I don't think humans should give such penalties, because they are not good judges.

Then you think such a penalty is wrong. You can't have your cake and eat it also.

Why do you think it was a bad faith comparison? Because it reveals the hypocrisy?

No, rather because it completely ignores the underlying subject of the abortion controversy. As I have already explained.
Nobody on the pro-abortion side thinks it is ok to kill babies, like your bad faith comparison is trying to insinuate.

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

If someone says Jesus didn't actually mean what he says, I would like to hear the reasons.

This is not what I said. Try to keep up.

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

God has given life, therefore He has also the right to decide how long life He gives.

How does that follow?

 

[AppieB]

If it helps the well-being of those who watch? Sorry, I think without God, moral is just subjective opinion and everyone could have own and even show "good" reasons for it.

Even with God there is a subjective foundation of morality. It's always a matter of value, opinion, preference, desire etc.

 

[ChristineM]

I think it would be fair to show also the Bible life count:

Life given:
Satan 0
God countless numbers

God has given life, therefore He has also the right to decide how long life He gives. No reason to complain, if He gives eternal life only for righteous and not for those who are evil.

These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
Matt. 25:46

Evidence would be nice.
I have given life to 3 children, after a certain time of pregnancy i do not have any right to take that life away, why should your god be any different?
I wouldn't count the bibl as evidence