Can Atheists/Non-religious Lead Completely Moral Lives?

[Nakosis]

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.

 

[danieldemol]

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.

I prefer "correct behaviour" further defined as avoiding demonstrable harm to the extent practical to do so, and I would assert that they/we can at least as much or in certain cases better than the religious can in my view.

 

[1213]

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.

I think everyone can become a moral agent and conform to "a standard of right behavior". But, the problem may be, what is the right behavior and who gets to decide it.

 

[McBell]

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.

Yes

 

[Absolutely Frank]

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.

Why be moral when you can be ethical instead? If anyone wants to be moral, I feel sorry for them whether they are theists or atheists. Atheists can be moral if they want to be and if they want to follow some rigid standards then that's on then even in my opinion, I think it is foolish. Moralism is a curse and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemies, not even the atheists or the talking snake himself.

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

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.

Yes.

 

[Viker]

Yes.

 

[SalixIncendium]

Yes.

 

[ChristineM]

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.

Yes

 

[ChristineM]

Perhaps just being human leads to immoral behavior.

Human and any other social animals.

 

[Nakosis]

Why be moral when you can be ethical instead? If anyone wants to be moral, I feel sorry for them whether they are theists or atheists. Atheists can be moral if they want to be and if they want to follow some rigid standards then that's on then even in my opinion, I think it is foolish. Moralism is a curse and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemies, not even the atheists or the talking snake himself.

What do you see as the difference between moral an ethical behavior?

What I've read is that moral behavior is personal standards of right and wrong whereas ethical behavior is group standards of what is right and wrong although I suspect there is some crossover.

 

[Eddi]

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.

Yes of course they can

Being religious and being moral are separate things

 

[Pawpatrol]

The question is not "can they". It's "do they". And the answer for the most part is, no.

 

[PureX]

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.

Everyone chooses their own ethical imperatives, and our sense of moral behavior is measured by those ethical imperatives. So everyone has their own idea of what is and isn't moral behavior. And I would guess that none of us live up to these ethical imperatives all the time and in every way.

 

[SalixIncendium]

The question is not "can they". It's "do they". And the answer for the most part is, no.

No, it's not...

So then, can the non-religious become moral agents?

Emphasis mine.

You don't get to derail threads to advance your unfounded, unsubstantiated, and biased agenda. Go create your own thread if you want to ask if they do.

 

[Nakosis]

The question is not "can they". It's "do they". And the answer for the most part is, no.

But they could choose to be moral if they wanted to without a need for divine intervention?

Even the Christian concept of God seemed to have an expectation of Adam and Eve being able to, on their own make "right" choices.

 

[Argentbear]

What do you see as the difference between moral an ethical behavior?

What I've read is that moral behavior is personal standards of right and wrong whereas ethical behavior is group standards of what is right and wrong although I suspect there is some crossover.

Moral behavior is following the rules. Ethical behavior is doing what is right sometimes in defiance of the rules.

 

[Madsaac]

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.

Yes, of course they can

 

[Nakosis]

I think everyone can become a moral agent and conform to "a standard of right behavior". But, the problem may be, what is the right behavior and who gets to decide it.

Well, you do. Or in my case, I do.
However, how I go about that is convoluted.
I find my moral standards to be a combination of culture, I suspect genetics, experience and some rational thinking on my part.

Of course what you and I see as moral behavior my have some differences.

 

[ChristineM]

The question is not "can they". It's "do they". And the answer for the most part is, no.

I would pit my moral standards against yours any day of the week