Does Atheism Lead to Immoral Behavior?

[Evangelicalhumanist]

We both know that you did not get this from any verifiable scientific study.
So, that is your atheistic belief... against mine.

Is that so? I suggest you read two very important and universally important scientists on the subject. Try Michael Gazzaniga, Free Will and the Science of the Brain, and Edward O. Wilson's Human Nature and The Social Conquest of the Earth.

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

Yes, better to assist the unfaithful in their quest for truth by pointing out the flaws in their arguments. That would be the respectful response.

Or tell them that are contradictory systems of truth in some systems of religion.
You have learn that your truth is not the truth, if I can do differently, not matter how much you play with the words evidence, logic, proof and truth.

 

[Valjean]

Control = trying to cause people to reject their faith.

That's not control, it's just a polite, considerate form of peer review.
Unless, of course, the believer is not interested in truth, but just personal solace.

 

[Soandso]

Really? So the Jews, who slaughtered the Canaanites, including their baby boys, and kept the virgin chicks for themselves (for some reason one can only guess at ) were acting so immorally because they were atheists? Well, who knew!?!

Well that or god commanded them to do it in the case of the Medianites

Numbers 31 - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Alien826]

I never experienced that.

I experienced what could be seen as a kind of proto religion, superstition. I would decide that if I arranged things in a certain way in my room, I would get "good luck". Even though my common sense told me that it was ridiculous, I still did it. And the opposite. I would not step on cracks in the pavement to avoid bad luck. This was as a small child, and I grew out of it, thankfully.

I see it as an attempt to control the uncontrollable. Maybe something like that led to primitive religion.

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

That's not control, it's just a polite, considerate form of peer review.
Unless, of course, the believer is not interested in truth, but just personal solace.

What truth is that? I know of 5 variants of it.
And they are in sense contradictory to each other.

 

[Valjean]

Is that so? I suggest you read two very important and universally important scientists on the subject. Try Michael Gazzaniga, Free Will and the Science of the Brain, and Edward O. Wilson's Human Nature and The Social Conquest of the Earth.

<<useful>>

 

[Alien826]

No, it was invented to point out the bad arguments theists use all the time. ALL the arguments for a God also apply to the FSM.

Heretic! The true non existent religious exemplar is the Invisible Pink Unicorn! Beware, or you will feel the impact of her sacred horn!

 

[ChristineM]

Those crafty individuals who engage in leading people away from God are complicit and will be held accountable for such evil behavior.

Does the same go for those crafty religious folks who proselytise in order to lead non belivers to god?

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Those crafty individuals who engage in leading people away from God are complicit and will be held accountable for such evil behavior.

Engaging in revenge fantasies again about people you don't like?

Maybe think about putting some blame on your God, if he's only managed to equip believers with a faith so weak that an atheist can talk them out of it.

 

[Nakosis]

Reasonable.
I think you explained how those persons Paul referred to, got their conscience trained.
I totally agree that all humans posses some moral values. However, overall, we are flawed morally.
Would you agree with that?

I don't really judge. Flawed in what way?
I don't assume there is a universal moral standard to judge against.
Or if there is, I'm not savvy enough to know it.
Kind of hard to judge what ought to be when you don't know what ought to be is.

However I am comfortable with my moral values. I don't feel a need to change them.
Which doesn't mean anything other than that.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Does the same go for those crafty religious folks who proselytise in order to lead non belivers to god?

Religious proselytizers tend to go for the brute force method instead of convincing arguments.

Back in the day, it was a lot of "if you don't convert, we'll kill you." These days, it's usually more "if you want our help in your time of need, you're going to have to feign belief."

 

[Nakosis]

There are atheists and theists. I have been informed by the Satanic Temple that they are Satanists while the theistic ones are Satan worshippers. I judge them more moral based on their views and actions.

Ok, so not because of their religion but because of their behavior. Seems fair enough.

 

[muhammad_isa]

..It justifies evil with scriptural law.

Religion does nothing of the kind..
Mankind are always looking for loopholes .. they naturally don't like the taxman,
or being demoted in status.

It is all about balance.
Let the thief free without punishment, the society will not be secure, and end up in anarchy.
Cut off the hand of a thief without trial and on every occasion, and you have injustice.
...

 

[Alien826]

Perhaps the believers who are peaceful, charitable, & tolerant of
others are the real outliers.

I think we should decide based on numbers, not volume of noise produced.

 

[Ella S.]

Those crafty individuals who engage in leading people away from God are complicit and will be held accountable for such evil behavior.

This is a great point. Personally, I'm absolutely terrified that Darth Vader God will use his supernatural powers to punish me for disobeying his rules. Voldemort God is so powerful that I don't stand a chance. I should really give up and submit my will to Sauron God.

 

[Valjean]

Yes, better to assist the unfaithful in their quest for truth by pointing out the flaws in their arguments. That would be the respectful response.

Agreed. We'd welcome that. This step is already expected, standard practice in science.

 

[Audie]

I say "rubbish" to both paragraphs. You are making statements of fact with no reasoning whatever to back them up.

You say rubbish but it's far worse than that.
If your friend had a god who held his
" believers" to account, such lies and
calumny wouldn't win him favour.

In the real world, just another bigot who just
says things and is self satisfied.

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

You say rubbish but it's far worse than that.
If your friend had a god who held his
" believers" to account, such lies and
calumny wouldn't win him favour.

In the real world, just another bigot who just
says things and is self satisfied.

I have never observed the real world. How do you know that? What scientific measurement standard is real measured in?
I think you are doing philosophy.

 

[Audie]

Why do you break the sentence down each time?

I don't know Jannnu Bdua.
I don't believe in Jannnu Bdua.

Are they the same thing, or is there a difference?

One who does not know toothbrushes is unhygienic.
Not believing in toothbrushes, is unhygienic.

I think there are difference. Do you see any?
The phrase... "A person that does not know God, is immoral...", is not the same thing as... "not believing in [someone's] God is immoral."

One is saying it is immoral to not believe in God.
The other is saying, one who does not know God is immoral... not that he is immoral for not believing in God.
Do you see the difference?

In either case, we believe differently. No problem.


Even though there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth, just as there are many “gods” and many “lords,” there is actually to us one God, the Father, from whom all things are and we for him; and there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things are and we through him. - Apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 8:5, 6)

And it JUST HAPPENS that you got lucky
and chose the right one.

Just like everyone else in every other " religion".