How does religion influence your morality?

[ragingflame]

Hi everyone. I've been taking a class in moral psychology for my undergrad psych degree, and we've been talking about the ways religion can influence and shape a person's morality. I thought it would be more interesting to get a firsthand account, instead of just hearing about it in class.

So, I have a few questions if anyone wants to respond. First, how does your particular religious affiliation influence your morality? Second, do you think you'd have different moral values if you were to follow a different religion? And third, what would you consider to be your most important moral principles (IE, purity, deference to authority, loyalty, etc.). If you're comfortable with sharing your particular religious affiliation, I'd love to hear that as well.

Thanks!

 

[Thief]

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

That's the item.
It is a code of behavior and fair warning.

Just to be fair though.....I have no religion.
I believe in God and heaven.
I believe in cause and effect.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

Hey ragingflame, welcome to RF. Hopefully you find enough here to stick around a while.

I'm an atheist, but was raised broadly Church of England, in case background is important.
The values my parents taught me are probably foremost in my mind when thinking about moral values. I'n old enough (almost 40!!) to have developed and moved beyond simply following what I was taught, but the core values seem to still hold true.

Empathy for other people and animals.
Treating others as you'd like to be treated yourself.
These appear to be fairly universal.

I think religion does impact on moral choices and beliefs though. Whether that impact is 'positive' or 'negative' is debatable, of course, but staying away from that, most religions would argue that their particular theology helps adherents act morally. This suggests religion does modify morals to some level.

It's perhaps most apparent in issues like marriage equality or abortion.
Without discussion on which side is 'right' I would hazard a guess that certain religious groups have higher rates of supporting 'traditional' marriage, and 'anti-abortion'.

I hope my morals would stay constant regardless of my religious affiliation, but I suspect this is only true up to a point.

 

[The Sum of Awe]

So, I have a few questions if anyone wants to respond. First, how does your particular religious affiliation influence your morality?

It influences it. It strengthens its meaning, in a way magnifies how my virtue is important to me and thus my duties to my virtue which is all about practice, never perfection. However it does not source it.

Second, do you think you'd have different moral values if you were to follow a different religion?

Depends on the religion and how strongly I was attached to the religion. But in most cases I don't think so, my morals are constructs of my own and not dictated by a religion. What I feel is right is right for me, so I use my moral code to define my religion instead of a religion to define my morals. I prefer to set my own goals and find a practice that will help me reach those goals instead of depending on religions to assign me a goal.

And third, what would you consider to be your most important moral principles (IE, purity, deference to authority, loyalty, etc.).

Having a will in agreement with nature's will is my goal that gravitate my morals, and on the track of Stoicism to help me accomplish this, and having a developing grasp on it because of it, I find the morals emphasized for this goal would be wisdom, courage, and temperance.

If you're comfortable with sharing your particular religious affiliation, I'd love to hear that as well.

I have heavy influences from many religions, most of it is personal spirituality, but I draw the most from Stoicism.

 

[samosasauce]

May I answer, even though I'm an apatheist?

 

[The Sum of Awe]

May I answer, even though I'm an apatheist?

nope, you will be banned and the forum admins will press charges

 

[samosasauce]

nope, you will be banned and the forum admins will press charges

Well gosh darn dang

 

[lewisnotmiller]

nope, you will be banned and the forum admins will press charges

ROFL...

The fact that I'm an atheist and already answered might let ya know you're good to go, samosasauce.
Two reasons...

1) Non-religious people can give an answer which speaks to the impact of religion on morality by being (very loosely) a control group.
2) Identify who you are, and raging fire can easily split out your results if only after theists.

 

[ragingflame]

ROFL...

The fact that I'm an atheist and already answered might let ya know you're good to go, samosasauce.
Two reasons...

1) Non-religious people can give an answer which speaks to the impact of religion on morality by being (very loosely) a control group.
2) Identify who you are, and raging fire can easily split out your results if only after theists.

You basically said it perfectly. There's really no limitations on who can respond, and even if you aren't a theist, the lack of religion and the importance of morality are still worthwhile to hear.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

You basically said it perfectly. There's really no limitations on who can respond, and even if you aren't a theist, the lack of religion and the importance of morality are still worthwhile to hear.

I did undergrad psych at uni...I know how you think!
(Err...not really...)

 

[samosasauce]

Alrighty

So, as I'm not attached to a certain religious group, I believe this affects my morality by not having to have piety or complete obedience to a non-changing system of beliefs. As well, I feel like I can have a much larger respect for diverse groups of people and their beliefs, compared to when I was affiliated as Christian. I'm sure that if I had any other set of religious believes, I'd have to put obedience and piety before human decency. My core values, the ones I find the most important, are empathy, kindness, and respect. Lastly, I consider myself apatheist of, which means I don't believe there's a way to tell if a god, goddess, or multiple gods or goddesses exist or do not exist, and want to put all that confusion to the sidelines and live my life how I believe is good and just. If there ends up to be consequences for such, so be it, because I believe I should put others before myself and accept any punishments for it.

 

[Secret Chief]

First, how does your particular religious affiliation influence your morality? Ethical practice guidelines are basic to it, the so-called Precepts. Note these are not imperatives. Second, do you think you'd have different moral values if you were to follow a different religion? Certainly. And third, what would you consider to be your most important moral principles (IE, purity, deference to authority, loyalty, etc.). The Precepts require mindfulness, since all action is in the moment, so perhaps that, although it is not "moral" of itself. If you're comfortable with sharing your particular religious affiliation, I'd love to hear that as well. Buddhist (Soto Zen).

 

[s2a]

Hi everyone. I've been taking a class in moral psychology for my undergrad psych degree, and we've been talking about the ways religion can influence and shape a person's morality. I thought it would be more interesting to get a firsthand account, instead of just hearing about it in class.

So, I have a few questions if anyone wants to respond. First, how does your particular religious affiliation influence your morality? Second, do you think you'd have different moral values if you were to follow a different religion? And third, what would you consider to be your most important moral principles (IE, purity, deference to authority, loyalty, etc.). If you're comfortable with sharing your particular religious affiliation, I'd love to hear that as well.

Thanks!

First of all, it's nice of you to join us with a probative inquiry, it's fair enough to offer that "religion" has NO direct effect upon my views of "morality". Speaking only for myself (and no spokesperson) of an atheistic perspective...then again, I DO have my own concepts and applications of "amorality, as it may be applied/accepted by others of "religious faith".

Within a humanistic perspective of "morality", I do respect the attributes of loyalty, love, passion, conscience, and compassion first and foremost. Respect for anything that exists in our time (with caveats) follows alongside.

I like to think (and hope) that youth invites both innovation and contemplation that eventually may illuminate the expanding thresholds of tolerance and understanding, whilst maintaing the sensibilities afforded to creatures imbued with rational discernment and thinking.

I reject any notion that a religious or faith based perspective is requisite to any fundamental appreciation of the cosmos, or or place within.

I have looked upon the night sky, and have witnessed the stars.

We are dust in an uncaring cosmos, but we are here. Let's just take that in first.

 

[Triumphant_Loser]

Hi everyone. I've been taking a class in moral psychology for my undergrad psych degree, and we've been talking about the ways religion can influence and shape a person's morality. I thought it would be more interesting to get a firsthand account, instead of just hearing about it in class.

So, I have a few questions if anyone wants to respond. First, how does your particular religious affiliation influence your morality? Second, do you think you'd have different moral values if you were to follow a different religion? And third, what would you consider to be your most important moral principles (IE, purity, deference to authority, loyalty, etc.). If you're comfortable with sharing your particular religious affiliation, I'd love to hear that as well.

Thanks!

I am deist, but I was raised as a nondenominational congregational Christian. I suppose some traces of Judeo-Christianity can still be found in my philosophy somewhere. Some of the non-sectarian ideas such as Don't steal, kill, lie, cheat, and do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Fundie Christians like to call my kind "moralistic therapeutic deists" in an attempt to negatively label us. I take it as a badge of honor though.

 

[1137]

My entire religion, philosophy, and morality all stems from the Law of Thelema. It's not even that they affect each other, it's one simple idea that covers every aspect of life and is the foundation of all else.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Being an atheist, and thus answering to no higher power, I am free to do whatever I want, to whomever I want, whenever I want. I take advantage of this freedom to be as amoral and immoral as possible by regularly coveting my neighbors wife while wearing mixed fabrics.

 

[Infinitum]

I'd say my morality influences my religion and not the other way around.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

By virtue of the fact that I am a rational creature thanks to being gifted with sapiance by the being or force called Lucifer/Prometheus/Enki/Samyaza (or "Satan" to his enemies) in humanity's distant past, I am free to decide my own ethics in this life and I strive to do so based on reason, empathy and justice.

My most important moral/ethical principle is freedom of mind, body and spirit.

 

[Vinayaka]

1. My faith has morality in scriptures, and awareness of Self includes a conscience and therefore morality.
2. I couldn't follow a different religion, but I suppose if I did, there might be different morals.
3. Ahimsa (non-violence)
I'm a Hindu.

 

[Aupmanyav]

First, how does your particular religious affiliation influence your morality? Second, do you think you'd have different moral values if you were to follow a different religion? And third, what would you consider to be your most important moral principles (IE, purity, deference to authority, loyalty, etc.). If you're comfortable with sharing your particular religious affiliation, I'd love to hear that as well.

I am an atheist Hindu and 'dharma' (fulfillment of duties and engaging in righteous humane action) is the foremost requirement of Hinduism, more important than which God or Goddess to worship or not. That is what shapes my morality. The most beautiful thing about Hinduism is that its adherents can ask questions and decide their beliefs according to that. I rejected Gods and Goddesses. I would not have remained with any religion which prohibited asking questions. Fulfilling one's duties is the most important principal in Hinduism, what I mentioned as righteous humane action also is a person's duty towards the society.