If Atheists lack morality...

[Lyndon]

Crack dealers do not sell crack in the name of religion, liquor store petty robberies are not perpetrated in the name of religion, if anything they are perpetrated in the name of non religion.

 

[Augustus]

Why is it that the majority - and I mean 90% - of terrorists and Nationalists are all religious in nature?

The ideology of most terrorists depends on the dominant political ideologies of the time. If we went back 40 years then many terrorists would have been communist/leftist.

Nationalists tend to reflect the culture of a particular nation and define themselves in terms of what makes their nation superior. Current Western nationalists define their supposed "Judeo-Christian" heritage as what makes them superior to other cultures.

In the 1930s, European nationalism focussed on different national characteristics in defining difference.

Terrorism and nationalism reflect the political and cultural zeitgeist. Current trends should not be seen as being representative of general truths.

 

[suncowiam]

Crack dealers do not sell crack in the name of religion, liquor store petty robberies are not perpetrated in the name of religion, if anything they are perpetrated in the name of non religion.

I don't agree with the op.

But now aren't you indirectly asserting athiests truly have no morals? Is that what you really want to say?

 

[Lyndon]

No, I just pointed out that criminals tend to be less religious or take their religion less seriously than people that are very religious and observant of their religion.

You don't have a lot of observant, church going, sincere Christians selling crack on the side, it just hardly ever happens.

I'm not saying church going Christians don't ever commit crimes, just that the ones that do tend to be "hypocrits" or people that don't take their religion seriously, because lets face it, Christian religion does not condone, theft, selling drugs, beating your wife, or getting into brawls at the bar.

 

[suncowiam]

No, I just pointed out that criminals tend to be less religious or take their religion less seriously than people that are very religious and observant of their religion.

You don't have a lot of observant, church going, sincere Christians selling crack on the side, it just hardly ever happens.

What defines a person to be religious? Is sufficient only to believe in God and not practice the religion? Maybe they've excepted that they are going hell?

Don't we know enough religioners that don't fully practice their religions yet consider themselves religious?

 

[Lyndon]

Religious means following the teachings of the religion you follow, anyone can believe in God without it having any change in their life, if you don't follow the teachings of your religion, you do not qualify to call yourself religious, IMHO That's what is usually labeled a hypocrite, someone that says one thing and does another.

 

[suncowiam]

Religious means following the teachings of the religion you follow, anyone can believe in God without it having any change in their life, if you don't follow the teachings of your religion, you do not qualify to call yourself religious, IMHO That's what is usually labeled a hypocrite, someone that says one thing and does another.

I agree with you. Although I'm not sure many will agree with us.

 

[ether-ore]

Benjamin Franklin said: "Here is my creed: I believe in one God, the creator of the universe. That He governs it by His providence. That He ought to be worshiped. That the most acceptable service we can render to Him is in doing good to His other children. That the soul of man is immortal, and will be treated with justice in another life respecting its conduct in this. These I take to be the fundamental points of all sound religion."

I cite this very basic creed in support of the idea that a religious person (of any denomination) that does not consider themselves responsible to God for their actions according to God's moral code in doing good to one another. Vague comments about believing in God without the accompanying actions of doing good do not qualify an individual as being religious. Muslim terrorists for example, would not be doing good to their fellow man. That they say they are doing what they do in the name of God, is a contradiction to the word "good". To me, the word "religion" should be viewed as "a way of life" as is indicated in the phrase "to follow a set of tenets religiously" The tenets of God's moral code in action is what defines a person of religion.