morality and religion

[Mike182]

is religion and morality governed by religion?

i would have to say no, as it implies atheists have no morality. however their is no denying that lots of people do link their morality and their choices to their religion

so my question is

how much of an affect do people think religion has on the vast majority of peoples morality?

 

[Aqualung]

probably very little on the big things, like "don't murder." but once you start talking little things, a lot. For example, I think it is morally wrong to drink. That moral standard is strictly religious, since most people of any religion or any non religion would say that it is only morally wrong to get drunk, especially if you know you're an angry drunk, or whatever. So that doesn't really have a big impact on me. So I don't drink, so what? But I don't murder. That's a big thing, and that's shared by many, many people. I think religion only does the big things, not the little ones.

 

[Fascist Christ]

is religion and morality governed by religion?

i would have to say no, as it implies atheists have no morality. however their is no denying that lots of people do link their morality and their choices to their religion

so my question is

how much of an affect do people think religion has on the vast majority of peoples morality?

I see morality as a personal concept of right and wrong. I see religion as an individual's relationship with the Universe. Everyone has a relationship in some form with the Universe, and so everyone has religion. This relationship determines the individual's concept of right and wrong. Therefore, morality comes from religion.

Many Atheists like to boast about how they have no religion, yet they hold religiously to their opinions of right and wrong. Religion does not require a god or scripture.

Of course, my preferred usage of such ambiguous words can be debated. If you do not agree with my definitions, you probably will not agree with my conclusions, but that doesn't mean that either of us are wrong.

 

[michel]

I see morality as a personal concept of right and wrong. I see religion as an individual's relationship with the Universe. Everyone has a relationship in some form with the Universe, and so everyone has religion. This relationship determines the individual's concept of right and wrong. Therefore, morality comes from religion.

Many Atheists like to boast about how they have no religion, yet they hold religiously to their opinions of right and wrong. Religion does not require a god or scripture.

Of course, my preferred usage of such ambiguous words can be debated. If you do not agree with my definitions, you probably will not agree with my conclusions, but that doesn't mean that either of us are wrong.

Good post FC; I would argue your definition about religion is an individual's relationship with the Universe. I think if it were so, there would be no 'organized' Religions; I believe each one of us interprets his/her/hir relationship with the Universe in a different way.

 

[JerryL]

I see morality as a personal concept of right and wrong. I see religion as an individual's relationship with the Universe. Everyone has a relationship in some form with the Universe, and so everyone has religion. This relationship determines the individual's concept of right and wrong. Therefore, morality comes from religion.

This doesn't fit any reasonable interpretation of the word "religion" in English... not that I find "relationship with the universe" a clear term itself.

Many Atheists like to boast about how they have no religion, yet they hold religiously to their opinions of right and wrong. Religion does not require a god or scripture.

A Chirstian (for example) has a belief that there's an invisible dad in the sky dictating absolutes of right and wrong that he must follow. I do not. I hold my own position because it's what I choose. At the most basic level (objective vs subjective) I am antithetical to any religious position on morality.

Next you'll tell me that I hold on religiously to my belief that Pizza tastes better than Brocolli...

 

[WindsofWater2]

Religion already has such a big social and sentimental hold on society, anything they say has a big impact on human morality. Morality is both personal and universal.

Linking morality to religion is safe only if they do not leave their religion, otherwise, they may assume it's ok to do bad otherwise. But most of the world, whether religious or not, have the underlying sense of compassion enough to keep their morals reasonably intact.

 

[gnomon]

I see morality as a personal concept of right and wrong. I see religion as an individual's relationship with the Universe. Everyone has a relationship in some form with the Universe, and so everyone has religion. This relationship determines the individual's concept of right and wrong. Therefore, morality comes from religion.

Many Atheists like to boast about how they have no religion, yet they hold religiously to their opinions of right and wrong. Religion does not require a god or scripture.

Of course, my preferred usage of such ambiguous words can be debated. If you do not agree with my definitions, you probably will not agree with my conclusions, but that doesn't mean that either of us are wrong.

I would completely disagree. Many people have no conscious relationship with the Universe. Also, a relationship with the Universe is not a determining factor for many of what is right and what is wrong. Unless you mean that someone who decides that stealing is wrong because they have something stolen from them is part of a Universal relationship.

Also, I would disagree that anyone, just because they are labeled as believer or non-believer, necessarily is unwilling to adopt new ideas.

 

[Fascist Christ]

Unless you mean that someone who decides that stealing is wrong because they have something stolen from them is part of a Universal relationship.

Yes, that is what I mean. Your relationship with Humanity is part of your relationship with the Universe. You have described someone who has derived their code of conduct through experience and reasoning during their life within the Universe. A different method could be to derive such code from someone's written words or some concept of a deity. Each method, and each implementation of those methods, reflects a different type of relationship with everything else.

 

[gnomon]

So you are saying that any interaction is a "universal" one.

 

[Fascist Christ]

So you are saying that any interaction is a "universal" one.

Universal as in "of or relating to the universe or cosmos," but not as in "of, relating to, extending to, or affecting the entire world or all within the world."

 

[gnomon]

Universal as in "of or relating to the universe or cosmos," but not as in "of, relating to, extending to, or affecting the entire world or all within the world."

Understood.

 

[nutshell]

A person's morals are developed through his or her upbringing and life experiences. If religion is a part of that then yes, it influences their morals. If not, then no.