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Why do people equal religious beliefs with morality?
I keep hearing it said that atheists are by definition immoral (possibly they mean amoral, but never mind). But consider:
Are suicide bombings moral acts? They're certainly religious.
Was 9/11 a moral act? It was certainly religious.
Were the Charlie Hebdo murders moral acts? They were certainly religious.
Were the Boko Haram kidnappings moral acts? They were certainly religious.
Is ISIS a moral organisation? It's certainly religious.
Were the crusades moral acts? They were certainly religious.
Were the tortures perpetrated by the Spanish Inquisition moral acts? They were certainly religious.
Were the Salem witch trials moral acts? They were certainly religious.
Were all the Catholic priests who abused children moral people? They were certainly religious.
Are the Westboro Baptists moral people? They're certainly religious.
Et cetera et cetera.
Which begs the question: Is it actually possible to be both moral AND religious?
And if not, which do you prefer?
9 Answers
- MistyLv 76 years ago
Because if there is no God, then morality is subjective. Atheists can certainly be moral. They are made in the image of God and God has written his natural law (which includes some basic morals) on the hearts of all men.
People who follow Christ, take morality to the next level, to a divine one. Being moral means doing so in spite of what you personally want to do, or think should be done. We do not kill. This includes life in the womb. We uphold sexual morality, this means that sex outside of marriage is wrong, no matter how "nice and loving" the couple is...etc. etc.
- ?Lv 76 years ago
Why do people equal religious beliefs with morality?
- They have to. They have no choice.
I keep hearing it said that atheists are by definition immoral (possibly they mean amoral, but never mind)
- I know, they scream that we are going to hell too, but we ignore all of their fantasies.
Are suicide bombings moral acts?
- They are to the people doing it, as well as the torture and murder of 'witches" that is happening as we speak.
- gillieLv 76 years ago
Because that's what they're taught in church. Believing in their god = morality. They can't even imagine being moral without a religious authority figure telling them what to do. It's as if their normal human feelings were replaced with blind obedience to authority, and now they can't imagine being moral without that authority.
- Anonymous6 years ago
Atheists ultimately deny the reality of evil.
While claiming to champion ethics and morality, they undermine the foundations of right and wrong.
They are a law to themselves and promote their own honor.
the sense of right and wrong, conscience, objective morality, come from God who made us.
everyone has this
Atheists insist they evolved from mindless bacteria and since they deny their creator they suppress their conscience and believe good and evil is relative
they ultimately deny the reality of evil.
There is no true evil, everything is relative.
There is no absolute good, and no absolute evil, so if an atheist decides whatever is the best path , who’s to say it’s wrong?
that's how Atheist dictators murder without a conscience
- ?Lv 76 years ago
I think it's still possible to be moral and worship the characters fabricated in ancient books of barbarism by sociopathic hucksters (books like the Bible and the Koran). But it requires that you give precedence to your internal sense of empathy and your own ability to reason out the consequences of your actions IN SPITE OF what your ancient book of barbaric savagery says.
For example, even though many MANY Christians justified the evil institution of slavery from their ancient books of barbaric savagery that they worshiped like idols, others did not. Those that opposed slavery certainly couldn't point to the Bible to justify their position since the Bible quite clearly and explicitly describes slavery as a legitimate institution. Instead they went beyond the immorality of the Bible.
I have a question on it here:
- ?Lv 76 years ago
As an atheist, I treat everyone as I would like them to treat me.....this is my morality. Mo
