22 Answers
Well, if we do not have a moral system, all earth would be hell. Parts of it are hell already and they have religion. It's not the religion it's the men and those who follow the religions.
There may be a Great Being of some kind, but I don't believe he's sitting on a cloud looking down.
12 years ago. Rating: 14 | |
Man's laws. What do you suppose keep's atheists in line now? Man's laws are instilled to protect the populous. Governments would still need slaves for the system and tax payers.
Which man's laws is no different than which God's laws. You're trying to split hairs when the hair can't be split.
Not all men believe in the religious view that women are inferior. I blame religion for all the messes in the world. Once apon a time, women ruled the family. Then organized religion came along.......Organized religion should be outlawed. So too should preachers, ministers,fathers, priests, chaplains, rabbis or anyone who believes he is an authority on God or can answer for God. No man is an authority. No man can say "God said" because until God's voice reigns down from the heavens for ALL to hear, NO ONE can know what God says. I see where you are going with this question and I'm saying now, be careful how you tread.
"If I'm stepping on toes out there, so be it"
Ego. Only ego tells you it's OK to step on others toes. Yet when you felt like your toes were stepped on, you howled and cried foul.
The "threat" as you call it,concerns the rules of this forum. No preaching, no holding sermon and no disrespecting another's beliefs or non beliefs. I feel you are close to these. It's a warning, not a threat. Be careful how you tread.
I see nothing uncivil in what I posted here. You may be a bit overly sensitive. My apologies if I hurt your feelings.
It has been a long time since I studied philosophy. I do remember some philosophers who did not believe in God +/or Religion. One thought was that societies create rules (like the 10 Commandments) and laws to keep people in line, and punish them if they get out of line.
I ponder Our human History. I Ponder people(s) who, under the Name of God, have slaughtered thousands of people. I ponder Not only Hitler but his many followers (Many who clearly stated their belief in God) and the 6 million Jews + others they tortured and killed in the most evil of ways.
So, I'm not sure a belief in God keeps people from evil...it seems to just give them a lable to use to justify their evil.
Not everyone- clearly. But the examples are numerous.
and I'm not talking about all the other countless ways "we" ignore God and go about doing what we please to do -even when it brings harm to others.
12 years ago. Rating: 12 | |
It almost sounds like the world we live in now, not all follow their conscience..
12 years ago. Rating: 11 | |
If you’re only being ethical and moral for God and for God alone and there was no God and if you don’t care about your family, friends, kids and yourself then no their is know reason at all to be ethical or moral. A lot of people are in prison for that very reason.
12 years ago. Rating: 11 | |
There will always be laws to guide and control a civilization. There will always be a fear factor used to control others because there will always be power needy people to set down the laws. Belief in God does not always keep people living right or living with morals. How many wars have happened over the history of man on earth that were due to religious beliefs of belief in a God that it's followers believe/d is the only God? There will always be people who simply want to do good because they are good. They would be the ones to set the moral standards to live by. Even Atheists can have morals. They may not believe in a God but they have the ability to believe in their fellow beings and believe that life should be good, happy and filled with love. Love can just as powerful as any God. Sure, love can be used to control others but so can a belief in a God be used to control others. I think you would see the same as you see now in a universe without a belief in a God or Gods. You would see the good and the bad, just like we see now.
12 years ago. Rating: 9 | |
(off topic interjection)I do not believe in good and bad however. I believe that we are all equal simply because God loves us equally. We are all Souls walking our own journey. Some are young Souls, some are old Souls. Some are just beginning to learn and they make a lot of mistakes that others call "bad". But they will learn just like we all learn and a time will come when they peers judge them good rather than bad. Even Satan as you call him is not bad. He's just doing a job because God asked him to and he does it because he loves God and God love him.
(Back on topic) A universe without God could survive and flourish. It would be almost like what we have now in my opinion.
So, now I'm done with this sci-fi conversation. I see no further point in it other than you are trying to instruct the atheists on why they should believe in God. This is not your place. They are where they need to be in their existence. It is not your duty to try and bring them to your line of thinking or believing by trying to show them a bleak existence without God. Let them be and you continue to believe in God as will I and in this way, God's love is shared.
Don, you sound like an educated GRANDPA2 who cannot spell.
12 years ago. Rating: 9 | |
"You see if I claim to be a duck but don't walk, talk and act like a duck, then don't judge duckhood by me." You sound like a duck, Don. One question left: how on God's green earth were you able to spell a difficult word like "euphemism" when you couldn't spell the simple ones?
If you want us to take you seriously, you ought to take US more seriously by being extraordinarily careful when you spell.
There would be mass slaughter. No longer a fit place to live. Better off dead.
12 years ago. Rating: 9 | |
I see you're trying to get philosophical....keep practicing is all I can say ;)
Your words should actually lead somewhere, not just hang there in the air. You actually made no points at all.
I fail to see your inevitable connection between the need for ethics and the existence of god(s).
Are you implying that atheists have no morals or ethics?
12 years ago. Rating: 9 | |
I would consider your comment offensive if it wasn't so fatuous.According to your dogmatic ideology,all atheists "see no purpose or meaning to life..." What a groundless piece of divisive, inane propaganda aimed at coalescing the religious troops.
One could easily argue that atheists value life MORE than believers since we know we won't get a second opportunity. But that argument would be offensive to the many believers who DO value life and its purpose which is why I have never presumed that of them. And that includes YOU.
Beyond that, the crowd that one associates with,becomes an important source of influence either positively or negatively.
That's "how I got my morality". To date, I have yet to experience any cannibalistic urges. Now...if Charlize Theron ever became my neighbour, your prognostication may come to fruition. But THAT would be the work of the devil, not mine.
If you think you need God to tell you the difference between right and wrong you are a very sad person.
12 years ago. Rating: 9 | |
Christiphobia- C- h- r- i- s- t- o- p- h- o- b- i- a: the fear and loathing of Christ and Christianity by some who oppose the same.
12 years ago. Rating: 8 | |
Religion confuses everything. People who believe they know what God or Jesus wants confuse everything. Beware the false prophets offering something for free. Nothing is free.
I asked you a question (scroll upwards) which you haven't yet addressed. Are you Atheistaphobic ?
You have called me two-faced and addressed me as "Phyllis". Pythonlover reacently wrote an answer to stellablue that one of the behaviors that gets a member suspended is name-calling. I likened your tenacity to a fearless canine I did not stoop to name-calling, nor did I attack your integrity. But it's OK, Colleen. Now, I have some beans to sugar-coat. TTYL
Does fake work for you in the real world?
Anyone can read what you said and trust me on this, others who have read it feel the same as I do. You were NOT being complimentary. I imagine you were born with peddles for all the back peddling you do with your words.
Two faced is an observation of your "style" on this forum. It's not name calling. Rip apart one day, kiss butt the next. It has not just been with Randy either. It's been seen many times but more than just me, just in case you want to call me delusional again.
Peace.
12 years ago. Rating: 6 | |
If we didn't have a moral system, and ethics, it would be chaos. This question has got to win the record for having the most answers, and the longest answers.
12 years ago. Rating: 6 | |
To Chaplin Don, you seem a bit intense, this is not to say that I disagree with your points. You have gotten a taste of what it takes to get "mugged" here. I suggest you turn off your machine when in "battle" and check your blood pressure. Certain subjects can not be rationally discussed here without being labeled something. I have found the cure. Click. Next question.
12 years ago. Rating: 6 | |
It takes two to fight and the smarter one shuts up. I see it, too, ed shank.
As to my "agenda" here, it is to ask and answer questions sincerely and honestly, with integrity and intelligence. I'm sure there are many who think I have done so, as I'm sure there are many who think I have failed miserably. That's fine with me.
Pick a soapbox? No, thanks. There are plenty of people with serious issues and passion for them here.
Pick a personality? I'll take the one I have, sugar-coated, two-faced, and cold beans. Yippy
Without some sort of moral code and ethical behavior, I think you would be looking at something similar to Sodom and Gommorah (sorry I'm sure that is spelled wrong). Child pornography would be acceptable, incest would be commonplace, people would just take whatever they wanted without working for it or paying for it. The murder rate would skyrocket; I honestly believe "marriage" would become nonexistent as people would just be taking whoever they wanted. Children would be even more obnoxious at school than they are now., if education even existed. People would have no respect for themselves or each other. I see mayhem and chaos. Think "Back To The Future 2" or "Idiocracy".
Would there be any justification? Yes.
12 years ago. Rating: 5 | |
I have much more faith in humankind that this. Love of family and friends would instill morals and ethics without anyone having to teach others about them.
As far as love, I believe that with no God, there is no love. I kool aid the "no God - no love; Know God - know love" bumper sticker.
And don't suggest we would just be animals. Most animals are far more civilized than too many humans.
I don't know what or how an atheist feels, but since I believe God IS, I also believe His love extends to everyone, believer or not.
Colleen, you ARE the one who brought up the concept of humans behaving as animals. I made no reference to animals or "regressing" to animal behavior. Animals are, in many ways, more "civilized" than humans.
You have "more faith in mankind" than I because it appears my concept of God is a bit different than yours, as far as I have been able to discern from our answers here.
And just FYI: I don't blame God for religious wars any more than I blame guns for shooting people. People shoot people and people start wars. WHAT they fight about isn't exclusive to religious differences.
I'm very clear on what I believe and I wrote it clearly. My answer addressed to what I thought a world with no moral code or ethical behavior would regress.
It's just an opinion. Why are you so angry with me?
Your views still play to anyone who does not believe in your god or any God for that matter I suppose.
I contact admin when I feel a question, answer, or comment is abusive; when whoever they are feel the report is merited, something is done.
"They" say you mean no harm to me and are just taking your job as moderator seriously.
Not quite the same as "You are two faced".
Now, I'm going to stop acting "like one of those argumentative children" and stop playing am not, are to with you.
I am a Christian and believe in the ten commandments I have lived with faith in God all my life. It has helped me through many trials in my life.morally and ethical. It is my own personal choice. I dont judge people who have a different belief as I dont want them to judge me for mine. My believe in God has made me concious morally and ethicially how unjust the world really is, mostly for people who have no voice.Without morality and ethics we would cease to exist.
12 years ago. Rating: 5 | |
It's those that don an air of judgmental spiritual superiority that I have a real problem with.
You represent all that is good about believing.
Nope, there is no justification for morality or ethics at all. Unless of course, you want to live in society with the rest of us. People establish moral and ethical codes, not a non-existent god, and we form them to provide order in what would otherwise be chaos. Of course, you don't have to abide by our code as long as you don't mind a mandatory reservation at Club Fed.
12 years ago. Rating: 5 | |
Since we dont live in such a universe, Your question is mute.
It by the way was ask on a porch at Ephases 2.483 years ago.
12 years ago. Rating: 2 | |