Can Atheists be Moral?

[cnm]

First, you have to define moral.

Yup.
And atheists can't.

Morals are community norms. They vary with the community. Valid morals are those which assist the survival of the community. One who upholds community norms is moral.

 

[cnm]

It seems to me, nature has no morality. I've just been watching a wood lice eating alive a moth while it was copulating with a female.

Everything in that vignette was behaving in a moral fashion.

 

[Unkotare]

First, you have to define moral.

Yup.
And atheists can't.

Morals are community norms. They vary with the community. Valid morals are those which assist the survival of the community. One who upholds community norms is moral.

Wrong

 

[Desperado]

After the new abortion laws being passed recently the better question is:
Can Democrats be Moral?

 

[cnm]

Wrong

Pfffft.

 

[koshergrl]

First, you have to define moral.

Yup.
And atheists can't.

Morals are community norms. They vary with the community. Valid morals are those which assist the survival of the community. One who upholds community norms is moral.

So the atheist who denies the sanctity of life, if that atheist lives in a Christian community, is immoral.

 

[danielpalos]

i don't trust women who are not doing me; does that count?

 

[Taz]

i don't trust women who are not doing me; does that count?

So you don’t trust any woman. Got it.

 

[cnm]

Morals are community norms. They vary with the community. Valid morals are those which assist the survival of the community. One who upholds community norms is moral.

Wrong

Let's use slavery as an example of a moral quandary. The South considered slavery to be a community norm, it was moral. However, the community of the South was destroyed, slavery was not a valid moral, it did not assist the survival of the community.

 

[koshergrl]

[
Morals are community norms. They vary with the community. Valid morals are those which assist the survival of the community. One who upholds community norms is moral.

Wrong

Let's use slavery as an example of a moral quandary. The South considered slavery to be a community norm, it was moral. However, the community of the South was destroyed, slavery was not a valid moral.

All community norms are not considered *moral* even by the communities in which they are normal.

There's a lot of material on this topic, it's a favorite topic of philosophers at the colleges.

 

[koshergrl]

First, you have to define moral.

Yup.
And atheists can't.

Morals are community norms. They vary with the community. Valid morals are those which assist the survival of the community. One who upholds community norms is moral.

No, not all community norms are considered *moral*.

This is what I'm saying. Atheists can't even frame this concept in their brains.

 

[cnm]

So the atheist who denies the sanctity of life, if that atheist lives in a Christian community, is immoral.

Depends a bit whether the community is Christian Taliban and insists on Capital punishment. Then the atheist is certainly moral. Of course that norm may well prove to be an invalid moral.

 

[koshergrl]

So the atheist who denies the sanctity of life, if that atheist lives in a Christian community, is immoral.

Depends a bit whether the community is Christian Taliban and insists on Capital punishment. Then the atheist is certainly moral. Of course that norm may well prove to be an invalid moral.

If only there was such a thing as "christian taliban". Then you might have a point. But there isn't, and you don't.

 

[cnm]

All community norms are not considered *moral* even by the communities in which they are normal.

Not all community norms will assist survival or prosperity. They are invalid morals.

 

[cnm]

If only there was such a thing as "christian taliban". Then you might have a point. But there isn't, and you don't.

Oh, did I say that out loud? Silly me. Of course I meant Southern Baptist.

 

[Unkotare]

Morals are community norms. They vary with the community. Valid morals are those which assist the survival of the community. One who upholds community norms is moral.

Wrong

Let's use slavery as an example of a moral quandary. The South considered slavery to be a community norm, it was moral. .....

No, it was not. Don't use words you don't understand.

 

[LilOlLady]

Many theists believe it is clear-cut. Humans can only have opinions about morality, and no one’s opinion is any more valid than anyone else’s. This leads them to the conclusion that an objective source of morality must stand apart from, and above, humans. That source, they say, is God. Since atheists, reject God, atheists can have no basis for morality.

This is really two separate arguments: (1) that God is the source of objective morality and humans can learn morality from God and (2) that humans on their own have no way to know what is moral and what is not.

Can atheists be moral? - Atheist Alliance International

"1) that God is the source of objective morality and humans can learn morality from God and (2) that humans on their own have no way to know what is moral and what is not."


1. god doesn't exist. the source of morality for people why believe in god does NOT come from a non-existant god. It comes from a book written by uneducated, ignorant, primitive savages.

The fact that these people NEED a book (and a god) to tell them what is right or wrong, moral v immoral, is sad, pathetic and rather scary!

what if that book says "kill gays and atheists and witches!"?


And not just "I'm god....don't steal!"....

that wasn't enough to deter them or make them moral.

They needed FEAR!

So god had to say "I'm god....don't steal....or YOU WILL BURN IN HELL!"

Now THAT got their attention.

(2) that humans on their own have no way to know what is moral and what is not.

ridiculous.


I know right v wrong and I did NOT need a bible to tell me.

In fact, MOST of what the bible says is IMMORAL is BS.

The Bible teaches us what is right and wrong but it is up to us to know the difference an act accordingly. But we do not need the bible to do what is right. We have free will.

"The Bible teaches us what is right and wrong but it is up to us to know the difference an act accordingly. But we do not need the bible to do what is right. We have free will."


Ok
so what IS right?

what is wrong?

is it right for gays to have equal rights in America?

is it wrong?

is it right to criminalize gays (roy moore wants)?

is it wrong?

since you have free will.....

I know what is right and what is wrong but it is not up to me to judge what other people do is right or wrong. I can only answer for myself.

 

[cnm]

No, it was not. Don't use words you don't understand.

Slavery was moral to the South. It was the cornerstone of their new government. Use some words you understand.

 

[ding]

No, it was not. Don't use words you don't understand.

Slavery was moral to the South. It was the cornerstone of their new government. Use some words you understand.

You misspelled Democrats. Northern Democrats voted in lock step with Southern Democrats.

 

[BreezeWood]

No, it was not. Don't use words you don't understand.

Slavery was moral to the South. It was the cornerstone of their new government. Use some words you understand.

You misspelled Democrats. Northern Democrats voted in lock step with Southern Democrats.

.
no, you misspelled - bible belt ... north and south, slavery.