(December 9, 2010 at 6:28 am)16three-john Wrote: Hey, I'm a christian who's simply just wondering what atheists think about the subject of morality. I'm not gonna twist ur answers and try to preach at you or anything, so please don't be defensive or anything. It's just that I have been thinking about morality, and I wonder where atheists believe that their moral values originate from?
Oh I think this is a great question that sort of shows me my own hypocrisy. I'm not a christian but I would lying if I said christian values didn't have an influence on my ethical code. I can concede that my morals are inspired from the things I was raised with but at the end of the day I had to define my moral code within the parameters of who I am as a person as opposed to what a preacher says the bible says.
I see the value of morals...I just don't believe in the veracity of the bible stories that espouse them. I have to struggle with what is or isn' t moral without a manual and hope at the end of the day I do more good than bad.
The bible is a lie...but a well meaning one. I think there are many people in the world who just cannot function without this fairy tale. I think religion probably curtails the insanity or self destruction of many a "lost soul" out there while it exasperates the problem in others. I think there are many people who couldn't handle being atheist...their half-hearted faith and fear of a vengeful God is all that keeps them from being utter criminals.
The faithful have their share of fanatics and we faithless have our share of nihilists. There are always going to be people who use their beliefs or lack there of to justify their own selfishness.
