Hi DANSURP. I think this is argument is countered by evidence. If this were true then we would see:
1) More atheists commit crimes than the religious, and we don't infact the opposite is true
2) Societies with higher incidence/inclination of/to atheism having higher crimes rates, and we don't infact the opposite is true
Infact the argument I would propose is opposite to your view. Lack of belief in an afterlife, tends people to focus on maximising their own well-being, tends people to maximise good in their society as that benefits them reciprocally. Beleif in an afterlife means people have a lower regard for their current well-being, tends people to disrupt society as they see little reciprocal benefit.
where are you getting your atheism questionnaire for crime exit polling? Atheist are an extremely small demographic and the basis of the question had to do with if there was no god, therefore everyone by default would be an atheist. If I understand what you are stating, you think that I am applying this philsophy to our current status in the world and if you are, I understand what you are saying. My scenario again has to do with a sudden knowledge right now that all the world accepts that there is no afterlife. I am only guessing anyways, I can only assume that as I said, there were 2 deterents before (one of human punishment and one of god afterlife punishment) Take away the god deterent, there has to be more "crime" Since I am only guessing, I could be wrong, but there is no way to prove it.
I do disagree with your view on afterlife people having a lower regard for themselves. I would have exchanged your last sentence with people whohave no belief in afterlife have a lower regard...........
People who believe in an afterlife are more afraid of how they act in this life. Its all about judgment in today's religon. If you anger the god(s) by being immoral, you will rot in the fiery pit of hell forever. The fear of this wrath is what keeps people following the rules. If you don't believe in the afterlife, it would make sense that you would care less how you acted here because there is no consequence after death like the religious believe. Unless I misunderstood religion and breaking all of god's commandments mean a life of eternal joy anyways when you die. I went to church growing up and it was 3 hour never ending sermons. I am pretty sure they taught that living an unholy life leads to hell. I sure cared about how I acted for fear of going to hell. I still had faith until college answered how everything worked. I am done with this topic; I am willing to admit I could be wrong, but I need someone to explain how removing the fear of god as a deterent would make our society safer and better.
1) More atheists commit crimes than the religious, and we don't infact the opposite is true
2) Societies with higher incidence/inclination of/to atheism having higher crimes rates, and we don't infact the opposite is true
Infact the argument I would propose is opposite to your view. Lack of belief in an afterlife, tends people to focus on maximising their own well-being, tends people to maximise good in their society as that benefits them reciprocally. Beleif in an afterlife means people have a lower regard for their current well-being, tends people to disrupt society as they see little reciprocal benefit.
where are you getting your atheism questionnaire for crime exit polling? Atheist are an extremely small demographic and the basis of the question had to do with if there was no god, therefore everyone by default would be an atheist. If I understand what you are stating, you think that I am applying this philsophy to our current status in the world and if you are, I understand what you are saying. My scenario again has to do with a sudden knowledge right now that all the world accepts that there is no afterlife. I am only guessing anyways, I can only assume that as I said, there were 2 deterents before (one of human punishment and one of god afterlife punishment) Take away the god deterent, there has to be more "crime" Since I am only guessing, I could be wrong, but there is no way to prove it.
I do disagree with your view on afterlife people having a lower regard for themselves. I would have exchanged your last sentence with people whohave no belief in afterlife have a lower regard...........
People who believe in an afterlife are more afraid of how they act in this life. Its all about judgment in today's religon. If you anger the god(s) by being immoral, you will rot in the fiery pit of hell forever. The fear of this wrath is what keeps people following the rules. If you don't believe in the afterlife, it would make sense that you would care less how you acted here because there is no consequence after death like the religious believe. Unless I misunderstood religion and breaking all of god's commandments mean a life of eternal joy anyways when you die. I went to church growing up and it was 3 hour never ending sermons. I am pretty sure they taught that living an unholy life leads to hell. I sure cared about how I acted for fear of going to hell. I still had faith until college answered how everything worked. I am done with this topic; I am willing to admit I could be wrong, but I need someone to explain how removing the fear of god as a deterent would make our society safer and better.
