RE: Men & children killed & dismembered by an atheist.
February 9, 2013 at 5:09 am
(This post was last modified: February 9, 2013 at 5:11 am by Confused Ape.)
(February 8, 2013 at 6:07 pm)AtlasS Wrote: Then if you're just an atheist, your action would be either to go akimbo like Dahmer, or pick up an ideology to govern your life even if that ideology is your own invention, if that's the case, then it was influenced by another ideology. How do you differentiate between what is right & what is wrong without laws & ideologies ?
This is something which puzzles many theists. I think there's a clue in what is known as the Golden Rule
Quote:The Golden Rule or ethic of reciprocity is a maxim,[1] ethical code, or morality[2] that essentially states either of the following:
(Positive form of Golden Rule): One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself.[1]
(Negative form of Golden Rule): One should not treat others in ways that one would not like to be treated.
This has turned up in religions and philosophies all around the world for thousands of years.
Quote:This concept can be explained from the perspective of psychology, philosophy, sociology, and religion. Psychologically, it involves a person empathizing with others. Philosophically, it involves a person perceiving their neighbor as also "an I" or "self."[3][4] Sociologically, this principle is applicable between individuals, between groups, and also between individuals and groups. (For example, a person living by this rule treats all people with consideration, not just members of his or her in-group). Religion is an integral part of the history of this concept.[1][5]
If a human is incapable of empathising with others, religion won't turn them into a decent human being. They'll use religion to gain power and make money etc. If a human can empathise with others they will be a decent human being even if they don't believe in any deity.
Caring people are working for things like human rights, disaster aid, conservation and animal welfare etc. Many of them are religious while others are not. Uncaring people are out to grab whatever they can for themselves. Many of them are religious while others are not.
Where are the snake and mushroom smilies?
