Being good without god

[Anymouse]

The question is not can we be good without God, but how are we truly "good" without God in a truly moral sense. I often hear the POV of the OP, but it's only half an argument. I've yet to see someone complete the other half. (And there are plenty of books out there which have attempted to do so. Alas, I haven't read most of them.)

Because morals are not derived from a book. How does one determine the Bible is a moral book, while they might determine the Qu'ran is not a moral book?
Because they already have morals.
How are we good without God? My understanding of good (promoting the commonweal) over "bad" (self-promotion at the expense of others) works just fine without a god.
I do not kill my neighbours, because I do not wish to be killed in turn.
I do not wish to rob someone because I do not wish to be robbed.
I do not cheat on my taxes, because I consider it unpatriotic.
I do not cheat on my wife, because I do not wish to be cheated on in turn, and I made an agreement with her about that which did not include any god.
The vast majority of what we consider "moral" is more properly defined as "pragmatism."
On the other hand, the Bible considers genocide, incest, rape, slavery, a whole host of marriage arrangements, plunder, rapine, and butchery of children for taunting a bald man to be morally good acts blessed by God.
The truth of the matter here is the only proof for the Christian version of a god is found in the Bible, a book written entirely within the capabilities of Bronze Age culture. And the only way the Bible can be justified for a source of (good) morality is to ignore large passages which are evil.
While humankind has come to a better understanding of what it means to live amongst each other, the Bible remains unchanged. The only way it can be justified as a "moral source for good" it to ignore the parts where it is a moral force for evil.
And God himself creates evil; it says so in Isaiah. (I will leave it to the student to find the passage.)
It is noteworthy that those who seem to me most often read the Bible (not just favourite passages, but all the Bible) are those who do not believe in it. Despite the commission of 1 Peter 3:15 to be able to give good reason for one's faith.
Perhaps it just comes from my former Wiccan perspective, or perhaps my lack of college, but it seems to me to be able to give good reason for a claim (such as the Bible is a source for moral good), one must at least read and understand what is being claimed.
I would caution the reader of this message who would actually carry out that commission and read and understand the Bible from cover to cover (that is, without interpreting or cherry-picking) - it is the single best tract for deconverting people and making atheists.