We often give humans more credit than they deserve. We don't go around killing/raping/stealing from each other because it's simply not in our nature to do so. Invoking morality suggests some sort of active thought process; a balancing of the scales so to speak. We don't ask, "why don't fish go around killing each other?" or "why don't elephants go around killing each other?"
It seems to me that we are just intelligent enough to learn, reason, and be convinced, but not intelligent enough to do it well. Our intelligence gives us motives that are simply not present in other animals - some of those motives are positive, some negative - and morality is how we deal with those motives.
Take "not killing" as an example. Not killing people is not a moral question. We simply don't do it (yes, I know some do, but that's mirrored in the animal kingdom also). It only becomes a moral question when we have the opportunity to rationalise our decision making process. Is it right to kill one to save many (for instance)? Generally speaking, you'd have to say yes, but our nature shows itself when you realise how hard it would be to do.
The questions I would ask religious people are, what true moral dilemnas does your religion actually answer? Would most people, of any religious persuasion come up with the same answer? Could someone else from the same religion come up with a different answer?
It seems to me that we are just intelligent enough to learn, reason, and be convinced, but not intelligent enough to do it well. Our intelligence gives us motives that are simply not present in other animals - some of those motives are positive, some negative - and morality is how we deal with those motives.
Take "not killing" as an example. Not killing people is not a moral question. We simply don't do it (yes, I know some do, but that's mirrored in the animal kingdom also). It only becomes a moral question when we have the opportunity to rationalise our decision making process. Is it right to kill one to save many (for instance)? Generally speaking, you'd have to say yes, but our nature shows itself when you realise how hard it would be to do.
The questions I would ask religious people are, what true moral dilemnas does your religion actually answer? Would most people, of any religious persuasion come up with the same answer? Could someone else from the same religion come up with a different answer?
