Why Do You or Did You Believe?

[Jenny A]

If I were being really honest, I would say I feel morality is built into my gut. But I think that only empathy is built into my gut. Much of morality is taught.

If you were to ask where I think it comes from, I would say it's a product of both biological and cultural evolution.

It being built in your gut says nothing about whether you should acknowledge it or value it. Also empathy being natural says nothing about whether it's wrong to ignore more then to act upon it.

Also whether it comes from both biological and cultural evolution, says nothing about whether we should acknowledge it or have faith in it.

So at the end, this doesn't answer the question.

Hmmm. It's a little like asking why I believe in pain, or love, or fear. I feel them. It's visceral. It's why lie detectors work to the extent that they do.

Why I act on it is different. Morality is necessary to make society work at all. Without it, the human world would be a dark and dangerous place. Fortunately, everyone by psychopaths feels it at some level. That's the biological level. Societies that have taught morality that fosters peaceful cooperative inter-human morality tend to do better.

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It's called imprinting.

Parents who believe do it (often unintentionally) to their children, but the church does it with deliberate and ominous intent.
That's why they set up "fun summer camps" for children. It's imperative that they get their message of eternal reward and hellfire drilled into their little minds. Many people never get it out.

I did.

Yes, but why did it work on you? Why did you believe? Why did you get out?