Why be good?

[Randy Carson]

If it is true that the only reason you aren't committing atrocities is your belief in a higher power, then a)please do not ever stop holding that belief and b)please consult a mental health professional, because you are severely lacking in empathy and that is a very worrying sign.

Assuming, of course, you're not just bullshitting us and possibly yourself.

Is it really so extreme as that?

Sure, we all have basic understandings of right and wrong (I say these are from God; some but not all atheists in this thread say they are from societal convention or agreement or evolution).

However, there's no reason to believe that all Christians would become axe murderers if they "lost" their faith. But conversely, I think the "Mad Max" analogy used much earlier might have some truth to it in the total absence of God.

Let me put it this way: you, as an atheist, benefit from the fact that you live in a society that is still largely influenced by Judeo-Christian morality. A look at ISIS will give you some indication of what your life would be like if Christianity were not still pulling us to the "right".

Or would you look forward to living under Sharia law? And what would life be like if there were no authority at all?