I'm sure we atheists have all heard it before: "What's the point of being good if there's no god?" And we all understand just how silly that is, along with all the attendant claims of moral relativism and secret belief in god and so on.
But the more I think about it, the less that question makes sense, and the more it says about the theist that's asking it. The standard answer to this idea that morality becomes meaningless without a god dictating it is that the person barely held back from immorality by their almighty creator is far more immoral than the person capable of being good without the threat of hell. That's a fine answer, but really, the question doesn't need one: it can be asked back to the theist quite comfortably.
What purpose does the theist think morality serves, if they're asking this? Leaving aside the question of whether or not god made it or not, is there really not a reason for it that the theist can envision? Is it their view that god just created a set of random moral laws for no reason and applied them to humanity, or is there an actual, practical reason for these things?
So, theists, help me out: is there a reason, in the physical world, why your god proposed commandments like "thou shalt not kill," or was he just doing it for funsies?
If you can think of a practical answer, that's the answer to the "good without god" question too.
But the more I think about it, the less that question makes sense, and the more it says about the theist that's asking it. The standard answer to this idea that morality becomes meaningless without a god dictating it is that the person barely held back from immorality by their almighty creator is far more immoral than the person capable of being good without the threat of hell. That's a fine answer, but really, the question doesn't need one: it can be asked back to the theist quite comfortably.
What purpose does the theist think morality serves, if they're asking this? Leaving aside the question of whether or not god made it or not, is there really not a reason for it that the theist can envision? Is it their view that god just created a set of random moral laws for no reason and applied them to humanity, or is there an actual, practical reason for these things?
So, theists, help me out: is there a reason, in the physical world, why your god proposed commandments like "thou shalt not kill," or was he just doing it for funsies?
If you can think of a practical answer, that's the answer to the "good without god" question too.
"YOU take the hard look in the mirror. You are everything that is wrong with this world. The only thing important to you, is you." - ronedee
Want to see more of my writing? Check out my (safe for work!) site, Unprotected Sects!
Want to see more of my writing? Check out my (safe for work!) site, Unprotected Sects!
