Is There a Point To Living a Moral Life?

[Brian37]

...for an Atheist that is?

I see the mods have been busy!! Well.... I've been busy myself! Converting Atheists, and godless peeps in general is hard work! Plus... I figured you'd all want to wish me a Happy Anniversary!! Especially those who said I'd be run outta Dodge within a month! Really though... no cudos necessary! I know you all love me!

Back to the subject at hand! Given the natural cynicism and nastiness of Atheists [here] in general... is there any reason to live a "Moral" life?

"Moral", in terms of [Good, Honest] deemed by traditions through time. Maybe to include a few slightly general commandments: Lies, stealing, adultery, etc.

I mean... if there is no one or nothing to [say you are wrong, but you] about; a little swing w/ your buddies wife, or that $10 the acne faced kid gave you extra w/ your change at the Walmart; or telling your wife you were out w/ your buddy instead of his wife... How do you keep it in check? Or do you?

Yeah, yeah....I know you would say that Christians are doing the same thing....And they are! But, they do have a conviction in the Lord Jesus. and they know that they will answer to their words and deeds.

What do you have to answer to? Is there a point to living any kind of "honest" life?

As an observation as a Christian... Your words are pretty mean spirited to any religious. And I've witnessed a lot of hate here. Maybe you feel you have that right? But also people are individuals, and deserve at least to be heard for their ideas, and concepts relating to just about anything.... religious or otherwise.

Anyway... what do you as an atheists feel is your moral compass. And what is the gauge set at? Honesty in general... where is the line drawn, and how?

I hope you take this thread seriously! Thanks for your answers. As a Christian I have a guide/threat (if you will) in my life. I'm just curious how a person acts w/o what many here would call an "obstacle"?

Again! Good to be back celebrating ONE YEAR w/ all my A-team buddies!

Ultimately as Shakespeare's line rightfully said "Life is a flurry of activity, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing".

Now there are two ways ANYONE of any label can look at life. The pragmatic approach to not harming others physically is can be simply that if you do they will react to you and harm you back. The empathy side of our species is we also have the ability to understand pain from a psychological standpoint.

Not having a god does not mean we cannot reason as to why we should not do physical harm to others. That "NO DUH" aspect of our evolutionary morality is not the invention of a religion.

Your words are pretty mean spirited to any religious. And I've witnessed a lot of hate here

Hate in what context? Atheists don't live in a bubble, all of us here have family and friends and co-workers who believe to some degree.

The "hate" you see here is about what humans claim and the violence and bigotry done in the name of religion. That is why we don't give religion a pass. We can like and love people who believe and we do, but we don't have to like everything a person might claim or do.

I don't for example hate Malala, the girl shot in the face by the Taliban for merely wanting an education, she is a Muslim. I think she is badass for standing up to those ignorant bullies. But I do hate that her same religion produced the nuts that shot her. And I do hate the fact she feels the need to have a god at all. But she as an individual, outside her religious claims which I do hate, DOES represent a very inspiring story of ALL human struggle.

I used to be Catholic myself. I didn't hate all of the experiences then. But I do hate the fact that I used to buy into it, and do feel duped out of the ability to question it before I could make an adult decision about it. It was sold to me while my brain was a sponge.

I still love my Catholic mother. She is my biggest supporter, but she knows quite well I hate the claim of magic crackers saving a "soul". I do hate that all Christians, not just Catholics buy a 2,000 year old myth about babies being born virgins. It was understandable back then, but we know what DNA is now and we know it takes two sets to manifest into a baby.

I do hate people claiming that humans can survive death after having all their blood drain out of their body, die and get no medical aid, and ignore in reality that depending on environment temperature rigor mortis will set in after a period of time. No one comes back after your organs die and stay dead and decay and stiffen.

But I also hate that people care more about their "all powerful God" would or should care about being called names. It would seem a messed up priority considering all the death and disease and crime and famine and war going on worldwide. It makes this character look selfish. Look at how Muslim zealots behave when you pick on their Allah. If you are not willing to go to their extent, and I am sure you don't, then maybe you shouldn't even focus on us picking on your god, and actually worry about providing evidence for such, and if you cant, have the moral courage to admit you got it wrong.

Believers often say "love the sinner not the sin". I say the secular atheist version could be "Love the claimant not the claim".

We do hate, sure, but not for the reasons you think.