Is There a Point To Living a Moral Life?

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...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!

Lets pile onto this Drich's response and deal with the 2 together shall we?

"Why should you lead a moral life? Because you fear jail? Being Raped in prison? Those are my reasons."

At the risk of boring regular readers to death this is my big problem with your religion.

The foundation of your religion is that humanity is so bad that it required a human sacrifice to save us.

This is something that I reject out-of-hand, whilst giving an involuntary shudder.

It makes you incapable of seeing that people can be good simply for the sake of it. Let me therefore, give you the selfish side of why being "good" is the choice I make, assuming the concept of altruism is really lost on you.

Why are people ethical/moral?

In the main - simply because it feels good to be so. That's good as in heart warming, not as in all superior and proud as the religious might want to portray it.

I din't really have to address the big issues - rape, murder etc.- I would hope those are obvious to all. Those are just innately wrong - against programming - evolutionarily disadvantageous - call it what you will.

Lets look at the little issues:

I am not sure at what age it happened but there was a point when I realised that giving a gift to someone actually felt better than receiving one. I got more out of the giving than the receiving. Certainly as a parent you become fully aware of this, but I do think, in my own case, it happened rather earlier.

I think this relates to a concept that I have seen called "random acts of kindness." It is something I practise whenever possible. These can be tiny stupid things. Outside the supermarket you need the right change to unlock a shopping trolley (50 cents). Old guy struggling - can't find the change - can't even see the change in his own hand properly. I give him my empty returning trolley and refuse his offer to pay me the 50 cents. He's grateful - but I could feel good about that all day. For 50 cents that's quite the bargain.

I've written before about why I value honesty - it was a traumatic event in my own life. Whatever cost that might have in my life (and its been pretty minimal so far) is nothing to the ease with which I drift off into sleep each evening.

Are you starting to understand yet?

Its not God, the Boogie man, the police, the courts, the legal system that impacts any of this. This is an entirely internal process - devoid of external influence. I think it is a natural state, or target state.

Why am I good?

Because I like the way it makes me feel.