Where do atheists get their morality from?

[Whateverist]

We all ultimately get our morality from religion. No matter how much many will say that religious law does not affect their morality, they are still affected by thousands of years of religious law becoming secular law. Even if the religions behind those laws are long extinct, their legacy still remains.

And here am I thinking I'm just making mine up as I go. I guess this is a postmodern sort of realization. It's all been done, nothing really new is possible anymore, everything is derivative. Leastwise I can assure you that at no point do I ever take out a religious document to make sure I'm doing it right.

[Faith No More]

do atheists even have a book about morality?

It's questions like this that make me think that there are some people that just need religion. 'Do atheists have a book about morality,' as if there are no answers to anything in life unless they are sandwiched between two covers, written by someone else who had to do the thinking for them. Don't worry, I get it. Thinking is hard, and it's much easier to just blindly swallow ideas that others have written down.

(Now, I'm off to rape and pillage, because I've never read a book that told me not to.)

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Actually atheists do tend to get their morality from the Bible and older religious codecs as well...

To prove this you must first show that religion predates morality, otherwise it is completely possible that religion simply incorporated existing morality into its dogma.

[Jackalope]

That's quite all right, FNM. I have a book that says it's OK to rape and pillage as long as they're not like you. Perhaps you've heard of it.

[Faith No More]

Are you referring to the greatest source of morality ever?

[Jackalope]

Are you referring to the greatest source of morality ever?

I wouldn't describe it that way, no.

[Phish]

Where did the christians got their morality from when they started like thousands of wars on who has a better imaginary friend? You tell me this buddy

[downbeatplumb]

Morality starts with empathy and is normal part of higher animals brain function.

http://news.discovery.com/animals/chimps...10808.html

If you can put yourself in other peoples positions you can 'feel their suffering' and, if you are a nice person, try to lessen it.

People who do not have empathy are psychopaths who use people as things.

It is interesting to note that a psychopathic mind set is often seen by high earning capitalists.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/13/opinio....html?_r=1

[Angrboda]

You know, I've heard that statistic about atheists in prisons and I don't think that it really proves anything. All that proves is that atheists are better at avoiding getting caught. Which makes sense. When you spend your whole life living in sin, you're bound to be better at it than the amateur from the other side of the fence who occasionally crosses over.

[Red Celt]

Morality starts with empathy and is normal part of higher animals brain function.

http://news.discovery.com/animals/chimps...10808.html

If you can put yourself in other peoples positions you can 'feel their suffering' and, if you are a nice person, try to lessen it.

People who do not have empathy are psychopaths who use people as things.

It is interesting to note that a psychopathic mind set is often seen by high earning capitalists.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/13/opinio....html?_r=1

I liked your post (and thoroughly agree with you) however, there's one small correction needed. People who lack empathy are sociopaths... but sociopaths can learn how to mock feelings and can live (relatively) successfully in society, by abiding to social norms. Psychopaths take it to the next level which (as you said) involves the abuse of others.

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You know, I've heard that statistic about atheists in prisons and I don't think that it really proves anything. All that proves is that atheists are better at avoiding getting caught. Which makes sense. When you spend your whole life living in sin, you're bound to be better at it than the amateur from the other side of the fence who occasionally crosses over.

It's a whole lot easier to get parole if you appear to be on a course of redemption, and religion is a useful "tool" on which to hang that apparent improvement from criminal to law-abiding citizen.

[downbeatplumb]

Morality starts with empathy and is normal part of higher animals brain function.

http://news.discovery.com/animals/chimps...10808.html

If you can put yourself in other peoples positions you can 'feel their suffering' and, if you are a nice person, try to lessen it.

People who do not have empathy are psychopaths who use people as things.

It is interesting to note that a psychopathic mind set is often seen by high earning capitalists.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/13/opinio....html?_r=1

I liked your post (and thoroughly agree with you) however, there's one small correction needed. People who lack empathy are sociopaths... but sociopaths can learn how to mock feelings and can live (relatively) successfully in society, by abiding to social norms. Psychopaths take it to the next level which (as you said) involves the abuse of others.

It had a path in it didn't it! anyhoo I was a little unsure myself about 'psychopath' a little after I posted it but laziness stayed my hand.