On theism, why do humans have moral duties even if there are objective moral values?

[Pnerd]

I was listening to William Lane Craig's moral argument. Even if we grant him that God exists and objective morality exists and god is the basis of objective morality, why do humans have moral duties? Why do we have to be good and do good other than for a selfish interest in going to heaven? He just claims that we do have moral duties (just like he claims by fiat that objective moral values exist). But why, on theism, do humans have a moral duty to be good?

[arewethereyet]

Hello,
It's sort of a tradition to make and introduction thread and tell us a little about yourself.

[Pnerd]

Hello,
It's sort of a tradition to make and introduction thread and tell us a little about yourself.

Done.

[Pnerd]

Hello,
It's sort of a tradition to make and introduction thread and tell us a little about yourself.

Done

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

I was listening to William Lane Craig's moral argument. Even if we grant him that God exists and objective morality exists and god is the basis of objective morality, why do humans have moral duties? Why do we have to be good and do good other than for a selfish interest in going to heaven? He just claims that we do have moral duties (just like he claims by fiat that objective moral values exist). But why, on theism, do humans have a moral duty to be good?

You answered it yourself - humans are required to behave morally because God said so. No other justification is needed.

Boru

[Angrboda]

I was listening to William Lane Craig's moral argument. Even if we grant him that God exists and objective morality exists and god is the basis of objective morality, why do humans have moral duties? Why do we have to be good and do good other than for a selfish interest in going to heaven? He just claims that we do have moral duties (just like he claims by fiat that objective moral values exist). But why, on theism, do humans have a moral duty to be good?

12 All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. 14 (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.)

Romans 2:12-15 (NIV)

[Belacqua]

I was listening to William Lane Craig's moral argument. Even if we grant him that God exists and objective morality exists and god is the basis of objective morality, why do humans have moral duties? Why do we have to be good and do good other than for a selfish interest in going to heaven? He just claims that we do have moral duties (just like he claims by fiat that objective moral values exist). But why, on theism, do humans have a moral duty to be good?

I don't know what William Lane Craig says. He gets a lot of attention these days, but I don't find him to be a very interesting thinker.

There's a lot of variation among Christians, of course. So you'd get a variety of different answers if you went to a Christian site. I can outline the view that I studied, when I was reading Christian theology:

~ Human beings are a certain kind of animal, with particular needs, abilities, limitations, etc. 

~ There are ways of behaving that are suitable to our particular qualities, and ways that aren't. The best behavior is that which aims toward our best overall well-being. 

~ We may not understand what is best for us in any given situation. This is why we have various institutions to provide guidelines. (Though of course institutions may fail to know well.) 

~ Humans are by nature social animals. No one is an island. One's overall well-being depends very much on the well-being of others. 

Morality and ethics are the norms we use to aim toward what is best for us, which includes what is best for everyone else. 

"Moral duty" means the recognition that it is bad to harm ourselves or others, and the commitment not to do so. It means adopting the responsibility of behaving with the well-being of ourselves and others constantly in mind.

[brewer]

I was listening to William Lane Craig's moral argument. Even if we grant him that God exists and objective morality exists and god is the basis of objective morality, why do humans have moral duties? Why do we have to be good and do good other than for a selfish interest in going to heaven? He just claims that we do have moral duties (just like he claims by fiat that objective moral values exist). But why, on theism, do humans have a moral duty to be good?

Well this is easy  and it's a triple edged sword. Behave with moral  actions = heaven. Behave with amoral actions = hell. Behave with amoral actions yet repent = heaven.

It's kind of a weird Catch 22. Which ticket do you think the true christians believers want?

Don't get me started on catholics and their ability to purchase forgiveness.

And remember humans created god, heaven and hell. Think about it.

[Neo-Scholastic]

IMHO references to objectivity often entail the notion that attaining a third-person perspective, i.e. a God's-Eye-View is conceivable. But if it is truly concievable, as opposed to say just imagined, then the object of that conception would be God. So really objectivity entails the concept of God in at least as much as it is possible to percieve the universe from the outside.

[Belacqua]

I was listening to William Lane Craig's moral argument. Even if we grant him that God exists and objective morality exists and god is the basis of objective morality, why do humans have moral duties? Why do we have to be good and do good other than for a selfish interest in going to heaven? He just claims that we do have moral duties (just like he claims by fiat that objective moral values exist). But why, on theism, do humans have a moral duty to be good?

You could break this down into separate questions.

Even if we grant him that God exists and objective morality exists and god is the basis of objective morality, why do humans have moral duties?

First, some atheists believe that objective morality exists. Its objectivity doesn't necessarily mean that it comes from God. You could ask: if there is (non-God-given) objective morality, why do humans have moral duties? That would simplify part of the question, by leaving out the divine part. 

Why do we have to be good and do good other than for a selfish interest in going to heaven?

You seem to be assuming that if an objective morality comes from God, then the only reason to be good is to want, selfishly, to go to Heaven. I'm not sure that's true. One could want to be a good person for other reasons, as well. In fact, they might be some of the same reasons why atheists ought to be good.