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I was watching a tv program where a priest and an athiest were going back and forth. At one point the priest started badgering the athiest with the question of "why be good" and "where do you get your morals from". Strangely the athiest was a big flustered and avoided the question. At first glance these seem like difficult questions to answer, but the more I thought about it they are quite easy.
1. "Why be good"
You could say there is natural animal altruism and that history has shown that collective cooperation has more benefits than selfish hostility. But a quick and obvious answer can simply be "I don't want to go to jail". Right? People always make the argument, "if you don't think there is judgment at death, go crazy, rob people, kill for a stereo." No thanks I'd rather not spend my life in jail. Morals a side there is a practical side that is very powerful. Maybe if we were on a "Lord of the Flies" island some of us would kill and be selfish. But society has bounds you want to live within even if your morals don't coincide. Does that makes sense?
2. "Where do you get your morals from"
Why do people equate a moral set with a specific belief in God? Can't I adopt some christian values and retain my skepticism? Personally I adopt my morals from many religions and philosophies. Doesn't mean I believe in their Gods. It just means they make sense to me and my life. Is that so hard for atheists to admit?
A. Side statement: I regularly go to a pentecostal church once a week. It's a night for young adults and I go for the social side and stories. One thing I hear all the time there is during story telling (which are fascinating) they speak as if these stories are truth and how historically correct they are. I feel like I am the only one there who understands that the stories that have historical backing are the ones with a huge disconnect between the story and the proof of God. I once heard someone tell me that they thought the Bible was written and constructed in a way that people at that time could understand. That God did things in that time that people would understand. An interesting comment, but the problem is that then God should update things so that we in todays time can understand. Because what worked 2000 years ago, is not working now, atleast for me :) He should get someone to write a New New Testament and get more miracles going that we today can relate to.
Perhaps I am not thinking these things through enough, but these are my immediate thoughts.
1. "Why be good"
You could say there is natural animal altruism and that history has shown that collective cooperation has more benefits than selfish hostility. But a quick and obvious answer can simply be "I don't want to go to jail". Right? People always make the argument, "if you don't think there is judgment at death, go crazy, rob people, kill for a stereo." No thanks I'd rather not spend my life in jail. Morals a side there is a practical side that is very powerful. Maybe if we were on a "Lord of the Flies" island some of us would kill and be selfish. But society has bounds you want to live within even if your morals don't coincide. Does that makes sense?
2. "Where do you get your morals from"
Why do people equate a moral set with a specific belief in God? Can't I adopt some christian values and retain my skepticism? Personally I adopt my morals from many religions and philosophies. Doesn't mean I believe in their Gods. It just means they make sense to me and my life. Is that so hard for atheists to admit?
A. Side statement: I regularly go to a pentecostal church once a week. It's a night for young adults and I go for the social side and stories. One thing I hear all the time there is during story telling (which are fascinating) they speak as if these stories are truth and how historically correct they are. I feel like I am the only one there who understands that the stories that have historical backing are the ones with a huge disconnect between the story and the proof of God. I once heard someone tell me that they thought the Bible was written and constructed in a way that people at that time could understand. That God did things in that time that people would understand. An interesting comment, but the problem is that then God should update things so that we in todays time can understand. Because what worked 2000 years ago, is not working now, atleast for me :) He should get someone to write a New New Testament and get more miracles going that we today can relate to.
Perhaps I am not thinking these things through enough, but these are my immediate thoughts.
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