Do you need religion to have morals and ethics?

Question

alice55 · Accepted Answer

Yes you do, even atheist have their morals influenced by religion (the religion of the country they grew up in even if they do not believe into it) because religion become part of culture and it mix together.

All Atheist from around the world do not have the same morals / ethic on what's ok and what's not, Christian are against prostitution and women getting into porn, dressing revealing, etc... even atheist in my country are against such things they consider those stuff degrading for a woman (porn, sexy pictures, etc...) while in Japan all of those are consider ok and encouraged (no mean comment to women being gravure idol, they search for porn star in the street asking very young women to star in their porn movie and nobody think is bad, in France they would be considered pimp and not ok), etc... The ways women are portrayed in Japanese media are seen as a shame, rude endnote ok this is because we have Catholic culture in France and morals / ethic the religion influence what's good and bad even for atheist so yes you need religion o shape your morals / ethic.

Inuit used to share their women with stranger that they encounter and were in bad shape, they gave them food, a house for a day and shared their women in the stranger bed for a night this is considered cheating and wrong any person doing this in France would be considered as having no morals (as any person cheating on their spouse with a prostitute but this same things is totally ok in Japan because is it seen as purchasing a service and not cheating) the religion shape all of our life / culture even for the non believer.

purplepoppy · Accepted Answer

No, I'm an atheist but I'm a better Christian than most church goers. I definitely have better morals and ethics than most of the religious people on this site.

Lliam · Accepted Answer

Absolutely not. In fact, some religious rules are insane.

I don't need a handbook to know right from wrong.

The only four "Commandments" in the Bible that are universal are:
- Don't murder.
- Don't steal.
- Don't lie.
- Don't covet.

Duh. Mere common sense tells you that those things are wrong. Anyone who does them knows that they are doing something bad.

Another aphorism that makes sense is "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you". But that policy doesn't just come from the Bible. It has been said in different words by all religions. And it could have been said by anyone. It's not necessarily religious.

You don't need the threat of eternal damnation to hold you back from harming others.
Most people possess something called empathy.

And a lot of people who do not subscribe to the mythology of religion have great love, awe, gratitude and reverence for all creation, including living creatures and people. Therefore, they don't cause unnecessary destruction, harm or suffering to anything or anyone.

As an agnostic, I hate hurting anything.

ohsheeT · Accepted Answer

No I don't believe so I believe you have to know who you are and who you want to be it's a choice to have morals values and ethics

Look at bad people and the things that they do the reason why they do those bad things is because it's easy they're lazy and it's easier to do those things because it's hard it's very hard to be the person that you want to become because you have to practice it until you become it you have to believe in it with all your heart until you become it and that's just with everything in life religion doesn't hurt anything or make it better or faster for you to believe in these things but it's a choice we all make on our own on who we truly want to be and when you have morals values and ethics and you live that lifestyle things are just better if you're lazy non caring used people and you have no morals values or ethics life sucks

strateguy632 · Answer

Obviously need religion!

First morals can't be subjective or else everone has different morality.

One says, ' steal from rich is okay" another says "steal clothes is necessity" despite shoplifting.

Worse look at the world in england as christian lessened crime and rape increased.

People say "nobody will punish me" what motivation does an atheist have, to not shoplift. They deny god n nobody can tell them what is immoral. Then we get what we see on the news n things get worse each year.

BCRanger10 · Answer

Strictly speaking, no. But then again, something else important to consider is that the object of religion is not simply the teaching or practicing of good moral values, though that is indispensable. The primary end of religion is about man's relation to God.

My thinking is that while it's good that a Christian and an atheist might both agree that you shouldn't murder, steal, or cheat on your spouse, there has to be a higher reason for doing good things and avoiding bad ones. A higher authority has to confirm, has to give weight to these things. Otherwise, the risk (at the very least) of morality being subject to personal feelings and whims, cultural norms, and votes increases. Or in other words, religion brings moral behavior to a sense of fulfillment.

normalice · Answer

I would almost say the opposite is true. To truly think on behalf of others' plight you need to shed the idea that there is an absolute moral authority who will cover the costs of whatever terrible thing you might do to others.

It's easy for a religious person to justify murder because they believe this life is fleeting anyway. And if anything they are saving anyone they kill from damnation by helping them die for the right god. But if you don't believe any of that it gets really hard to justify even wishing harm on someone.

AMS700CX4u2 · Answer

I don't think religion is necessary for a moral compass to function. However, a person has to be exposed to someone with morals to learn. Popes of long ago wanted to know what language Adam and Eve spoke so the took a male and female child an allowed them to grow uncontaminated by social input. The result was not encouraging. They developed no language and no socialization skills. Nuff Said. But even those beyond the influence of organized religion develop some sense of right and wrong.

jshm2 · Answer

Obviously.

That's as daft as asking if you need to have "chocolate" to have a chocolate cake".

Anything else can only be "chocolate flavoured" or an imitation, but not "chocolate" regardless of how it is spun.

Ethics is a form of imitation of religious morals. But it's more towards consensus and culture, than religion.

Titanic1912 · Answer

I’m a Christian and I have Jesus not just to say I’m perfect and have it all together! I’m a Christian and I have Jesus because I admit I’m a sinner and I need a Savior! I am a sinner and a full mess, but Jesus is my Savior and I want Him in control of my life!

genericname85 · Answer

obviously not. like you don't even need to think 2 seconds about it. here, i'll quickly make a moral: drinking beer is good. drinking water is bad. that's it. that's by definition a moral. cause having morals just means having a concept of right and wrong or good and bad. doesn't have to be a good one or one people agree with. and if i take that moral and let it guide my actions, i got ethics. it's that simple.

Kaneki05 · Answer

No it's an absurd thing to think.
The morals within religion were already morals pre-existing in some shape or form before that religion existed.
Though of course if you think the religion came before humans and the humans didn't just create that religion then you would be right but your right in your own pattern of logic than reality of what happened.

Sonorous · Answer

Maybe up to a certain point. For instance, I'd be far more likely to commit a crime than a religious person because I do not believe in God or heaven or hell. I believe that all consequences of that action will take place on earth. But this doesn't mean that I'd want to commit a crime. I'd just be more likely to than someone who feels that they'll be perpetually on fire for infinity & beyond for stealing a pack of wrigleys doublemint gum.

exitseven · Answer

No, recognize the Ten Commandments but I do not consider myself very religious. I am more a Code of the West guy.

EmmaMary · Answer

Well I most certainly do not require, need, want or ever desire to have any of that complete and utter fucking  Bollox  to determine anything in my life.

Knightwatch27 · Answer

No, but you need a higher power to explain where ethics and the idea of right and wrong come from. There's no morality without a moral-giver. If morality isn't up to a higher standard/power, then it's subjective and meaningless because anyone of us can dictate right and wrong and no one is more right than the other. Which as any sane person can conclude, means chaos.

matchrestore · Answer

No. You can still have morals and ethics without religion, and I'd even argue those morals and ethics are more sincere since they aren't coming from a threat of eternal damnation.

Jessica405 · Answer

No. I am Pagan, which for me, is a way of living, not a religion. It is a system of celebration rather than veneration.

I hope in my way of living that I have decent morals and ethics. Others can judge whether that is a reality.

Ladsin2 · Answer

Most ethical and moral systems are non-religiously based. Consequentialism, most Deontological ethics, and Virtue ethicists aren't dependent on a religion. The only one I can think of would be the divine command theorists.

RebelinSteel · Answer

No and it’s sort of scary that people need a book written thousands of years ago, just to work out right from wrong.

DishLady · Answer

No, however having guidelines set up for you DOES make things easier for youth to learn and craft a solid sense of ethics.

worldscolide · Answer

No. Its a common misconception that laws, ethics, and morals come from religion. It in fact does not. These things predate written language.

Ms_Facesitter · Answer

No, too many got killed in the name of religion to believe otherwise.

Staximus · Answer

Not at all. I know plenty of people who are not religious that have more ethics and morals than most religious people

Hispanic-Cool-Guy · Answer

Not necessarily. God gave us a conscience to know right from wrong unless a person is a psychopath. Now, becoming a christian and following God's commandments in the Bible strengths your morals.

FreyaRed · Answer

No. Just don't do to others you don't want others do to you.

Samantha_17 · Answer

Nope. I'm a sensible person. Morals and ethics automatically come with that...

Dargil · Answer

There are no morals and ethics without a belief system National Socialism/The Democrat Party is a belief system, all evil.

Taniisokay · Answer

Yeah! Society changes so the morality. Religion gives us morality which objective.

slatyb · Answer

I'm not religious and I'm am highly ethical. Almost no atheists are incarcerated in the US.

NathanDavis · Answer

not really... I'm agnostic myself

thenerdone · Answer

By creating a code of morality and ethics, you essentially create a religion.

Anonymous · Answer

I’m religious and religion is what i follow for my morals. However, i believe people can have ethics regardless of their religion.

Anonymous · Answer

No, I'm not religious at all, but I'm a very moral and ethical person.

zombiewoof · Answer

No, just being a good person will give you that

katiesmuff · Answer

Absolutely Not

buzzword · Answer

Yep.

jahaims · Answer

Obviously not

Cheerfull009 · Answer

Yes, I want religion, morales and ethics

Agape93 · Answer

Nope

laly520 · Answer

not really

call_me_scar · Answer

Nope

Pterodon · Answer

Nope

Do you need religion to have morals and ethics?

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