Can an atheist be moral?

[Melanie31]

I think it's definitely not possible. A neighbor of mine who knows atheists tells me, "Atheists feed on evil, they are always evil, stay away from them." Are atheists always evil?

[Lliam]

I don't consider a person who makes such statements to be moral. I think people like that are mean, ignorant, judgmental, bigoted, insular, and self-righteous. They may do any number of cruel things in the name of their religion.
History is replete with instances of people committing unspeakable horrors in the name of religion.

People who need a rule book to know right from wrong are pathetic.

Why can't a person simply be respectful, kind, courteous, generous, compassionate, loving, and treat others as they, themselves, would want to be treated? Why can't a person be filled wonder and awe at the variety of cultures around the world without imposing their beliefs on others?

[strateguy632]

In practice we see how harmful atheism is killing millions of HUMANS in abortion. Supporting mass killing is not a "good person" nor moral.

A person CAN'T avoid bad unless someone else teaches "what is considered bad."

[FreyaRed]

Well, in Islamic countries there are no atheists, those countries must be paradise on earth, see Afghanistan or Syria.
I know, I know white atheist devils and synagogue of Satan is responsible for that, never people who participate in those fights against each other. XD

[IslaTheWitch]

people have moral codes coming rather from their cultures and families than religions... so it doesn't matter if people believe in something or not... it's important to follow the moral code...

[Tamera952]

Of course, don’t be silly. I’m an atheist and quite moral, thank you very much. I don’t need any dogmatic cult, suffering from ‘group think’ to tell me what’s what. I know very well how to treat my fellow man and woman. I do the right thing when I can, and abide by the law (mostly). I honor the golden rule, of course, and it has served me very well all these years.
Furthermore, I argue that there is nothing inherently moral about religion—and think there’s more moral hypocrisy than moral guidance.

[DeepInsideJLOPEZAZZ]

Sure they can. Many atheists are good people but sometimes very pragmatic and overly rational type personalities. Engineers, scientists, philosophers, etc... those types of people who often need EVIDENCE and FACT to back every darn thing up in many cases those people are atheists. That doesn't mean they are BAD people. They just value FACTS over faith and intuition since they can't prove the latter. Don't let an atheist get you down... they actually do believe in a god they just don't understand it so they can't acknowledge it. Not their fact actually... it's how they are wired. )

[slatyb]

We don't "actually believe in a god." We don't pay much attention to the idea of god as we go about our lives. We believe that the existence of a god is unknown and unknowable. There's one thing we do know -- religious practices have no practical effect. Praying works exactly as well as doing nothing.

[Blunky]

Sure they can be moral, same as people who don't use religion as a cudgel. I would ask your neighbor what their definition of "evil" is. I find religious / anti-religion people who try to tell others how to live for their own comfort are the most "evil". Same view I have of political people. Your religion, or lack of one, isn't what defines your character. It's how you treat others.

[Tamera952]

Well said!

[mstbooblover]

Pretending atheists to be always evil seems to me a rather silly, if not plainly stupid. There are evil people in every community, be it religious ones or not. The same is true for good people: they can be found everywhere in any community.

What really matters is one's consciousness, one's awareness about one's actions and their consequences. Religion can help -all in all it's main goal-, but obviously not always.

[SofaKingsMart]

Religious people require a book to tell them to not hurt other people, and it’s Atheists who lack morals?
Come on!!!
Far too many bible believers are more interested in what their faith will bring them in the afterlife than they are helping others or caring for their neighbors.
Without a doubt there are evil atheists out there. There are also evil believers.
If you don’t know that, you’re just ignorant.
And that’s by choice.

[Tamera952]

100% agree, well stated.

[Anonymous]

You’re neighbour is attempting to demonise and alienate someone due to a bias held as a result of ignorance.

Atheists can be and are moral people. Just as there can be good and bad religious people, there are good and bad atheists. The difference is only in their motives. Otherwise good people can be beguiled into evil through inculcation into believing false claims made in scripture.

“With or without religion, good people can behave well and bad people can do evil; but for good people to do evil - that takes religion.”

- Steven Weinberg.

[Opinion Owner]

*your neighbour. Typo

[jshm2]

It's not really a question to ask as being an "atheist" means you do not believe in "morals" or have a subjective morality.

Depending on which faith and culture the atheist making the claim follows.

Most atheists are White Christians, so their problem is really about being anti-Christian, rather than atheist.

[Dargil]

If it is wrong to steal or murder, on what moral basis do you place that. If atheists believe in nothing, they believe that there is nothing that is truly bad or truly good. it's a very sad way to live. And at their funerals, they will be all dressed up and no place to go.

[strateguy632]

To @Dargil correct, i collected several such screenshots by pathetic atheists... just here in gag! "Nothing is wrong" several wrote in gag.

[Tamera952]

It’s not that they believe in nothing, it’s not that they believe that there is nothing truly bad or good, you are making assumptions. They are not making a judgment or statement about any of that —other than they don’t believe in god (and certainly not the ridiculous one portrayed by the silly Christians). That’s it. Just that.
And to turn the tables, I think it will be sad if faithful Christian ARE dressed up, thinking they’ve got a place to go, but quickly realize it ain’t quite what they hoped it would be? …. I don’t believe in god at all, but certainly am open minded enough to think there’s more to existence than what we experience down here in the flesh. I don’t believe in vid, but I think we have a soul and a spirit, for example. I don’t see any conflict in those two ideas coexisting.

[FunkyMonkee]

Absolutely!! There's thousands of religious people that AREN'T moral so, what does religion have to do with it?
I wouldn't even THINK about hurting or killing an ANIMAL (except mice, rats or certain bugs) and I'm an atheist but, my brother-in-law lives and breathes the bible and fancies himself a preacher but, he has no problem at all killing deer, or other animals for sport!!
Sounds to me like your friend is evil!!

[glennos89]

Being atheist doesn't mean that they will support evil at all! I'm an atheïst and I'm fully against evil just like you are!

My moral standard in life is... that you should threat others in the same way that you also want to be treated by them, for me that is with love and kindness.
Help others that need help regardless of they are religious or not, what the color of their skin is etc...

[strateguy632]

But you can test yourself @glennos89 you would agree that breaking someone else's window is evil... and that harming a dog or human fetus is worse than " breaking a dead window"... yet atheists motivated "support" #abortion.

[glennos89]

First of all, you haven't asked me what I think about abortion so how do you know what my opinion about it is?

You are generalizing but we all know that every person is different so you can never generalize like that.

Abortion is a difficult subject. Very difficult! Abortion is not something that should become normalized by society at all. But in certain cases I can totally understand abortion.

For example... When a woman is raped on the street by a random guy and gets pregnant from that incident but doesn't want a child.

Would you deny her to take a abortion?

[Tamera952]

Well said.

[glennos89]

Thanks 🙏🏼☺️

[DrPepper12]

Mel. You're too young to do this. Think for yourself. Ask for facts, examples, data, evidence. It's the theists that are much more likely to be evil whatever that means.

[WindAtMyBack]

If a person is moral only because some book or religion told them so, are they really moral?

I contend that an atheist who is moral of their own accord is more moral than someone who only does it because a book says so.

[strateguy632]

But you lied about the "reasoning". It is NOT "only does it because a book says so."

[WindAtMyBack]

@strateguy632

I did not say that a person is only moral because a book said so. I said **IF** a person is only moral because a book says so. I was asking if that was the only reason, are they really moral.

Absolutely a person can be moral of their own accord, and be religious.

[In_Trance]

The issue is, we can't agree on what a Moral is. Your morals are dictated by your religion. Your religion tells you what's right or wrong and what you can and can't do; but that doesn't apply to me. To say that I do something outside of the boundaries your religion tells you to live within is flawed logic.

[slatyb]

Do you know any? Does your neighbor? I'm an atheist in Seattle, the least religious city in the United States. I'm moral, and so are all my atheist friends.

[worldscolide]

I have been atheist since before you were born. I can tell you this, I have better moral fiber than a lot of Christians I know. Religion has ZERO to do with morals.

[strateguy632]

But who told you @worldscolide "what is considered moral" you can do anything and claim it is not "immoral".

[worldscolide]

This is what we call a logical fallacy. Laws and morals predate God and Christianity.

As to who taught me.. My grandfather, who was also atheist.

God and morals are Not the same. And I have seen things done in the name of God that would give you nightmares for the rest of your life.

[NathanDavis]

and religious people can be quite immoral, yes...

[Bricealan]

@Melanie31 Your neighbor sounds like a moron. I have been an atheist nearly my entire life... Sad to hear an adult make an ignorant comment like that.

[Bricealan]

@Madgedays I have no idea who you are and have never had any dealings with you whatsoever, so your comment to me is equally as ignorant. Do you read every thing I have ever written? What a goofy comment to make.

[Bricealan]

@Melanie31 Melanie, I wanted to quality my rather 'terse' reply to your question, in that I think your neighbor was out of line to suggest that atheists are "evil' and that they 'feed on evil" " they are always evil" and that you should stay away from that...
Being a person of the church... does not necessarily make a person 'good" ... then again, I am sure you know and understand that.

Bruce

[Makeushiver]

Absolutely, A bigger concern is can those people who are adherents to religion- esp western monotheistic faiths. Few have been killed in the name of Darwin many have in the name of Jesus, Yahveh, Allah

[strateguy632]

But you didn't count the million HUMANS killed in abortion that dawkins ranted about. In the name of darwin!

[Tamera952]

@strateguy632 STFU about abortions you fool. Get over it. The more abortions the better! Abort, abort, abort… Too many fucking people here already. You should care more about the ones already here. Don’t get all hung up on it.

[Red_Arrow]

Atheist means not believing in a religion. And many people who are atheists are moral.

[DJB72]

Morality is born from an absolute position of good and evil. They can be moral, but they'll never admit their atheistic position falls apart because of it.

[Tamera952]

Huh? Talk about some word salad! WTF are you trying to say? “Morality is born from an absolute position of good and evil” —huh? Says you.

[DJB72]

Well relative morality doesn't work. It can't. You'd be unable to enforce any law because the accused would be able to simply claim that from their perspective they did nothing wrong by stealing, beating, raping and killing.

All morality starts from a position assuming an absolute of right and wrong, and all laws stem from that.

For someone who believes in God - for the purposes of this answer it doesn't matter which religion - the source of the moral absolute is obvious.

But for the atheist, only relative morality is possible, meaning quite literally anything is permissable from the moral perspective of the individual.

[Tamera952]

Thanks for the reply, but I of course, am still confused by your esoteric take and stance on morality. I am an atheist, who doesn’t believe anything is possible, because certain things are obviously and inherently wrong. So maybe I don’t fit your simplistic black and white formula.

[DJB72]

But how do you know what is right and wrong? With no source of moral absolute determining right from wrong is impossible.

Why is murder wrong? What makes it wrong? How do you know it's wrong without an internal knowledge of a moral absolute - and where does that inherent knowledge come from?

The reality is that an inherent knowledge points to a creator - again, for the purposes of this thread it doesn't matter which deity - who programmed us with their own values.

There are obvious lines between right and wrong. Murder being the best example, but pick anything and you don't find shades of grey in morality. Either it's morally right or it isn't. That's why currently abortion is such a contentious issue. There's no room for grey area in the idea. Either you believe it's morally ok to kill a baby in the womb or you don't.

Then there's war. Is going to war ever morally right? Both my grandfathers were involved in WW2. My mum's dad was an officer who fought in North Africa and then from the Normandy Beaches through Europe to Berlin. My dad's dad was rejected for active service because he was a Salvation Army officer - a preacher - and the armed forces wouldn't take him because his existing profession was exempt so he could be used building morale at home.

But was it wrong for him to accept staying in England? Or was it wrong for my other grandfather to join up and be involved in the killing?

[beefcakebradybatson]

Often more moral than "religious" folk. Atheists, for example, commit FAR LESS CRIME per their share of the U. S. population than any other group.

[Ariesman81]

Atheists are just people who don't know they already belong to a religion. That religion putting anything/anyone they chose as the highest. Typically that being self/ego.

[AndrésC64]

https://www.youtube.com/embed/6twSN8ZS_VA

You certainly didn't get your morality from the Bible.

[Agape93]

Atheism just means they don't believe in a god, that has fuck all to do with morals.

[Staximus]

That's the biggest bunch of bullshit I've ever heard in my life. Religions are cults for easily manipulated fools.

[Staximus]

I don't need the desire of going to heaven or the fear of going to hell to motivate me to be a good person and do the right thing. I just treat people how I want to be treated, not like a piece of shit

[Staximus]

The myth of God is like Santa Claus for adults. Be good and you get to go to heaven, be bad and you go to hell. All of the idiotic religious books like the Bible the Torah the Quran etc etc were written by a living people. No living person has been to heaven or hell, so no living person can tell you what happens after you die. It's all a bunch of bullshit wishful thinking and speculation

[Anonymous]

Yes, of course, being moral has nothing to do with religion, some of the most immoral things were done by religious people (the crusades, the inquisition, the conquistadors, the mujahideen etc).

[najekim]

Almost everyone has morals. A sense of right or wrong. Just don't need religious dogma, including atheism, to dictate what they are. Mostly common sense anyways.

[Hispanic-Cool-Guy]

God gave everyone a moral conscience to innately know right from wrong so an atheist can still have decent morals but ultimately they are still filled with all sorts of evil and rebellion towards God.

[Anonymous]

yes if they prioritize their personal preferences above everything else which is what their moral code is based on

[Jennz6]

Yes, but it won’t get him to HEAVEN

[TallAnon]

That depends on your definition of evil.
If you define it as "non-believer", then we're very evil.

[nicfire171]

Yes. If you don’t have an objective truth of right and wrong then you can’t know the difference. The only objective truth is God.

[wkhan_87]

Because atheist doesn't believe in any punishment or reward consept, so their morality is always doubtful and untrusted.
Can be moral but not very longer they can change by situation and conditions

[Tamera952]

Say whaaaat? Where’d you get that?

[RedInnocent69]

You are mistaken. Then again, you are a fake troll, so you probably know that

[FenixG45]

Of course, an atheist can be moral. Just like a theist can be AMORAL! I know LOTS of them!

[leannegrayson]

Spirituality is personal.

[Grap83]

Sure, they can.

[Sal_Monella]

Based on what standard?

[Gayuglycowardv3]

Nobody should take this account serious.

[Bklynbadboy12]

Anybody can be moral