Moral Values of an Atheist

by hamilcarr 100 Replies latest jw friends

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  BurnTheShips

  born and raised in a secular European RC country and due to the international character of Brussels, the city where I'm living at the moment, I've enjoyed long discussions with American orthodox christians, Mormon missionaries, Anglican peers, Catholic nuns and many born-agains (mostly pentecostals). I count among my close friends two devout Muslims. I highly appreciate all of these acquaintances, most of them are lovely and tolerant people with an above-average intelligence, like some of the JW I know.

  Then why your thesis?

  You are giving another argument in favor of my thesis that believers have a poorer moral sense than atheists.

  Burn
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  hamilcarr

  Hi BTS,

  This is a reply to Zico who claimed I considered atheists 'higher' than christians and that I had never met a christian outside the WT organization. So I wanted to make clear that I am well aware that not all christians are EXPLICITLY intolerant! However, I don't see how this fact falsifies 'my thesis'.

  H.
• 

  BurnTheShips

  Ah. I see.

  The way I see it regarding morality and religion:

  Atheism does not preclude morality, since, as I noted above, I believe a moral sense is inherent in humans, or to paraphrase Paul, "the law is written in our hearts". However, a good religious doctrine can reinforce or strengthen morality. The flip side of course, is that a bad doctrine can weaken it.

  Burn
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  hillbilly

  I know a few athiests with bona fides in order... Most are very moral, and socially aware. As someone else put it "they do the right thing because it's the right thing to do". they accept the outcomes of the decisions they make.

  I cant stand folks who claim to be athiests. I know several people who "became" "athiests" just to duck whatever moral code they should have... athiesim, for these people seems to excuse them from the common courtesies society expects from it's members.

  Personally, I dont care what or how you believe... som folks need to try it all. How you ACT is much more important.

  ~Hill
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  Zico

  "This is a reply to Zico who claimed I considered atheists 'higher' than christians and that I had never met a christian outside the WT organization.'."
  
  What!? Hang on Hamilcarr, I said you claimed atheists had higher values, which you did, in page 1 of this thread, and in your 28th post.
  
  And I NEVER claimed you hadn't met a Christian outside the Watchtower walls, I asked you how much experience you had outside the Watchtower walls, I never claimed anything about your experiences! I just asked a question!
• 

  BurnTheShips

  "This is a reply to Zico who claimed I considered atheists 'higher' than christians and that I had never met a christian outside the WT organization.'."
  
  What!? Hang on Hamilcarr, I said you claimed atheists had higher values, which you did, in page 1 of this thread, and in your 28th post.
  
  And I NEVER claimed you hadn't met a Christian outside the Watchtower walls, I asked you how much experience you had outside the Watchtower walls, I never claimed anything about your experiences! I just asked a question!

  I saw the same sort of contradiction upthread. Hmmmm. Which is it Hamilcar? Burn
• 

  Sirona

  Hi Sirona,

  I totally agree with what you're saying. There are many groups sharing the same values. This post was principally directed to all christians who believe that the Bible is God's inspired word and a reliable guide for our modern world.

  H.

  Therefore you should have started out by asserting that you think that Atheists have more (or just as much) moral fibre as Christians. As it stands, you appeared to be saying that non-believers are morally superior. Now (above) you say there are many "groups" sharing the same values. Therefore atheists are no different from the rest of us morally and your thread becomes almost irrelevant. Sirona
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  hamilcarr

  it means you have high moral values that apply not only to the members of your denomination but to all men

  Let's put things straight. This is my thesis: atheists have high moral values.

  I deviated from this main premise twice in a reply to real one hoping he would see he was giving me arguments for claiming atheists have even higher values than believers. He said 'being an atheist means not respecting your creator' and 'being worthless etc.' I assume you Zico and Sirona are more reasonable believers, who wouldn't say such nonsense.

  As it stands, you appeared to be saying that non-believers are morally superior. Now (above) you say there are many "groups" sharing the same values. Therefore atheists are no different from the rest of us morally and your thread becomes almost irrelevant.

  Once again I said in my main premise 'atheists have high values that apply not only to the members of their denomination'. If you add 'excluding all other groups', it tells more about your reasoning than about mine. I have to admit I don't know anything about neo-paganism, so I'm not aware of your eschatological views and what your religion says about men's salvation.

  And I NEVER claimed you hadn't met a Christian outside the Watchtower walls, I asked you how much experience you had outside the Watchtower walls, I never claimed anything about your experiences!

  Maybe my English is too poor to see the semantic difference between experience and experiences apart from the singular versus plural ;-)
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  hamilcarr

  I expect most people here live in a society who's morals are strongly influenced by Judeo-Christian thought.

  Zico, can you give me some examples?
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  hamilcarr

  I expect most people here live in a society who's morals are strongly influenced by Judeo-Christian thought.

  Looks like you discredit the very source of your country's morals as codified in Anglo-Saxon law.