Can you teach morals without religion?

by Dune 17 Replies latest jw friends

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  Dune

  I was out with a couple of friends yesterday and I learned that an acquaintance of ours, who goes to church every Sunday with his 6 year old son, was an atheist. I've known him for a few years and assumed that he was religious, but here was someone (who is a full fledged atheist) taking his son to church every Sunday.

  His stated reason was that even though he didn't believe most of what was coming from the platform, he thought that his son needed religion to build a moral barometer and that it would be too difficult to give him that without a religious structure. He believed that his son should learn the principles taught in the church and when the son was old enough, he could decide for himself what he wanted to believe. They thought I should be able to appreciate this because even as an ex-JW, what I am today was shaped by the principles I learned growing up as a JW(principles learned studying almost any religion I argued).

  This led to a heated debate as to whether or not this was absolutely necessary. Since I don't have children I felt that my say in the matter was idealistic, I believe that you can raise balanced & moral children without the need them to fear ever-present spirit creatures that will reward or punish them for how they choose to live their lives.

  What do you guys think?
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  simon17

  Yes, you can teach morals without religion. However I understand that religion gives it a sort of reverential importance that might superscede what a parent could do. Some parents are probably better than imparting moral arguments and judgements to their children. So for some, having a disciplined, organized religious structure could very well be helpful.
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  fortis et liber

  Absolutely, with out a doubt, you can teach morals without religion. Any thinking person can reason and, anyone willing and able can teach; a parent can most certainly instruct their children in 'life's lessons' and teach them about 'right' from 'wrong' without following some scripted dogma.

  ~ Fortis
• 

  bohm

  atheism fail! :-D.
• 

  EntirelyPossible

  Which religion? The religion of the Aztecs?
• 

  thetrueone

  Absolutely social behavior traits can come from careful upbringing during informative years as a child.

  Hence the reason why you find people todays who never been indoctrinated into a religious faith and have more of a sense

  moral justification and ineptness.

  Of course religionists who are in position of power and control would never admit to such a thing .

  Ask the leaders of the the WTS. publishing company, they'll tell you
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  PSacramento

  Yes, we can teach morals and ethics outside the religion(s) where they orginated/developed/became known from.

  I believe that you can raise balanced & moral children without the need them to fear ever-present spirit creatures that will reward or punish them for how they choose to live their lives.

  I think that NO RELIGION ( or any philosophy for that matter) should ever teach morals based on the "reward or punishment" principle, because if they do, what are we truly teaching?

  That ulterior motives are the reason behind what we do.
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  talesin

  I have had lots of agnostic/atheist friends over the years ,,, some of whom have children ranging from tots to twenties. They are kind, moral, and didn't learn to be judgemental in church.

  As far as 'morals' and 'ethics' are concerned --- doesn't 'the Golden Rule' pretty much cover it?

  Do unto others as you wish them to do to you.

  Well, that's just basic, and pretty much universal (and many religions have a similar code).

  Now, specific religions teach their own definitions of what is right and wrong --- sex w/out marriage? smoking? homosexuality? military involvement?

  To me, these should be choices based on your personal judgement. Religion often teaches specific rules, rather than encouraging one to make up one's own mind.

  I think kids are best raised with a sound basis of "you know what's right from wrong, make your choices based on that".

  tal
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  cofty

  What PSacramento said.

  I would go further and say that religion undermines ethics an infantilises its adherents.
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  jamiebowers

  IMO, it's preferencial to teach morals without religion. Goodness for goodness's sake is much better than reward vs punishment.