Are atheists more likely to be morally good than Christians?

by FusionTheism 57 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  FusionTheism

  I have no problem saying atheists and Christians are EQUAL.

  But some people seem to have the belief that atheists are MORE likely to be morally good, or MORE likely to change the world for good, than Christians and theists.

  But what evidence do you have to support this claim?

  If atheism is what causes people to do great positive things for the world, then why weren't Martin Luther King, Jr., William Wilberforce, Isaac Newton, Francis Collins, Barack Obama, Mother Theresa, Abraham Lincoln, or John F. Kennedy atheists?
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  freemindfade

  Never heard that, I think you are mistaking the SOURCE of morality in each group.

  If i don't steal because I am afraid to violate the ten commandments or if I don't steal because I genuinely don't want to cause harm to someone else, it doesn't matter what you believe, the second reason is more intrinsic morality and not extrinsic.

  there are good and bad christians

  there are good and bad atheists

  In either group if someone is doing good for the right reason what difference does it make what they believe???

  I just feel you post this crap to instigate, but whatever here I am contributing to this nonsense.

  It always comes back to this, religion is dangerous and capable of twisting morals:

  “Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.”
  ― Voltaire, Questions sur les Miracles à M. Claparede, Professeur de Théologie à Genève, par un Proposant: Ou Extrait de Diverses Lettres de M. de Voltaire
  
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  OUTLAW

  But some people seem to have the belief that atheists are MORE likely to be morally good, or MORE likely to change the world for good, than Christians and theists......Fusion Theism

  There are crazies on both sides of the fence..

  Beliefs won`t change that..
  

  If atheism is what causes people to do great positive things for the world, then why weren't Martin Luther King, Jr., William Wilberforce, Isaac Newton, Francis Collins, Barack Obama, Mother Theresa, Abraham Lincoln, or John F. Kennedy atheists?.....Fusion Theism
  

  Probably for the same reasons Penguins don`t Play Hockey..

  ...........................
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  millie210

  Pendulums swing back and forth. Even a stopped clock tells the right time twice a day.

  Neither theism nor atheism has as much sway as disposition. That is why breeders look at disposition so much.

  Sorry if that higher mammal comparison is offensive, I just think disposition counts for a lot.

  
  

  Then environment - what you are taught - what you experience.

  Then add in stressors. - people act differently about water if they are thirsty for example.
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  Doltologist

  FT

  I have no problem saying atheists and Christians are EQUAL.

  But some people seem to have the belief that atheists are MORE likely to be morally good, or MORE likely to change the world for good, than Christians and theists.

  And that would be because although christards pretend to be about peace, love, understanding and other good words, they have actually murdered between 100 - 200 million people in their sordid history - and that didn't include the millions that they 'only' raped, pillaged, enslaved and tortured.
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  done4good

  While we are quoting Voltaire:

  "If God made us in His image we have certainly returned the compliment."

  "It is clear that the individual who persecutes a man, his brother, because he is not of the same opinion, is a monster."
  
  

  "What is tolerance? -- it is the consequence of humanity. We are all formed of frailty and error; let us pardon reciprocally each other's folly -- that is the first law of nature."

  "Superstition sets the whole world in flames; philosophy quenches them."
  
  

  And my all time fav....

  
  "It is one of the superstitions of the human mind to have imagined that virginity could be a virtue."
  
  

  d4g
  
  
  
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  cofty

  Mother Theresa

  Odious old hag.
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  freemindfade

  done4good

  good stuff

  I have no problem saying atheists and Christians are EQUAL.

  I think all of us would agree FT all humans are equal, all ideas however are not. And when you get it through your head that Christian is not a 'person' it's a set of ideals, maybe you will understand that. We should never be afraid to call an idea bad when it clearly harms hundreds and hundreds of millions over thousands of years.
  
  
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  LoveUniHateExams

  John F. Kennedy - was JFK really a beacon of morality?

  Everyone has their Achilles heel - Kennedy's was a bit higher.
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  OneEyedJoe

  Part of the problem is defining what "morally good" means. Perhaps atheists are more likely to act on thier homosexualality or have multiple (consenting) sexual partners. I would argue that this does not affect whether or not they're "morally good" people, but I'm sure many theists would disagree.

  I think in the end, though, it really boils down to the well known quote (too lazy to look up the source...) that goes something like: "there will always be good people doing good things and bad people doing bad things, but for good people to do bad things - that takes religion." When you've got a god telling you to do evil things, even an otherwise moral person may give in. When someone is their own highest moral authority, at least good people will always do good things.