Look up the "veil of ignorance." It may not be the answer to a complete moral system without God but its a great starting point IMHO.
Without god what is the basis of morality?
by OneEyedJoe 51 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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EverApostate
If any Christian comes and preaches me about Gods Morality I would ask him /her about the morality of these events
God Subjecting Adam and eve and all their generations to undue sufferings, all because eve disobeyed and ate a fruit.
It’s ok to own slaves and beat them
A man stoned to death because he picked up sticks on the Sabbath
Uzziah killed instantly because with all good intent he prevented the ark from falling
God killing the First Born of Egypt because Pharaoh disobeyed him
Lot and His Daughters incestuous Story, yet Lot is called a Righteous person
Jah kills 70K People because David took a census
Daughter In law seduces her Father in law.
The murder Pillage by Joshua and Moses, ordered by the Morale god.
God Kills Job’s children and servants because of a bet with the Devil.
Jah is satisfied with the torture and Killing of his own son.
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slimboyfat
There can be lots of bases for moral stances. We can rely on tradition, instinct, aesthetics, authority, religion, ethical systems such as utilitarianism and so on. So there are lots of different ways of constructing your system of ethics.
But is there an objective or absolute answer to ethical questions? Without God personally I don’t see how there can be. God gets to decide what is right and wrong. If not God, then what?
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cofty
God gets to decide what is right and wrong.
No such god exists so your point is moot.
Ethics are about how our actions affect others for good or ill. That is the only rational basis for morality.
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Diogenesister
My exwife, when I admitted that I was an atheist, once asked me "If you don't believe in god, what's to stop you from going out and raping and murdering?"
You say " Nothing".
Because nothing is stopping you, yet you have not done it....which rather proves your point. A belief in God is not required to be a moral person.
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Diogenesister
Doubtfull179920 hours ago
Look up the "veil of ignorance." It may not be the answer to a complete moral system without God but its a great starting point
Highly recommended..
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slimboyfat
Sometimes in these discussions it seems as if we assume that unless there is an objective or absolute basis for morality, then it is empty or there is no point.
It is as if morality is either an exact form of knowledge like mathematics, or else it’s just a matter of opinion like your favourite colour. I tend to think it’s something in between those extremes. We can give good reasons and arguments in favour of moral positions, but we can’t prove absolutes. I can live with that.
And Cofty I already know you don’t believe God exists. You think I would still be unsure where you stand on this?
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cofty
And Cofty I already know you don’t believe God exists. You think I would still be unsure where you stand on this?
You don't believe that a personal god who communicates moral edicts exists.
How often do you actually argue a point with even a modicum of sincerity?
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TD
I'm sure most here who've questioned or left behind their belief in god have encountered this question - without god, what basis can there be for morality?
I've heard the question phrased more along the lines of our innate sense of right and wrong, which is a little more difficult to answer.
Morality and ethics, which is the formal language thereof developed with and is what makes human civilization possible.
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cofty
Sometimes in these discussions it seems as if we assume that unless there is an objective or absolute basis for morality, then it is empty or there is no point.
Objective and absolute are two different things.
There is no 'absolute' foundation of morality but neither is it subjective.
The flourishing of conscious creatures is the only objective basis for morality.