Yaoi Huntress Earth Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 You know something that has really annouyed me these days is the way people use morality. When it's applied to people it usually because they don't engage in pre-martial sex, vote Republican, are Christian, and\or hate the right people (gays, Muslims, Mexicans, etc). Some of those people I've seen who use morals are usually some of the most arrogant, nasty, and/or annouying people I've come across (I call this surface morality). Maybe I'm weird, but I was raised with the idea that morals come from how you treat others (by being kind, giving, and compassionate) and not being an arrogant, fault-finding ass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandpa Harley Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 Universally accepted morals are usually about allowing people to live together... thus no killing, no stealing, no lying about folks tends to be the main three. Then there is usually some convention about rape (which creates bad feeling all round, but often women are tied to property issues rather than humanitarian ones) You keep to those and add something about co-operation and you have the guts of being able to build a society... which is why we have 'morality' in the first place, freom when we were grubbing for termites in the Great Rift Valley, to landing on the moon... Generally 'morals' are enlightened self interest. When you get the adiaphora such as Levitican and Deuteronic style laws, involving slef mutilation, dietary restrictions and who to kill on sight, then you're looking at a method of crowd control (TBH, most of the ideas were to prevent the tribes of Israel integrating easily with the other local tribes, and thus also had a eugenics edge too) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thurisaz Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 Maybe I'm weird, but I was raised with the idea that morals come from how you treat others (by being kind, giving, and compassionate) and not being an arrogant, fault-finding ass. Well, if you're weird then I must be too, for I agree Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 I wrote a long answer to this, and I started writing my post and *poff* I lost it. Damn it! I have some new ideas regarding morals, especially regarding the motivation or incentive to why we (both religious and non-religious) follow moral ideas. There are many thoughts and philosophies about what we consider to be a moral action or not, but the whole "is" vs "ought" dilemma doesn't have an easy answer, but I think I maybe do have one. I'll come back to that later after work. It might turn out to be an interesting discussion. ... but now I have to get ready for work and leave... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panther Posted May 26, 2007 Share Posted May 26, 2007 You know what really gets me mad? When Xtians say we can't possibly have any morals because we have no god. I shrug off a lot of things they say, but that one really strikes a nerve with me. It's so ridiculous. As if we are just some droids walking around... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XtianChris Posted May 27, 2007 Share Posted May 27, 2007 If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amethyst Posted May 27, 2007 Share Posted May 27, 2007 I would say that mostly morals are not harming people except in self defense. Now, it can be debatable as to what constitutes harm, but generally speaking, I live by the do as ye will, harm none creed even though I am not Pagan. I've noticed how a lot of so-called Christian morals are really just an excuse that's accepted by a staggering number of people to hate others. I refuse to hate people for being born differently. We are all human beings and hate serves no purpose other than to divide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LosingMyReligion Posted May 29, 2007 Share Posted May 29, 2007 On a Darwinian level it would only make sense that "morality" is an evolutionary trait. Murder, rape, and physical harm are counterproductive to the survival of the tribe. So, naturally, we all know that it is wrong and we want no part of it(unless you are somekind of sociopath)..Thus it fosters the survival of the species. Really, I don't see where God even comes into that. "Morality" according to fundies has nothing to do with survival. It is all about isolating yourself from people that are "different" from you and judging them as malcontents, nothing more nothing less. They are just repulsive people in my estimation. I am a loving and compassionate person. I choose not to harm others because I don't want to, period. To me it speaks volumes about someone that they won't kill someone because they are afraid of going to hell. Why do you need to be afraid of eternal damnation in order to not want to cause bodily injury? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UnholyBlackDeath Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 I am an atheist and I find the idea that morals come from religion to be utterly repugnant. Some of the most nasty, hate filled, bigoted and just plain mean people I have ever met have been Christians. I am pretty sure that most of the other religions have similar examples. I am not saying that all of the religious people are immoral. Just that they are not moral because of their religion. There are good people and there are bad people and everything in between. Religion is not a reliable basis for determining where someone lies in that spectrum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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