Black Spirituality Religion : Do you have to be Religious to be Moral or ethical?

frankster

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Aug 3, 2014
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Is there morality without belief in God..?
Can we have a society without morality?
Was it religion that introduce Mankind to ethics and morals?
Does religion makes people kinder?
Without religion would people be fair and share resources?



Speculation about whether morality depends on religious belief has a long history. The ancient Chinese philosopher Mozi claimed that belief in ghosts was essential for moral restraint16. In Plato’s Euthyphro17, Socrates debated whether morality can even be properly defined without reference to divine preference. Dostoevsky18 famously questioned whether moral prohibitions could carry weight without belief in a deity. Modern investigations reflect this perceived link between belief in god(s) and morality, as recent small sample studies in North America suggest deep moral suspicion of individuals who do not believe in god(s)13,19.
 
Is there morality without belief in God..?
Can we have a society without morality?
Was it religion that introduce Mankind to ethics and morals?
Does religion makes people kinder?
Without religion would people be fair and share resources?

What society one is born and raised into is what largely 'dictates' whatever the morals and ethics that individual holds. To use a phrase somewhat trite by now; it is the water we swim in.
For instance: in some societies (not absolutely extinct) it's perfectly moral and ethical to eat your human enemies after their defeat. We could march back threw history and cite many numerous societies (read civilizations) we would find just as atrocious to our sensibilities but those sensibilities reflect the water we live in while the waters they of the past swam in it was all perfectly ethical and moral. And it continues unto todays world through out.
Todays world belies any notion of religion making people any kinder (whatever 'kinder' is supposed to mean!).
Without religion how fair and sharing would people be would depend on the waters they were swimming in.

After the fact I met and became a friend with a Brother who'd beat a person to death (yeh he did hard time). His story: some outlier in the hood had raped and brutally beat a girl/woman within the community............he claims he didn't mean to actually kill the cat but just teach him a lesson, but shrug, ya know the bastard up and died. (gee, thad just too bad)
Me? If I'd been on the jury he would've walked free. Guess I'm not moral because if I'd been around at the time I'd probably have helped 'give the mofo his just desserts'.
 

And if you lack empathy, what then do we do?

Now if we are raised in an environment devoid of understanding and sympathy (dysfunctional) where will you learn empathy.

The question is does religion in this situation help or make it worse?

Is Conscience (empathy) biological based as in we are born with it regardless of upbringing.
or
Do We gain most if not all of our values from the environment in which we are raised.

Is it Nature or Nurture?
 
What society one is born and raised into is what largely 'dictates' whatever the morals and ethics that individual holds. To use a phrase somewhat trite by now; it is the water we swim in.

Nurture....

For instance: in some societies (not absolutely extinct) it's perfectly moral and ethical to eat your human enemies after their defeat. We could march back threw history and cite many numerous societies (read civilizations) we would find just as atrocious to our sensibilities but those sensibilities reflect the water we live in while the waters they of the past swam in it was all perfectly ethical and moral. And it continues unto todays world through out.

True..
There is difference between morality and acceptability as well as between ethical and justifiable. In times of extreme duress much behavior becomes excusable temporarily. it does not mean that that behavior was ever seen as moral. The normalization of aberrant behavior by any society does not mean that that society no longer knows that such actions are amoral, it is now acceptable and as such is now considered ethical and or legal.

Todays world belies any notion of religion making people any kinder (whatever 'kinder' is supposed to mean!).
Without religion how fair and sharing would people be would depend on the waters they were swimming in.

After the fact I met and became a friend with a Brother who'd beat a person to death (yeh he did hard time). His story: some outlier in the hood had raped and brutally beat a girl/woman within the community............he claims he didn't mean to actually kill the cat but just teach him a lesson, but shrug, ya know the bastard up and died. (gee, thad just too bad)
Me? If I'd been on the jury he would've walked free. Guess I'm not moral because if I'd been around at the time I'd probably have helped 'give the mofo his just desserts'.

Our society is based on violence and some agencies are given the legal right to use deadly force. In our society violence on that scale is ethical and justifiable for one to exercise in defense of the weak and defenseless....but these acts of violence is still immoral.
The brothers actions you relate is acceptable and ethical but still illegal and immoral.
 

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