Do atheists believe in objective morality?

[tanzanos]

Perhaps. Although relativists might suggest the world is rising to the divers.
I had in mind the way Earth is continuously falling towards the sun.

True but so long as the Earth keeps its orbital velocity then we shall forever be falling towards the sun. WOW what a ride it is!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlmzqobG2E0&feature=related

 

[Belk]

Anyone speak 'allhartish' here? I don't understand what you are saying

I believe he is stating that good and evil can only happen when humans interact with one another.

 

[tanzanos]

I believe he is stating that good and evil can only happen when humans interact with one another.

So why is suicide a sin if one does it alone?

 

[allhart]

My two cents:

Rarely is right and wrong on a purely black and white spectrum, and the few times when it is it's often so hard to actually DO the right thing because of our nature to do what we want or what is fun.

Often it is on a grayscale shifting in shades and it is very hard to tell where one shade begins and another ends. Take the obvious moral choice of:

Should you kill Hitler to prevent the murder of 6 million Jewish people (plus gypsies and homosexuals etc)?

I think for certain I would have given the chance, but is that not still murder? Isn't murder wrong? So murder to prevent a different murder, is that actually justified morally?

Things like that make morality subjective no matter the situation.

People tend to blur the lines between right and wrong, good and bad, just and unjust and means to an end......People want to live in the gray area, but can you be moderately dead? For there are absolutes of this world and the next!

 

[allhart]

So why is suicide a sin if one does it alone?

Suicide is murder of oneself!

 

[allhart]

I believe he is stating that good and evil can only happen when humans interact with one another.

Thanks and your right

 

[allhart]

Being atheist myself (time to come clean), I can tell you that I'm confident in my sense of morals. Observe that I created a profile here with ulterior motives of deceit and satire, but my conscience got the better of me. In stead, I've decided to be the reasonable, compassionate voice of atheism on these forums.

An atheist's morality may not come from the Christian God, but it is no less mature or respectable.

With all due respect, it does not take God for someone to understand that murder is wrong or any other injustice.

People can self regulate sure and I ask you what is the minimum reasoning to going to Hell? Or can a moral person go to Hell? See Hell wasn't created for us, but what determines anyone going to Hell is they chose to and I don't get why anyone would want to do that!

 

[Belk]

Thanks and your right

No worries.

 

[allhart]

Not only are we in a fallen world but it is still falling.

Re: knowing good and choosing wrong: An example would help. What have you chosen to do wrong and why did you do it?

We can see it in the lives of prisoners that are incarcerated, no? Are you asking me for my personal day to day convictions?

One of those convictions that I chose to do good over bad is, example:

I'm electrician and in the trade competition is furious. All fears of construction workers arise in their ability to sustain their job. People will cut others down to make themselves look good! People capitalize on anthers mistake to make themselves out to be more valuable in appearance to others! People character assassinate or attack anther on the job for reasons of their own, but not for any good reason. Even to say a contractor doesn't have enough adequate tools or materials for all the men on the job therefore people stop working together over adequacy, ability and fear . I have to chose to live differently. Ya'know something I get angered by a personal evil intent towards me. Ya'know how hard it is not to stoop down to their level and chop them up. Some call it politician! It's extremely hard to go against the grain or human nature in doing the right thing! I try hard to build friendships instead of enemy's and preconceiving them as though they aren't my enemy, but lost. Knowing full well I have no control over what they say or do, but knowing our names proceed us!

Example: I was working around a guy that had left his equipment, therefore; I used the equipment to get access to some work while he was away. He came back and unglued on me. I calmly said to him I was for him and not against him, also that we are on the same team, furthermore told him that my family that I had to feed was no less important than his and that I would like to work with him instead against him!

I'm a people watcher.....wondering of all the personal character disorders and traits. Wondering what makes them tic! Looking at all the good in them they offer and could offer the Kingdom of Heaven!

 

[lhermann3]

I appreciate the irony. Note how I don't respond in poor spirit, like a true atheist should.

God bless you too

Hey, hey. Not tryin ta start nuthin.

I just know to many atheists with an agenda against God so I applaud the people with open hearts and open minds even if they aren't of my religion. I then try to set an example as a Christian who doesn't beat people with a Bible, or attack the character of some simply because they don't believe.

The more Christians TALK about love, acceptance, kindness...etc and the less they SHOW it the less powerful the concept of God is to anyone. I make great strides to try to ensure that I am not some elitist, in fact I may enjoy the company of atheists more.

 

[Jane_the_Bane]

So why is suicide a sin if one does it alone?

I don't know about "sin", but suicide strikes me as potentially problematic if you're depriving your family, your loved ones and your community of a vital member - namely yourself.

It's a Wonderful Life may feel clichéd and somewhat kitschy to jaded audiences in 2010, but it raises some valid points.

"No man is an island", as John Donne put it.

Keeping that in mind, I do think there are circumstances that would make suicide permissible: people suffering from a painful, incurable disease cutting their life short to spare themselves and their loved ones the agony of an excruciating and stretched-out decline, for example.

 

[Belk]

Hey, hey. Not tryin ta start nuthin.

I just know to many atheists with an agenda against God so I applaud the people with open hearts and open minds even if they aren't of my religion. I then try to set an example as a Christian who doesn't beat people with a Bible, or attack the character of some simply because they don't believe.

The more Christians TALK about love, acceptance, kindness...etc and the less they SHOW it the less powerful the concept of God is to anyone. I make great strides to try to ensure that I am not some elitist, in fact I may enjoy the company of atheists more.

If an atheist has an agenda against God they might want to find another label for themselves.

 

[allhart]

If an atheist has an agenda against God they might want to find another label for themselves.

ya'know there are those that are disingenuous that come to destroy rather than seek! It reminds me of cage fighting with weight classes w/style! But here is where the battle ideas of the mind conclude and where the spiritual war fair really lies! Ideas and actions have consequences. America is an Idea as is Heaven,also coming to know one or the other is all in how you perceive it!

 

[Freodin]

The more Christians TALK about love, acceptance, kindness...etc and the less they SHOW it the less powerful the concept of God is to anyone. I make great strides to try to ensure that I am not some elitist, in fact I may enjoy the company of atheists more.

I have to admit that this is another of these things with Christians I never understood.

I support any person who shows love, acceptance and kindness... but what does that have to do with God, the concept of God or the power of that?
If Atheists show love, acceptance and kindness... does that strengthen the concept of Not-God?

I´d say that your behaviour shows what kind of human you are... nothing else.

 

[GangstaRap(ture)]

Yeah, I was stroking my ego a little. I'm a narcissist, ngl. But I really do have positive motives. Get over it.

 

[lhermann3]

I have to admit that this is another of these things with Christians I never understood.

I support any person who shows love, acceptance and kindness... but what does that have to do with God, the concept of God or the power of that?
If Atheists show love, acceptance and kindness... does that strengthen the concept of Not-God?

I´d say that your behaviour shows what kind of human you are... nothing else.

Simply because we, as Christians are supposed to be the mouthpiece for a loving, caring God. If all we do is condemn people and hate on people then we are not doing our jobs. Too many Christians take liberties they do not have to condemn another person for their beliefs (or lack there of).

Maybe it seems like its all the same simply because it's so rare in our society to actually see Christians doing their job. All you see and hear in the media are things like the Westboro Baptist Church picketing soldiers funerals amongst other things, but we are SUPPOSED to be showing a love for humanity that blows people away. I feel like if Jesus were on the Earth today He would absolutely stun people with His level of compassion and love for people, even those that wish to harm Him.

People show love and kindness, yes. But I never see the level of sacrificial love that Jesus would want us to exhibit. Okay, never is a stretch but it's rare. I was fortunate enough that it happened to me and brought me into faith in the first place. Since then I have experienced a definite difference in my life when I "walk in faith" as us Christians would say.

 

[sandwiches]

Since then I have experienced a definite difference in my life when I "walk in faith" as us Christians would say.

What difference have you experienced?

 

[sandwiches]

Yeah, I was stroking my ego a little. I'm a narcissist, ngl. But I really do have positive motives. Get over it.

From your icon, it's obvious that you're now trolling us and I'm sure we can expect all kinds of ridiculous and extreme claims and assertions that you think atheists believe.

Maybe you should start by telling us that you became an atheist so you could whatever you please without consequences or that you view atheism as a religion or some such.

 

[Ayersy]

Yeah, I was stroking my ego a little. I'm a narcissist, ngl. But I really do have positive motives. Get over it.

Motives don't matter, results do.

You haven't really contributed much to this thread, so far as I can see.

So... whilst you're here, any baby recipes you wish to share?

 

[sandwiches]

Motives don't matter, results do.

You haven't really contributed much to this thread, so far as I can see.

So... whilst you're here, any baby recipes you wish to share?

I was hoping he could tell us where he bought his amulets of Darwin.