Do you think...

[RemainCalm]

Do you think you need religion to have morals?

Reason for asking...I've committed a lot less "sins" then my Christian friends and I don't have a ounce of religion in me.

 

[arizona_sunshine]

Absolutely not.

 

[transientlife]

I second Arizona, abso-positive-ly not.

 

[zoe_uu]

Same answer here, not at all.

 

[RemainCalm]

Thank you...you're the first Christians I've "heard" say that other than the people that know me.

 

[Lifesaver]

Do you think you need religion to have morals?

Not necessarily, but it is often the case...

...I've committed a lot less "sins" then my Christian friends and I don't have a ounce of religion in me.

...and I would dare say you are not as sinless in comparison to others as you like to think.
Before believing in Christ, our faults are always the smallest...

 

[transientlife]

There is a great book I read through a few weeks ago, done by a UK clergyman called "Morals without God" or something like that.
Basic idea is that there are some morals that are fairly universal and not exclusive to a religious thought. Those kind of morals help to perpetuate society and protect it. One great example is murder. Most agree murder is immoral because it inflicts harm upon others and there is no real benefit from it.
I think almost everyone is moral, but some have more morality than others - meaning that there are some moral codes imposed by a religion that meet and exceed the basic ones found in secular society.

 

[Thithy]

I don't think you need religion (Christian or not) to have morals. However I think it can help establish morals, and give you a reason for believing the way you do.

 

[armed2010]

Nope, religion isnt a requirement.

 

[Cerridwen]

Do you think you need religion to have morals?

Reason for asking...I've committed a lot less "sins" then my Christian friends and I don't have a ounce of religion in me.

No, without a doubt, positively, absolutely, NOT.

Love & Blessings, Cerridwen*

 

[Stellar Vision]

Nope.

 

[nadroj1985]

Do you think you need religion to have morals?

No. Honestly, I don't see how a theist could hold that position. It's the theist's position that morals come from God, so why would he give them to some of us and not all of us? If God really did give us a sense of morality, then I would think we should find it just as much in atheists as theists.

 

[ravenwolf]

No, I do not think you have to have a religion to be a moral person.
~ravenstarr

 

[Coming all is clear]

Morals are learned from your environment you don't have to grow up in a religious house hold or experience any religion at all to still have morals

 

[Harry the Heretic]

Morality may be considered as a yardstick for measuring a view or actions in relation to established virtues and vices.

If one is religious in the classic Judeo Christian sense, their morality is measured up against the high virtues of God and or Christ, or the believed expression of them.

If you are not then your morality is measured against the aggregate virtues of every man and woman in your culture, or the lowest common denominator.

But I'll take your word that you have high morals.

The answer to your question is no.

 

[spike]

Nope.

As transientlife points out, morals can develop independent of any religion if those 'morals' are seen by the society practicing them as a way of preserving order (protecting each individual from the actions of others). A well-preserved (harmonious) order then presumably protects the society practicing it. No religion or deity needed!

Religion helps in the equation to define which principles a given society chooses to hold dear in maintaining the order, for lack of a more complex response. Yet, religion cannot be independent of morals, unlike the ability of morals to be (theoretically) free of religion.

 

[The-Doctor]

I'm with everyone here Nope you dont need a religion or a faith to have morals...I have a friend who is non christian but his basic philosphy is to do good.

 

[Neo-Paladin]

Do you need to "have religion" to have morals.

A majority of the things we define as morals are, basically, commonsense behaviors for getting along in a civilized society.

I do believe that there are some things that are explained/defined/extolled by the "religious" set which are good ideas for social behavior and civil interactions in society which are not commonsense. Forgive those who oppress you, pray for those who abuse you, etc. Basic human nature is eye-for-an-eye, which most people agree results in everyone ending up blind.

Remember, just because someone is a hypocrit doesn't mean what they're saying is false - just that they don't *really* believe it...it could still be true. To discount an assertion because the one dislikes the person saying it is illogical behavior.

Do you need religion to be moral? No.
Does religion help you be moral? Yes.
Does religion *make* a person moral? Nope.

 

[CZzyzx41]

No I believe you need to have morals in order to have morals. Religion does help bring a clearer REASON and history for those morals but most of the atheists I've met are highly moral people.

WOW neo-paladin said that so eloquently. Perfect explanation of how I feel.

 

[12volt_man]

Do you think you need religion to have morals?

Reason for asking...I've committed a lot less "sins" then my Christian friends and I don't have a ounce of religion in me.

No, but what are your morals based on?