I believe I am a very ethical person and religion wouldn't change that whatsoever.
I use Ayn Rand's definition of good and evil, where good is that which advances life, and evil is that which impedes life. It's amazing how far that will take you.
BTW, it's religious people who have no morals. Ask them to define good and evil and watch what happens. If they say good is "god", then point out that god killed nearly everyone on the Earth, so should we measure our goodness by how many innocent people we have killed?
I have very good morals! I don't need some bible thumping idiot to tell me otherwise either, just because I don't need a manual to live by.
I don't think there has to be some omnipotent being sitting on the other end ready to reward or punish me to do what's right. That with some patience emathy and logic, I feel, the "moral" choice is at least easier to see. For Humanity sake try to make the right decision
What you do to the least, you do to me.
If you (or I) can treat one person poorly, then we are capable of treating anyone (including loved ones) poorly.
I do what I can to objectively make the world a better place. Aside from the Golden Rule, there's also this: When I woke up this morning, the world was not good enough. So rather that sit on my ass, I'm going to take a little responsibility for making it better, and do some things every day that will make other people's lives a little better, and a little easier. Because the world isn't going to get better if no one does anything to make it better.
Good Evening,
Although bought up Catholic as I advanced in age and participated in a war as a medical Corpsman. I continued in the medical field for 35 years I realized that my compassion and the treatment of peoples was more of a ethical rather than religious thinkings and think it's inherently in all peoples. Equality of all is most important.
It is difficult for me to understand if there is a "God" why is there wars, pestulance and so many "natural" disasters that leave destruction and death in there wake.
My morals don't differ from "religious" morals. They are based on respect for others, rather than on a Bronze Age book. I don't need the OT to tell me murder, adultery, lying, and stealing are bad. I know that anyway. Secular law provides a moral framework that is just fine.
I think all morality is based on empathy and self-respect. Without those two things, any moral code you may profess is built on shaky ground.
The same one I followed when I was more or less religious. Treat others as you would like to be treated or at least don't treat others in a way you would not like to be treated.
The same that I have always had. Religion didn’t give me morals, my parents along with the collective conscience/morals of the society in which I live in did.
People say that religion gives you morals, but it is our humanistic tendencies that gives religion morality. Otherwise we’d still be stoning people to death for not being a virgin or listening to their parents, etc. We didn’t/don’t learn morals from those bronze age principles, we outgrew them.
I was never religious. I developed a sense of morality and ethics completely independent of religious framework.
If it would hurt someone as a direct result, avoid it when possible . The use of violence as a means to all but the direst of ends is unacceptable. Respect the personal space, privacy, property and independence of others. The option with the greatest benefit to the largest number of people is likely the best, or at least most socially responsible, option. If confronted by someone whose intention is violence, leave. Treat others BETTER than they treat you; responding to cruelty with cruelty makes everyone involved look bad. Just because you want something doesn't mean you deserve to have it, treat the people in your life as a priority not a secondary option.
There's probably more, but that's all I can think of at the moment.
The universal in my life is Good. I like to say no, that isn't a typo! Good is like light; there is only presence, not absence.
We are here:
To do Good
To be Good
To feel Good.
I am following me... until the very end.
Be civil and treat others the way you would want to be treated. Do not force your opinions and/or beliefs on other people.
I have never been religious but I rather like 'do as you would be done by' ; I don't let anyone talk down to me more than once; I refuse to be treated as the little lady given that I was hte first woman plasterer /general builder in the U.K. I have no regard for anyone who thinks that they are better than others by sheer dint of having piles of dosh.
And I rarely believe conservative politicians without checking facts.