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What moral code do you follow now that you are non-religious?

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500 comments (126 - 150)

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0

Humanism.

0

I always say if it doesn't hurt anyone, do whatever the hell makes you happy. I advocate for people, not some holy book that says stoning gay people is okay.

0

I follow the same rule taught to me by my mother who was an aetheist; treat other people the way you wish to be treated.

7

My Grandmother used to tell my mother, "Before you do anything think about how you would like to read about it in the paper". So, I don't lie, cheat, steal, and I try not to hurt anybody. I joke that most Atheists are better Christians than most Christians. One of those 'it's funny because it's true" things.

1

Peace, love, empathy

4

I am a physical chemist. My moral code is based on the concept of equilibrium in the universe. I try to act with balance and harmony in all things and in particular with a reverence for life

Cool - I'm a physical chemist too!

Yep we are cool ...

1

Empathy-based, definitely. How does what I do impact how others feel?

62

I spent a little while just now thinking about how to answer this, going back and forth between formal moral codes like humanism and stoicism and contemplating the value in Buddhist philosophy and the LaVeyan Satanism code of conduct. But, realistically, I've never looked to any structured ethics for how I live life day to day. My personal philosophy can be summed up in a few pithy statements.

  1. Live and let live.
  2. Do no harm.
  3. Help others.

Obviously these are oversimplified and lack any semblance of nuance, but the core of how I live my life comes down to these basic principles.

I looked at the post again and thought I should write my own reply but this pretty much sums it up,Before I really thought about it I was going to go with "Do unto others,,," but who am I to judge what others want done to them.I will go with "Dont do to others what you would not want done to you"

Yep, pretty much sums it up, I would go, "Do no harm" first, to me it applies at all levels including environmental, though it is not always simple, at times I have had to choose between that and "the greater good".

Oversimplified or not, I live by your 3 point statement above except that I am a bit lax on number 3. I can help but often it is not monetary help. As for "live and let live" I have had that as a life motto for many years now.

@DenoPenno I don't think help has to take any specific form, and I don't think it has to take up all of one's free time. I just think it's a good guide that I help people when the opportunity arises, provided it isn't an undue burden (financially, emotionally, etc.). It might be as simple as volunteering one day a month at a soup kitchen or food pantry. I tend to think gifts of time are often more valuable than money. (I just learned that an organization where I volunteer, by virtue of being a non-profit, must have 60% or more of its work performed by volunteers. They have funding and grants, but without volunteers they can't fulfill their mission.)

That about wraps the whole thing up.

Agreed. Succinct yet profound.

You said it well, thank you.

1

where does one find these "Codes" ? I think if you dropped a bunch of blank slate humans off on an Island a moral code would emerge very similar to all other "normal" human conduct. In other words, its hard wired into us like a flock of birds flying south.

1

I have have been influenced a lot by the works of Erich Fromm. In his work, The Sane Society, and other books of his, he clarifies that morality is not based on religion. In fact religion has been a terrible threat to morality in virtually every area or life. The moral code I follow is that people should have as much freedom as possible so long as their freedoms do not collide with other's freedoms. The issue of how to define the "right" in moral ethics has come to the same conclusion. Then, when normative ethics are applied in a society the laws are to reflect in the least restrictive way possible that people's freedoms are paramount unless you are restricting someone else's. The casuistry of how this gets applied in various situations is dependent on prevailing views and could change over time. I tend to agree with Noam Chomsky that a democratic anarchism is perhaps the best in the long run.

Me too! I'm having difficulty using it as a noun - quite a moutful "You're such a casuistrist!"

0

The same moral code I used when I was religious, what feels right in my heart.

0

I was raised in an atheist household. I never even knew that religion was supposed to be the source of morality until later in life. My family is extremely ethical. It comes with human nature. It has NOTHING to do with religion. Once I started going through the Bible, I discovered that religion is anything but moral. That's when I started losing respect for people who actually believe in and follow the Bible. My cousin-in-law said that she was brought up in an atheist household that was much less ethical; she realized that atheists were much more ethical, when she joined our family.

I just caught a typo in there. My cousin-in-law was brought up in a religious, not atheist, household that was much less ethical than our atheist family.

0

The Bible has some real gems. The Golden Rule is one of them.

Except when it comes to homosexuals and witches 8)

2

The moral code of survival: if I treat my neighbor and all others with love and respect, the odds of my survival (emotional, physical psychological) are vastly increased.

Except when those neighbours want to knock you on the head and take your stuff.

0

Don't heart people , any people that special myself

0

Treat others kindly, but that's always been how I self-govern, and I've always been non-religious (with a few detours). And, honestly, simple as kindness is, some times I screw up!

0

Karma

0

I believe in Karma, The energy you put into the world is what you receive back from it.

1

ethical codes and morality are not exclusively religious. in fact you could argue that adherence to a system which teaches blind faith in an unproven supernatural order promotes unethical and immoral behaviour. Love, tolerance and understanding are fine tenets on which to base an ethical outlook.

0

A most interesting question. By Moral Code one can be asking a number of questions, but perhaps the clearest is: "What rules govern your behavior?" My training as a psychologist as well as decades of research and observation have me firmly on the side that we are all "ruled governed individuals." I do not think any of us live by a single rule. I could list dozens of rules that govern my own behavior, but perhaps two that are more meaningful to me are: 1) Everything is always as it should be and 2) Everyone is always doing the best they can.

0

Generally, I let others lead the way - I always start off by giving everyone the benefit of the doubt (I honestly like everyone from the start). But if I feel they are dishonest, then I am dishonest with them, if they speak ill of others, then I speak ill of them, if others are harmed by their actions (or words), then I have no issue with causing them harm through my actions (or words) - I believe in the adage that what goes around, comes around .. and then I add to it by forcing their behavior back their way. I have many who hate me, I don't care (they started it!)!

1

I am an advocate for human rights. I stress them in my discussions with people regardless of their beliefs. The constitution of the USA is important to me. The laws and regulations are fairly important but not absolute. I am tolerant of religions and feel religious tolerance is important even though I don't believe in god. It is the works of human beings that are important to me. I can accept religious teachings in an allegorical sense but not as any absolute truth.

0

The question indicates that you can't be moral without religion, although I personally try to use christian values ie respect for mankind good will to all etc etc

2

Religion has nothing to do with my thinking on this subject-it never did. I believe in being kind. That's it.

1

I have never been religious, or at least not that I can recall. However, I well imagine my moral code wode be much the same ~ Be kind. Harm none.

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