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I've recently given up my faith because of a few comments people gave made to me here...Thanks! Now that I know for Sure there isn't a God, how do I decide what is right morally. Should I just base it on evolution?

Todoeltiempo 4 Apr 14
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40 comments

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9

Are you saying you don't know Right from Wrong because you no longer believe in Divine Punishment and Reward? Bullshit. You either know Right from Wrong, or you are a psychopath. In either case, do unto others as you would have done to you is one of the only things religion got right. Base your decisions on that, if you can't figure it out for yourself.

Not like that....no...my question is about absolute morality...

@Todoeltiempo That's more of a human rights issue, and it still conforms to the Golden Rule. Basically, everyone (absolutely EVERYONE) deserves the same human rights. No exceptions.Treat everyone as you would wish to be treated. It's really that simple. Use empathy and compassion and kindness liberally. Throw in as much respect as possible in the process. Pretty simple stuff.

@Todoeltiempo There are laws. Instead of going to he'll, you go to jail. There are life choices that you decide. How were you raised. What are the norms of your community. And as so many have said, do unto others as you would have done unto you. I don't see what is so difficult.

7

I've been an atheist for decades, and I strive to live my life in accordance with the Golden Rule, as espoused by Confucius - if you don't want it done to you, don't do it to others.

7

Golden rule.. do unto others... treat people how you want to be treated.

6

My troll detector is twitching but it could be mistaken as religion does strange things to people

@Shouldbefishing ------------ his wonders to perform

6

Morality is common sense. We kno what is right and wrong. Don't need in imaginary man in the sky to tell us.

5

"how do I decide what is right morally" - Have you ever tried common sense?

5

You don't need religious bs to define your morality. The book of fairy tales did that part right. Just be more open minded tords people who are different from you.

Ok!

4

You don't know what is right or what is wrong? I am sure you do.
I never believe in god and I always knew the difference between both.

4

One does not need religion to have a conscience.

4

Do you seriously need help deciding how to be a good person?

4

i don't understand what evolution has to do with morality. evolution is not a moral code. have you picked up a science book in your life? meanwhile, do you NOT know what is wrong or right? are you wondering whether to start robbing banks and raping infants? i think most folks know the difference between wrong and right without relying on a big ol' book with a gazillion conflicting translations. you can decide for yourself whether to eat fish on friday but i think you know not to trip the little old lady trying to cross the street.

g

p.s. did you ever figure out that lying is kind of a bad thing? how the hell can you be an atheist, an agnostic, a secularist and religious all at once? i gave you the benefit of an honest answer before looking at your profile because, well, i DO that. now all i am doing is thinking what a creep you must be.

4

Morality is largely based on the availability of resources and the stability of a given culture. When the chips are down as it were during times of chaos, anarchy, war, natural disaster morality is a much harder concept. For you I would ask why do you find value in morality as a real world choice? God or no the same reasons apply as to why people choose to be moral; threat of punishment, wanting to be treated well, social acceptance, cultural norms. Really all you need to do is decide for yourself what constitutes moral action and follow that. Evolution has no room or care for morality accept as a abstract supporting action that maximizes survival and success which general means ensuring your genes continue into the next generation.

Quarm Level 6 Apr 14, 2019

@Womanatheist I agree. That said society needs a binding force to keep cohesion and for most of recorded History religion bad or good provided a big part of that cohesion. Also all people to one extent or another have a conscious save the rare mentally ill person. One thing to remember though is it is far easier to have a conscious in a functioning society. The choices one faces in places like Syria, Iraq, parts of Africa, Central America....are alien to most Americans. Me I know I am a person who tries to be good and I feel I succeed but I know it is dangerous to have certainty in a such a thing. That is my biggest problem with religion is it often undermines a thinking conscious in favor of dogma, fear and bigotry.

4

I don't believe there is a god...but how do you know for sure there isn't one? Also, how did you decide what was right or wrong before you stopped believing in a god? Are you saying all of your moral decisions were somehow based on what some holy text said?

Exactly what I was thinking

@Leeshi Great minds...

I don't get it

Hey welcome back! 💙

@RavenCT Good to be back

3

First thing to remember: never capitalize "god."

3

You know how the salmon in the ocean return to the sweet water rivers where they were spawned and how the swallows return to their nests ever year? Built in compass.
You have one . too. Learn to lsten to it. Meditate every day to learn to be still.

3

It makes you wonder how cultures and communities survived b4 exposure to christian/islam/judiasm I mean, how did they know how to nurture their young, care for their elderly or cooperate with each other communally? Weird, its almost like we evolved naturally to favor behaviors that are condusive to our individual and collective survival. :tldr yes. base it on evolution.

3

I recently watched "After life" by Ricky Gervias on Netflix and this very question was answered.

"So if theres no god, whats to stop you murdering, raping and stealing as much as you want?"
"I do"
"What do you mean?"
"I do. I murder, rape and steal as much as I want to"
"But you dont"
"Yes I do"
"You don't murder and rape people"
"Thats because I don't want to. Not because some book tells me not to and I was the type of person that wanted to murder and rape? I doubt if some book would stop me anyway"

3

Base it on pragmatism. Don't do anything to someone else you would not like done to you.

3

You really need to figure these things out for yourself.

3

Troll?

Religion didn't invent morality. If the only thing stopping you from doing bad shit was the fear of the wrath of an ancient Jewish dude, you're a bad person.

You probably had some sort of upbringing. Did those who raised you teach you right from wrong? Start there.

I do have a certain moral compass but as I've given up my faith, it has seemed strange to worry too much about morality. I don't know that it's too clear what is right and what is wrong, at least to me.

2

Just use the same method you used when you cherry picked the instructions from the Bible that you would obey (eg "Thou shalt not steal" ) from the ones that you wouldn't (eg "whoever does any work in the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death" ). You will find it works equally well without the book. You're welcome.

2

Religion is no lodedtone by which to calibrate your moral compass.

& if you truly question your ability to decipher right from wrong, seek qualified mental health assistance.

2

Base your moral code on the concept of minimum violation of human dignity and well-being and of the environment which sustains us. Add to that the existential position that we are responsible for all of our decisions and actions, for in all cases we could have chosen otherwise.

2

I don't know if i'd call it evolution but the need to live peacefully in order to survive evolved long before religion came into the picture. if we don't take care of each other, we will not survive. even the animal world has it's own form of morality. they protect their young and form complex societies with different moral codes depending on the species and habitat all without a religion.

2

How about trying to do the least harm & most good to those around you?....I have no idea about "evolution in this context......

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