Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - Non-religious Morality

sprocket · 11-26-2007, 05:44 AM

Dawkin's has interesting things to say on this topic. I must say I havnt come up with or encountered an adequate rebuttal to what he says, at least not to my satisfaction.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=uwz6B8BFkb4
His position is we have a shifting "moral zeitgeist". The religious end up cherry picking morals out of their chosen scripture, and discarding the rest in accordance with the current moral standards of humanity. As it shifts, so will the morality of the religious. They will discard previous chapters or verses in their scriptures which no longer mesh well with the current state of the "moral zeitgeist". To the religious person, this just seems like they are evolving in their understanding of the meaning of the text, but it is really the "moral zeitgeist" shifting. The religious then moves along with, albeit sometimes more slowly.

I think most Christians of days gone by, would probably look at the christian youth of today and proclaim that they are going straight to hell.. based on nothing but the types of clothes they wear and music that they listen too: even if it would be considered conservative by todays standards.

So, no... You dont need religion to be moral. Morality is determined more by social pressures. Religion gets ITS morals from the same social pressures, and from the people who comprise it.

11-26-2007, 05:44 AM	#117 (permalink)
sprocket Psycho Location: In transit	Dawkin's has interesting things to say on this topic. I must say I havnt come up with or encountered an adequate rebuttal to what he says, at least not to my satisfaction. http://youtube.com/watch?v=uwz6B8BFkb4 His position is we have a shifting "moral zeitgeist". The religious end up cherry picking morals out of their chosen scripture, and discarding the rest in accordance with the current moral standards of humanity. As it shifts, so will the morality of the religious. They will discard previous chapters or verses in their scriptures which no longer mesh well with the current state of the "moral zeitgeist". To the religious person, this just seems like they are evolving in their understanding of the meaning of the text, but it is really the "moral zeitgeist" shifting. The religious then moves along with, albeit sometimes more slowly. I think most Christians of days gone by, would probably look at the christian youth of today and proclaim that they are going straight to hell.. based on nothing but the types of clothes they wear and music that they listen too: even if it would be considered conservative by todays standards. So, no... You dont need religion to be moral. Morality is determined more by social pressures. Religion gets ITS morals from the same social pressures, and from the people who comprise it. __________________ Remember, wherever you go... there you are. Last edited by sprocket; 11-26-2007 at 05:47 AM..