Faith and Morality don't always coincide
Submitted by Altima on 2002-08-26 19:33:38, Monday
In reply to Question for Huckleberry and Dakota submitted by drew on 2002-08-25 19:04:03, Sunday
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Sorry for answering a question that wasn't directed at me, but as a frequently questiojing catholic, I feel that it applies to me as well. While a lot of Christians justify morality as God's will, I feel it is a bit different. There are countless atheists living perfectly moral (of course, no one's perfect) lives, but they don't attribute it to folling any biblical will. It's hard to pin down exactly what makes everyone adhere to commonly accepted moral guidelines. Surely justice and punishment play a large role, but it can't account for it all. Take something small, petty larceny, stealing an item of small value from a store because one is short on cash. A lot of atheists don't do it. Why? Not because of a commandment, and the punishment for petty larceny is minor (and perhaps non-existant for a first offense). I suppose it is an obligation to society, an obligation to fellow men and women, driven by a desire put into words best by the oft-spoken phrase "Do unto others as you would have done unto yourself." It's not about having a blast while we have our time on Earth. It's the hope that if we make the lives of others tolerable, maybe they'll afford us the same curtesy. Hope I'm not sermonizing too much :) |
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