If you are a non- believer, why be moral when no one is looking?

If you are a non- believer in, all that you do is being recorded in the heavens, why be moral when no one is looking?

If there are no records and no witness, why not do anything you want?

If no one sees you do it, then is it a deed not done?

If all of this is true, then why do we have a conscience, where did it come.

We are told in scriptures that our conscience is our natural way of doing God's will in the absence of his Law.

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Permalink Reply by Steve on August 14, 2011 at 11:04am

Her point is that morality is a brain function and that some people who suffered brain damage behave in strange and/or immoral ways. Nothing to do with accountability.

Permalink Reply by Rosemary LYNDALL WEMM on August 14, 2011 at 6:45pm

I deserve some of that, I think. While what I said added to the discussion (I think) it was not entirely pertinent to what you said. Sorry about that. I make mistakes!

Permalink Reply by dataguy on August 14, 2011 at 8:48am

It's my experience that most Atheists I know consider themselves serving a higher morality than religious people do. We often consider one of the worst effects of religion is that religion allows people to feel moral when they are actually highly immoral. Look at the violence in the World today. It's almost all performed in the name of some god, even the Christian God.

This would make me conclude that the closer someone claims to be to God, the less of a conscience they have.

Permalink Reply by Arcus on August 14, 2011 at 6:10pm

A bit less eloquent than I'd put it, but I agree fully.

People are innately programmed to do mostly good, and the easiest way to make them do bad choices is to add religion.

Permalink Reply by Rosemary LYNDALL WEMM on August 14, 2011 at 6:18pm

Very well put. I wish I'd said that.

Permalink Reply by Timothy Van Uytfang on August 14, 2011 at 9:08am

Blowing yourself up for Allah or god and taking others with you. Murdering doctors at an abortion clinic, just because you think god says abortion is wrong. Not getting your child medical care or attention when they need it; do nothing but pray and then watch as your child slowly dies. Doing everything your god, prophet or scripture tells you, despite the fact that by doing it you will hurt many people. That is the effect of abiding to religion's morals.
Wow, religions have some great moral people out there.

I am moral when no one is looking because I am not a douchebag. Also, because some "religious" morals aren't religious at all! They're just plain human.
Don't kill, don't steal, don't lie. These are all things that religious people tell us god has given us, while deep inside we all know that we wouldn't kill, steal or lie even if god HADN'T told us to.
If god had told us to murder, maim, steal, lie and cheat, would religious people do it? Well, yeah, they probably would. But would they feel okay about it? Probably not.

Morals have nothing to do with religion, just plain common sense and empathy.

Or at least, that's what I've been taught.

Permalink Reply by Rosemary LYNDALL WEMM on August 14, 2011 at 6:28pm

The thing is, the biblical record includes multiple instances of people doing utterly horrific things in the name of the Yahweh god, including sacrificing or preparing to sacrifice children, slaughtering babies, ham-stringing horses, raping and making sex slaves of women, stoning people to death, and so on and on an on. Worse, it seems that many of these Yahweh followers feel quite good about it, not even just OK.

Can you just hear it:

My god,

How gracious you are in your mercy towards me and your never ending love towards all mankind (I don't have to include women here, do I?)

I worship thee, O Lord. I have slaughtered the innocent in your name. I have cut the throats of lambs and burnt their flesh for you on numerous occasions. I have raped when you told me to rape and murdered when you told me to murder. I have never failed to torture or mistreat animals or humans when you have demanded it. I have been steadfast in my duty to stone my children for their disobedience and give my daughter to her rapist in marriage. etc. etc. etc.

Oh, what a good boy am I!

Permalink Reply by William C. Walker on August 14, 2011 at 10:24am

Michael has more than proven that he is just a troll - 'pushing' some primitive tribal beliefs. Deal me out.

Permalink Reply by Michael on August 14, 2011 at 9:01pm

Well before you leave I hope you get a lot of sympathy from the pet chimpanzee that tore the face off the owners friend and also gouged her eyes out and bet off her hands. And don't snuggle up to close to the pitbull that recently mauled it's pregnant owner to death. Sure signs of a conscience being exhibited in lower species and clearly showing where we evolved from.

What a crock of nonsense.