Are Religion and Ethics Equivalents?

[Wry Catcher]

BDBOOP's thread, "Should medical personnel be able to refuse to do their job based on religious beliefs" got me thinking this thread heading maybe too broad and should be seprerated into a thread on "Ethics and Morality" and one on "Religion".

Discuss

 

[amrchaos]

I think docors abide by the Hippocratic oath.
The original was heeavily influenced by the Hellinic Religion, by the way. So the concept that physician ethics is devoid of religious influence is not accurate.

Philosophical Ethics and Religious morality tend to connect and influence each other. So this board is appropriately named.

 

[Wry Catcher]

I think docors abide by the Hippocratic oath.
The original was heeavily influenced by the Hellinic Religion, by the way. So the concept that physician ethics is devoid of religious influence is not accurate.

Philosophical Ethics and Religious morality tend to connect and influence each other. So this board is appropriately named.

Interesting point; I disagree though. Different religious orders, denominations and even individual ministries, pastors, etc hold differing opinions on moral issues. If a matter is always moral or immoral (or even a moral) as those who reject ethical relativism believe, how can we evaluate behaviors within the context of a specific religion, as moral, amoral or immoral?

Examples abound of the relative differences between Islam, the Jewish people, Christianity and among Christians sects, Jane's, Hindus, Buddhists, etc. Who is to define what is moral, what is not?

 

[Katzndogz]

If a doctor refuses to participate in a medical procedure known as execution by lethal injection is he moral, religious or ethical?

 

[amrchaos]

If a doctor refuses to participate in a medical procedure known as execution by lethal injection is he moral, religious or ethical?

Actually, in the original oath, the doctor pledges not to assist in killing a patient.

So it can be both religious moral and professionally ethical depending if the professional took such an oath!

I bet you are surprised to hear that one, huh Katz?

 

[amrchaos]

I think docors abide by the Hippocratic oath.
The original was heeavily influenced by the Hellinic Religion, by the way. So the concept that physician ethics is devoid of religious influence is not accurate.

Philosophical Ethics and Religious morality tend to connect and influence each other. So this board is appropriately named.

Interesting point; I disagree though. Different religious orders, denominations and even individual ministries, pastors, etc hold differing opinions on moral issues. If a matter is always moral or immoral (or even a moral) as those who reject ethical relativism believe, how can we evaluate behaviors within the context of a specific religion, as moral, amoral or immoral?

Examples abound of the relative differences between Islam, the Jewish people, Christianity and among Christians sects, Jane's, Hindus, Buddhists, etc. Who is to define what is moral, what is not?

I think you are trying to make an argument for universal morality as based on a particular religion. Unfortunately, there is no actual thing as universal morality, but more of an article of faith itself. Basically, Universal morality is the claim/belief that a religion outlines what is and is not moral. Question then becomes--which religion does this(normally, it is assumed to be yours)

Moral relativism has some really logical problems--mainly due to the fact that morality is more of an intuitive concept. Also at its core is the implication that the belief that a person is moral because he believes he is moral is chicken crap.

To bring morality into a logical framework(edit addition) One has to define what is meant to be moral. From here, can a philosophical basis for morality can exist.