Zone1 If Morality Doesn't Come From God Then Where Does It Come From?

[ChristisKing]

This question came up in another topic and I wanted to turn it into a debate because I'm curious what people have to say about this. This question is for atheists and agnostics. How do we know what's right and wrong without the Bible? How does the government decide what's right and wrong without the Bible? Where does morality come from without the Bible?

 

[TNHarley]

Morality is older than your god. Way older.
How could we have made successful civilizations thousands of years ago without morality?

 

[ChristisKing]

How could we have made successful civilizations thousands of years ago without morality?

Exactly! So where did that come from if it didn't come from God?

 

[TNHarley]

Exactly! So where did that come from if it didn't come from God?

Human nature. The evolution of our species.

 

[ChristisKing]

Human nature. The evolution of our species.

How would they realize that murder and theft was wrong though? Are you saying that our ancestors just figured it out on their own?

 

[DukeU]

How would they realize that murder and theft was wrong though? Are you saying that our ancestors just figured it out on their own?

Many believe murder and theft are perfectly fine.

 

[TNHarley]

How would they realize that murder and theft was wrong though? Are you saying that our ancestors just figured it out on their own?

Because it wouldnt get them anywhere. How can they overcome the hardship of eating, water etc by themselves?
Even neanderthals had some sort of morality. They had families. Traveled in packs etc. They had to be cooperative or they wouldnt survive.

 

[ChristisKing]

Many believe murder and theft are perfectly fine.

Yeah, but why? Where does their immorality come from then if it isn't being rebellious to the ten commandments?

 

[dblack]

How would they realize that murder and theft was wrong though? Are you saying that our ancestors just figured it out on their own?

Yup. Why not?

And here's how they "figured it out": the murderous, thieving societies failed to flourish. They burnt themselves out with the murdering and thieving. They either develop mores and customs to limit the murdering and thieving, or they died out because no one want to live in a society where there was a persistent threat of such.

Morality is a survival tool. Societies without it, don't make it.

 

[Foxfyre]

Human nature. The evolution of our species.

Then how do you explain the various interpretations and variations of morality among the many cultures on Earth?

 

[Robert W]

Morality is older than your god. Way older.
How could we have made successful civilizations thousands of years ago without morality?

God is not a possession. Morality was later than creation since Man was beholding to man. Man created morality. But it must have taken him tens of thousands of years to do it.

 

[ChristisKing]

Because it wouldnt get them anywhere. How can they overcome the hardship of eating, water etc by themselves?

I'm pretty sure that people were able to hunt and drink water by themselves. Hunting I could see that being a hardship... possibly... but getting water? Unless you lived in a desert how could that possibly be considered a hardship?

 

[ChristisKing]

God is not a possession. Morality was later than creation since Man was beholding to man. Man created morality. But it must have taken him tens of thousands of years to do it.

Yes and nothing is older than God. He always is and always was. He's eternal.

 

[DukeU]

Yeah, but why? Where does their immorality come from then if it isn't being rebellious to the ten commandments?

I believe that's exactly what it is.

No God, No Love.

Know God, Know Love.

 

[Robert W]

Then how do you explain the various interpretations and variations of morality among the many cultures on Earth?

Right Foxfyre. Morality varies around the world. Pretty complex topic once one realizes it.

 

[ChristisKing]

Right Foxfyre. Morality varies around the world. Pretty complex topic once one realizes it.

Yes but if is a county is a Christian nation it's basically the same as ours. When it comes to morality that is even if their government is run exactly the same way ours is.

 

[ChristisKing]

Another way you have to look at it is like this, we're not born knowing right from wrong, somebody has to teach us. I've always wondered if Jesus was an exception to this or not as all we know from the Bible is He didn't sin. Whether He could if actually wanted to and was born knowing not to lie or take things from other people or He had to be taught this just like any other child I've never been all that clear on.

 

[toobfreak]

This question came up in another topic and I wanted to turn it into a debate because I'm curious what people have to say about this. This question is for atheists and agnostics. How do we know what's right and wrong without the Bible? How does the government decide what's right and wrong without the Bible? Where does morality come from without the Bible?

Easy question.

• MORALITY comes from God. When God gave Moses the 10 Commandments, those were the beginnings of morality. Therefore, morality is that code of civil conduct mentored and guided upon mankind by some outer, supreme, higher cause.

• ETHICS comes from man himself. Sans any higher, overarching authority over man, man sets up his own rules of good and evil, right and wrong based on trial, experimentation, observation, and common sense.

The core difference is that while morality is absolute, ethics are relative.

The government itself does not establish actual right from wrong, a moral, philosophical issue, it merely establishes the lawful from the unlawful, mostly to define its own boundaries of action, based on an interpretation of common law set forth by Justinian.

 

[DukeU]

God is not a possession. Morality was later than creation since Man was beholding to man. Man created morality. But it must have taken him tens of thousands of years to do it.

Romans 2​

14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:

15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another

 

[Hafar1014]

This question came up in another topic and I wanted to turn it into a debate because I'm curious what people have to say about this. This question is for atheists and agnostics. How do we know what's right and wrong without the Bible? How does the government decide what's right and wrong without the Bible? Where does morality come from without the Bible?

Do you have to be told that the NAZI movement was evil? Morality is a developed system of values controlling behavior that evolved because humans live in a social structure. Its a survival skill. Without a structure of social behavior there would be no order, unity, or cooperation. We would be extinct since we depend on each other.

The Jews gave us a universal moral code called the 10 commandments. Dont say the Bible its many works. Leviticus is civil law in the context of the age it was written. The commandments replaced the lack of morals created by polytheism. Polytheism allows anything you want to be moral. Just choose a god who supports your bad habit.

Were they inspired by a deity? Why did he wait so long. One could argue its party of our DNA like the ability for spiritual thinking.