Atheism and Morality

Atheism and Morality: Morality From an Atheists Perspective

Any time I get into some sort of debate with a Christian about morality, I always get the claim that godless scum like myself don't know what morality is. With that, I'm also told that if I do act morally, I am a lost soul in denial that needs to allow that crazy Mexican into my life. Strange, huh?

So, really, what is morality? Is it merely knowing right from wrong? Does it even have anything to do with religious values? Many dictionaries will say either answer is correct. Many zealots of the Christian faith will attempt to blend the two together, saying that you can't know right from wrong, morality, if you don't allow Hey-Zues into your life.

But is that what it really boils down to? Are all of our concepts of how to treat other people dictated from a magical sky daddy that people will most likely endlessly argue about for centuries? Is it even about other religious ideas like Karma? Is it? Do we dictate our lives based on the consequences in our afterlife? It seems... pointless. We can't even prove there is an afterlife.

So I ask again, what is morality? As an atheist, and having spoke with other atheists, I can only give you the secular view-point. Morality, has nothing to do with the concepts of right or wrong (black and white if you prefer). Everything is gray and open to interpretation. Afterlife consequences? Pfft. It's all about ensuring that society functions peacefully (ideally). I'm sure everyone has heard the phrase, "Can't we just get along?". That's what it boils down to. We consider our actions and how they may have an impact on other people, how that could potentially have an effect on our own future.

I don't break into another persons home because I don't want mine broken into. I don't go around murdering people because I don't want to be murdered. I realize things of this nature doesn't help society function. If I want to stand the chance of living a life that's more unencumbered than say... a "criminal's", I tend to do things that generally aren't frowned upon. I'm not a child. I don't need fear of consequences and no redemption to keep me in line. In fact, I have no desire to go around doing anything people would generally consider "bad" or "amoral".

It's strange though. I can repeat this word for word to a religious person and they wouldn't get it. Why should people need the fear of consequences to act a certain way? Where's the joy of life if you're constantly living in fear of it? Isn't what I've described above how a free society exists? Ideally, your law-makers will create laws that benefity the community (society). If there's a law that prohibits the stealing of goods, it's not going to be because a flying pink unicorn that shoots ice cream and missles out of its ass said that stealing is wrong. A law like that exists to only help benefit society because the law-makers realized that said law of that nature is necessary to keep people in their day-to-day lives peacefully coexisting.

Despite everything I have typed here, I will always hear the "well those are Christian ideals". While, yes, it's true that Christians will hold some of the ideals that I hold, it doesn't mean that it's Christian. What came first? The "Ten Commandments"? Or the idea that perhaps people can not govern themselves without a set of rules to help them realize what is necessary to live and deal with each other? Let's also consider that while many laws rigorously hold some of the codes of conduct that Christians have, not every single one is used. There are no laws against unfaithfulness. There are no laws against not respecting your parents.

Lets wrap this up, shall we? Morality isn't about right or wrong, black or white, sinning and religious values. Morality is defined by the culture that you live wherein you and those people decide what rules need to be in place so you can function together, or at least near each other, in an ideal manner.