Morals are "unwritten" and written rules of society. A person alone on a Island doesn't requires morals.
Two persons will require yes a few agreements how to treat each other.
Add another person and you need a moral/law basis for a society. If there aren't rules like "don't kill another" then we have a problem.
Point is in such small societies we show our worst side. Now if we are in a town with many many people yes we feel the pressure to act "normal" and "decent"
Morality hence is a part of a shared society, loners don't require morality!
We are group animals and will have group rules. To be part and stay part of the rule you have to adhere to written and unwritten rules. This is "morality"
Morality is not objective..it is more a living agreement between different parties. To ensure that both parties can work together safely knowing that both of them will make it. Well hopefully ;) If you are a wild beast and slow you will be eaten.
All group animals show "morality" a social contact. It is simply part of being in a group. There must be rules!
There we're morals way before Christianity even showed up. So whoever says that through god we got morals, and adds to that "Morality comes from the Christian God[tm] Only" is a fool.
Also morality is partly our instincts and partly our upbringing. A sociopath will have problems with adhering to morality.
The problem isn't made up morals. It is how good those morals are that are made up. To illustrate this Let's say I consider a moral to be all eating is wrong. Anything more solid than water is a sin to eat. If that moral is nothing but self invented how easy is it to transgress that moral? However if that moral is based on a belief in a transcendent who will hold you accountable it is a lot more difficult. Likewise with all other morals. If I am good for goodness sake then that gets so far, but when faced with circumstances goodness sake is not good enough. How many of the people who looted after the California Earthquake, the Rodney King trial, or hurricane Katrina when asked would never have though of steeling prior to that. How many of them thought prior to and after that they are "good people"
If you are an atheist and think there is no afterlife, why have morals? There is no reward for doing the right thing, and you will be long gone after you set your legacy, and would never know what people thought about your life, good or bad.
I don't think people can't create morals, I think not having a religion or a believe in an afterlife based on our actions means that morals serve no purpose. If evolution means the strongest survive, then being cold, heartless, and showing no emotion would really be the perfect being, as they would be free of guilt and remorse, and would do everything solely on logic.
If you believe there is no afterlife and that evolution is the strongest survive, why would you want emotions and morality? Emotions prevent people from doing wrong, and doing what you think is wrong leads to remorse. These things can stop one from geting ahead. You may be able to steal without getting caught, but you may not because you think it is wrong. If evolution is the strongest survive, you should care only of your cunning to acquire things to benefit you and you alone.
Morals (created by God) protect the weak in society from the strong. If there were no God, and no right and wrong, the law would simply be "might is right". There would be no laws against murder, rape or adultery (or any other sin). Why would there? Anyone wanting to invent such a law would obviously be too weak to protect themselves, so would be fair game for someone stronger.
However, God says there is a definite right and wrong, and that might does not make right. Some of the most degenerate societies are those who reject God, and exploit the weak among them. Look at the Muslim subjugation of women, or the Asian exploitation of children. Just because these people make up their own rules and call them "morals" so they can abuse women and children (who are naturally weaker), it doesn't make their rules right, and God will hold each person accountable for their sin at the end.
1)You sure can, but it sure would not be a wise thing to do.
You can invent anything you like, but it doesn't mean a thing without a seal of approval. His morals come with a seal of approval and that is, they work when applied according to the direction's.
2) We are not animal's. God told Noah to bring the animal's aboard the Ark, so he did and it was not people. Animal's do not have a spirit, but we do. Animal's can not learn as we do, and I do not swing by my tail, nor do I walk on all four's, nor do I swim all day in the ocean. Our knowledge goes deeper than an animals.
Animal's can be trusted more than we with the instinct that God gave to them. They care for their young as they should and not leave them alone, not forget them, nor abuse them. They stick with the same mate for the most of them, or they stay within their own boundries, of a herd. Yes, in some ways I would say they could be trusted more than the human race. But, the thing is they abide by what god instilled within them and humans do not, not even the best of the best. For we are constantley being tested by the evil one to go against the good moral's that God gave to us to keep us well and safe. He did not tell us to do one thing that would hurt us as long as we stayed within the boundries, and there are boundries in eveyones life that we make for ourself.
But, if our heart's are right with Him the moral's He gave us will not bother us at all and we will be happier in the long run. We will not have to worry about getting in trouble by lying, cheating stealing, committing adultry, getting std's. See these are also not only God's law but our own law goes by these also.Why? To keep us safe and well. Why/ Because god loves us enough to take care of His creation if we let Him.
I'm still trying to figure out how the xians allowed atheists to have slavery, rape and child molestation outlawed seeing as they had NO laws against such things in their Goat Herders' Guide to teh Galaxy.
Answers & Comments
Verified answer
Of course people can invent their own morals.
After all, that's what Adolph Hitler did; and he was able to impress his morality on millions of people. Some survived.
Ahum
Morals are "unwritten" and written rules of society. A person alone on a Island doesn't requires morals.
Two persons will require yes a few agreements how to treat each other.
Add another person and you need a moral/law basis for a society. If there aren't rules like "don't kill another" then we have a problem.
Point is in such small societies we show our worst side. Now if we are in a town with many many people yes we feel the pressure to act "normal" and "decent"
Morality hence is a part of a shared society, loners don't require morality!
We are group animals and will have group rules. To be part and stay part of the rule you have to adhere to written and unwritten rules. This is "morality"
Morality is not objective..it is more a living agreement between different parties. To ensure that both parties can work together safely knowing that both of them will make it. Well hopefully ;) If you are a wild beast and slow you will be eaten.
All group animals show "morality" a social contact. It is simply part of being in a group. There must be rules!
There we're morals way before Christianity even showed up. So whoever says that through god we got morals, and adds to that "Morality comes from the Christian God[tm] Only" is a fool.
Also morality is partly our instincts and partly our upbringing. A sociopath will have problems with adhering to morality.
The problem isn't made up morals. It is how good those morals are that are made up. To illustrate this Let's say I consider a moral to be all eating is wrong. Anything more solid than water is a sin to eat. If that moral is nothing but self invented how easy is it to transgress that moral? However if that moral is based on a belief in a transcendent who will hold you accountable it is a lot more difficult. Likewise with all other morals. If I am good for goodness sake then that gets so far, but when faced with circumstances goodness sake is not good enough. How many of the people who looted after the California Earthquake, the Rodney King trial, or hurricane Katrina when asked would never have though of steeling prior to that. How many of them thought prior to and after that they are "good people"
Mankind is naturally inclined to live grouped together. Such
a society would be chaos without universal laws and rules,
a moral code.
The only Church which requires an explicit moral code and
belief in doctrine is the One, Holy, Roman, Catholic and
Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ of Nazareth Outside Of
Which There is No Salvation. It affects no one outside of
its own members who hold to this doctrine.
You are not a member of the Perfect Society of God, the
Catholic Society. Why does it bedevil you that the Catholic
Society has structured doctrines to which all accede?
-- because you are jealous that no such divine help is
available to you. This Society does not extend its rights,
prayers, duties and salvific sacramental graces to any
non-members.
Show your example where the moral doctrines of the
Catholic Church invade your life? Did they force you
to obey? You have free will, don't you?
Don't slam the DOOR on your way out.
traditionalmass.org
huttongibson.org
gerrymatatics.org
If you are an atheist and think there is no afterlife, why have morals? There is no reward for doing the right thing, and you will be long gone after you set your legacy, and would never know what people thought about your life, good or bad.
I don't think people can't create morals, I think not having a religion or a believe in an afterlife based on our actions means that morals serve no purpose. If evolution means the strongest survive, then being cold, heartless, and showing no emotion would really be the perfect being, as they would be free of guilt and remorse, and would do everything solely on logic.
If you believe there is no afterlife and that evolution is the strongest survive, why would you want emotions and morality? Emotions prevent people from doing wrong, and doing what you think is wrong leads to remorse. These things can stop one from geting ahead. You may be able to steal without getting caught, but you may not because you think it is wrong. If evolution is the strongest survive, you should care only of your cunning to acquire things to benefit you and you alone.
Morals (created by God) protect the weak in society from the strong. If there were no God, and no right and wrong, the law would simply be "might is right". There would be no laws against murder, rape or adultery (or any other sin). Why would there? Anyone wanting to invent such a law would obviously be too weak to protect themselves, so would be fair game for someone stronger.
However, God says there is a definite right and wrong, and that might does not make right. Some of the most degenerate societies are those who reject God, and exploit the weak among them. Look at the Muslim subjugation of women, or the Asian exploitation of children. Just because these people make up their own rules and call them "morals" so they can abuse women and children (who are naturally weaker), it doesn't make their rules right, and God will hold each person accountable for their sin at the end.
1)You sure can, but it sure would not be a wise thing to do.
You can invent anything you like, but it doesn't mean a thing without a seal of approval. His morals come with a seal of approval and that is, they work when applied according to the direction's.
2) We are not animal's. God told Noah to bring the animal's aboard the Ark, so he did and it was not people. Animal's do not have a spirit, but we do. Animal's can not learn as we do, and I do not swing by my tail, nor do I walk on all four's, nor do I swim all day in the ocean. Our knowledge goes deeper than an animals.
Animal's can be trusted more than we with the instinct that God gave to them. They care for their young as they should and not leave them alone, not forget them, nor abuse them. They stick with the same mate for the most of them, or they stay within their own boundries, of a herd. Yes, in some ways I would say they could be trusted more than the human race. But, the thing is they abide by what god instilled within them and humans do not, not even the best of the best. For we are constantley being tested by the evil one to go against the good moral's that God gave to us to keep us well and safe. He did not tell us to do one thing that would hurt us as long as we stayed within the boundries, and there are boundries in eveyones life that we make for ourself.
But, if our heart's are right with Him the moral's He gave us will not bother us at all and we will be happier in the long run. We will not have to worry about getting in trouble by lying, cheating stealing, committing adultry, getting std's. See these are also not only God's law but our own law goes by these also.Why? To keep us safe and well. Why/ Because god loves us enough to take care of His creation if we let Him.
They often do 'invent' their own morals instead of following God's and that is why we see so much sadness and suffering in the world.
I know this question was intended for Christians, but I wish to contribute a little:
Morals have clearly evolved since Biblical times. To say that God gave us morals is like saying stoning children to death is OK.
To me morals seems kind of like culture. They develop as we, as humans, mature. There is a more in-depth answer in one of Dawkins' books.
Sorry if I intruded,
Tim
I'm still trying to figure out how the xians allowed atheists to have slavery, rape and child molestation outlawed seeing as they had NO laws against such things in their Goat Herders' Guide to teh Galaxy.
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