I have a question for athiests.

Do you believe that it's wrong to kill another human, and if so where do you get that from and what do you base it on? I know its wrong because the Bible tells me so, but where do you get that belief?

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Buddhists need not apply, because I already know that you have a set code of morals and ethics. This thread is specifically directed at those of you on KMC (and there's quite a few) who have no religious preference.

What about Theist who are not part of organized religion, like me?

Damn, because you are an atheist does not mean you do not have any morals. Just respecting people would include not killing them. So if you don't have a God you revere to, you have to be a sociopath? I don't follow.

I'm not an atheist but that was a weird question.

so what you are really saying is that you would really like to be killing people but the bible says you can't so you don't.

oh, altruism + evolution = me benefiting through not killing you

Haha. I'm an atheist. My heathen, devil-inspired opinion follows:

1. A system of moral laws from a supposed deity is just as arbitrary as any system. If the Christian Church can make a set of moral laws, so can I...and both are equally as valid so long as they are supported by justifiable reasoning.

2. Don't you find it odd that the reason that you are "good" is because someone told you to, with fear of punishment (Hell) for not following them? Sounds like an angry parent dictating rules to a child to me. I'm "good" because I decide to be on my own. It's liberating. You should try it.

3. Social relativism: If I didn't have some standard of moral that is at least roughly consistent with the status quo, I'd end up in jail or dead. Same with anyone, religious or not. Why do think religious teachings, on the whole, have mellowed through the centuries? It's so they aren't persecuted by the general populace for being too rigid and evil. Witch burnings ftw!

4. Evolution. Inamilist summarized it well. basically, our bodies are programmed via thousands/millions of years of genetic conditioning to be altruistic in a general sense toward the species (and more specfically toward close relatives) to ensure the survival of our genes. In an evolutionary sense, terms like morality, altruism, and selfishness are explained fully and the whole thing becomes de-mystified.

Originally posted by Quiero Mota
Do you believe that it's wrong to kill another human, and if so where do you get that from and what do you base it on? I know its wrong because the Bible tells me so, but where do you get that belief?

That's a bit silly. I mean, if there was no bible are you saying that you'd go around killing people? Is the bible the only reason you don't go about killing random people? If so that's pretty ****ed up.

Of course it's wrong to kill someone, why? I wouldn't want to be killed, so I wouldnt kill anyone. Why would you want to destroy life? Some people have respect for life and have no desire to destroy it.

I believe it's wrong to kill a human being needlessly.

Originally posted by Quiero Mota
Do you believe that it's wrong to kill another human, and if so where do you get that from and what do you base it on? I know its wrong because the Bible tells me so, but where do you get that belief?

I don't think it is wrong on a grander scale. On a personal level I don't kill for multiple reasons, being afraid of punishment, compassion, fear of revenge, etc.

Also, I feel good when living according to some rules I made up myself. Not to forget I was conditioned to believe it is wrong.

So, lots of reasons. Just that I (contrary to you) don't believe any of the reasons has to apply absolutely.

[edit] Why did everyone attack Quiero instead of answering his certainly reasonable question?

Morality doesn' t require religion. My consideration for other people is not based upon what some god tells me to do.

Originally posted by Storm
Morality doesn' t require religion. My consideration for other people is not based upon what some god tells me to do.

Killing someone is not always wrong and depends on the situation, some cases it is justified to kill another as in the defense of another. As for why I don’t kill for the sake of killing is simple, would I want that to happen to me. What I mean about this is the saying “Do onto others as you would have done to you”, I don’t kill because of the pain I would cause others and I can put myself in their shoes and feel what it would be like to experience that loss and I can empathize with others which is what most killers lack or don’t care.

Originally posted by Sandai Kitetsu
I believe it's wrong to kill a human being needlessly.

That's what everyone here is saying, but where do you get this belief from? That's my question.

Originally posted by Storm
Morality doesn' t require religion.

That's very true, ey. But then again, morality is subjective. The moral system that I adhere to was made long before I was born, but where do your personal moral beliefs come from?

Originally posted by Bardock42
I Why did everyone attack Quiero instead of answering his certainly reasonable question?

God knows...

Originally posted by Quiero Mota
That's what everyone here is saying, but where do you get this belief from? That's my question.

That's very true, ey. But then again, morality is subjective. The moral system that I adhere to was made long before I was born, but where do your personal moral beliefs come from?

God knows...

Originally posted by PITT_HAPPENS
Killing someone is not always wrong and depends on the situation, some cases it is justified to kill another as in the defense of another. As for why I don’t kill for the sake of killing is simple, would I want that to happen to me. What I mean about this is the saying “Do onto others as you would have done to you”, I don’t kill because of the pain I would cause others and I can put myself in their shoes and feel what it would be like to experience that loss and I can empathize with others which is what most killers lack or don’t care.

I like that, and pretty much agree with it.

Originally posted by PITT_HAPPENS
The same question could be said as to where did the moral beliefs of religion come from? I’m sure that people before the Bible or other religious text thought that killing was wrong before a god told them it was bad.

I'm not denying that at all. Richard Dawkins said in The God Delusion "Atheists can be moral." Ok, fine, but where do these morals come from? Did Dawkins just pull his morals out of his ass "I think this is wrong. I didn't get this from any formulized rules, I just arbitrarily made this up. This is what I will live by"?

You admit to having read The God Delusion, but Dawkins also explains the reasons for morals...

altruism helps to prove that the altruist is superior, that it has the capacity to lose advantages, and still be dominant (which is a good way to get mates, passing on the genes that caused the altruism to begin with...)

also, because humans (and animals) tend to become possesive of things and people, and because communities develop stable strategies, many members use "***-for-Tat"

Originally posted by Quiero Mota
I like that, and pretty much agree with it.

I'm not denying that at all. Richard Dawkins said in The God Delusion "Atheists can be moral." Ok, fine, but where do these morals come from? Did Dawkins just pull his morals out of his ass "I think this is wrong. I didn't get this from any formulized rules, I just arbitrarily made this up. This is what I will live by"?

Originally posted by Quiero Mota
where do these morals come from?

Morals are not always things that are taught to people. Many people develop their own morals, based on empathy. Basically, I believe anything that can negetively effect someone is immoral. How on Earth did I come to think conclusion without a divine figure guiding my poor godlles soul? Because, I wouldn't want the same to happen to me and as long as people keep those basic morals, we can all live harmoniously.

Originally posted by Jbill311
You admit to having read The God Delusion, but Dawkins also explains the reasons for morals...

altruism helps to prove that the altruist is superior, that it has the capacity to lose advantages, and still be dominant (which is a good way to get mates, passing on the genes that caused the altruism to begin with...)

also, because humans (and animals) tend to become possesive of things and people, and because communities develop stable strategies, many members use "***-for-Tat"

No, I only read an excerpt on the internet. So he says that alturism is genetic? If so, why are there still serial killers around, and why do otherwise "good" people do bad things on occasion? Why did evolution miss those kinks?

Originally posted by Bardiel13
Morals are not always things that are taught to people. Many people develop their own morals, based on empathy. Basically, I believe anything that can negetively effect someone is immoral. How on Earth did I come to think conclusion without a divine figure guiding my poor godlles soul? Because, I wouldn't want the same to happen to me and as long as people keep those basic morals, we can all live harmoniously.

I see. So you just made up your own morals, or otherwise decided on some for reasons that weren't already existent. Is there anyhing else that you just decided was right and wrong?

How can the theory of evolution explain morals? 😬

I don't know. I'm just asking about this whole genetic altruism thing.