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I have much knowledge and experience of cults, and it is very clear to me that many atheists act like cult members, the extreme denial, the intensity, the loathing of others who do not believe as they do, the almost humorous extreme protectionist stance for their "beliefs", etc. If they had a predisposition to another "belief system", they might be likened to a Jim Jones member.
I don't know much about cults, but what you describe sounds very much like many Christians I know. On the other hand, the few atheists I know aren't like that at all. They're seem to feel more like, "You believe what you like, and I'll believe what I like."
Incidentally, I'm a Christian myself, although somewhat a waning one.
The same place anyone else does--conditioning of various kinds.
If an atheist makes his or her own morality standards, they can be very conservative to very liberal in their standards.
Atheist A- they believe it is moral to use people and to hurt people who get in their way.
Atheist B - they believe it is not moral to hurt people but they believe it is moral to hurt and torture animals.
Who then is right? The answer is that neither of them are right.
Morality must have a set of absolute and unchangeable standards. A moral code that is as absolute as the law of physics. It is not subject to "conditioning".
QUESTION:
WHERE does the atheist derive his or her morality from?
I, for one, gave an opinion that answers your question.
Did you read what was written before?
Did you read and disagree or dismiss the idea.If so, tell us why.
Or do you think the thread only began when you joined in?
I never heard of an atheist killing anyone in the name of God. However, those that profess a belief and love in a higher being fail to abide by their own teachings and attempt to eliminate all who disagree with those beliefs.
The best argument against religion are the actions of those who who affirm their religions beliefs.
I never heard of an atheist killing anyone in the name of God.
Then you never heard of Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, etc.?
They murdered millions and were humanistic and atheistic in their beliefs. Their "God" was themselves. In the end, everyone believes in either an external God or they believe that they are a "god".
All people are wicked and evil. It is just the degree to which they allow their wickedness to emerge.
I, for one, gave an opinion that answers your question.
Did you read what was written before?
Did you read and disagree or dismiss the idea.If so, tell us why.
Or do you think the thread only began when you joined in?
One cannot have a proper debate without a proper protocol. People blurting "drive-by" answers and insults is not proper debate protocol.
Can a Christian be moral? What about a Jew? Muslim? Buddhist? Wiccan? Poly-theistic Roman or Greek?
Can they be immoral?
Of course they all can be moral and they can be immoral also. That is not the point.
The point and question at hand is if there is an absolute morality that is unchanging and does not change according to race, religion, creed, sex or culture.
QUESTION:
WHERE does the atheist derive his or her morality from?
From within themselves. It probably derived from religion (or religion may even be derived from it) but:
Treat others how you wish to be treated.
And if everybody followed that simple rule with no strings, then we'd have a much better world to live in.
Quote:
The point and question at hand is if there is an absolute morality that is unchanging and does not change according to race, religion, creed, sex or culture.
No. Morals come from one's point of view and/or religious background. And since we're not all clones of one another - then obviously we cannot feel the same way on specific morals and morality in general.
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