The above statement might shock some, but I believe it’s entirely true. Despite the mountain of propaganda and religious close-mindedness to the contrary, an atheist can and more often than not does act perfectly moral. Many Christians ask how this is so, so I’ve decided to explain why I’ve become more moral since becoming an atheist and since I began my intellectual journey those six years or so ago.When I was much younger I would sometimes lie, I shoplifted on many, many occasions and I sometimes even cheated on tests in school (though that only happened maybe two or three times throughout the entirety of my schooling). And a few times, and I am horribly ashamed to admit it, I even picked on a few kids who happened to be lower on the rung of the popularity ladder than I was. Like most other kids I was picked on a lot, though the fact that I am an amputee made that fact of life many times worse (I’ve discussed this here). Like many other kids who pick on others I realize that it was just my way of making myself feel better, not that this reason is any kind of justification. It’s not right to pick on anyone, and with my experiences of being picked on myself I should have understood this, but I did not at that time. It took several more years for me to come to this realization.
After becoming an atheist in about 2005 I continued (and still continue) to learn about science, philosophy, religion, history, etc. Around this time I also met Bob Clapp, who was my weight training coach, and his influence on me, along with my own self education and self reflection, lead me to the beliefs I now hold about morality and my relation to other human beings.
One of the influences on my moral beliefs was science. For those of you who might wonder how science might have influenced me morally it’s actually rather simple. I had begun learning about altruism in humans and other animals and while researching this I began to look inward and used my knowledge to better understand my own thoughts and feelings and tried to recognize any altruistic feelings I may have had in my life. I’ve found that when you have knowledge about how your mind works it allows you to become more aware of your own thoughts and feelings. This is a very similar process that I made use of in high school when I was very depressed and learned about psychology and came to understand why I was feeling the way I was. Knowing this helped me cure my depression (see the above link for the background about this). Similarly, understanding my own altruistic tendencies enabled me to understand and realize that I have a very strong empathetic response to other peoples’ suffering.
The other influence was also my newly found philosophy of Scientific Individualism and it’s first principle, Prime. This philosophy built upon my realization of my empathetic response to others’ suffering and gave it philosophical support.
Since becoming an atheist I would never again steal and I do not pick on others or lie. In fact, it infuriates me to see others picking on someone, or when someone lies. I’ve been lied to and have been picked on and I know how that made me feel and can understand how the victim of those acts most likely feels.
If I did happen to act immorally in some way, or did something to hurt someone even unintentionally, my conscience still tears me up. I seem to have an overactive conscience. Even to this day, I still feel guilty about things I had done many years ago and wish I could do some things over. And some are pretty minor things. Once I was in a grocery store looking at the shelves trying to find what I was looking for and having no such luck. Intently searching the shelves, not paying attention to where I was going, I accidentally bumped my cart into the ankle of an elderly woman in front of me. It very wasn't hard, I apologized after it happened, and she seemed just fine, but I still feel horrible about it even though it happened probably three or four years ago.
To give a more recent example, I've been watching Democracy Now! daily and their coverage of the nuclear disaster in Japan. Many of the images of the disaster and its affects on the people are heartbreaking and my empathy for their plight encouraged me to donate $500 to the relief fund set up by the Asian Real Estate Association of America. Even though that is a substantial amount and I do feel good that I was able to contribute, I still feel like it's not enough because that amount is mere pennies compared to the cost that the destruction has caused. But, at least I gave what I could and that's what matters.Morality can indeed be reasoned through. There is no need to have any god or government to legislate morality. More often than not what you find is that religion and government preach that people be moral, while at the same time acting immoral themselves. That is an entirely contradictory, illogical, and immoral position to be in if you're considered a source of morality. It's too bad most people don't seem to see this.
For all those who falsely believe you must have a form of theism or government to ground morality, that is false. I've demonstrated the moral influences in my life, and while they are subjective, they are still effective and do influence and ground morality.
As always,very interesting what you say.
ReplyDeleteI feel much much the same things too, as what you wrote here in this post of yours.One thing i wonder about maybe? having some bearing on adding to our becoming "more moral since becoming an Atheist".
Back when we were Christians following a belief of such charisma,im not sure how it was for you? Arizona Atheist,but for us where we worshipped,it was much more about trying to follow some sort of recipe that was set out by other people around us.We didnt have to think much,infact at times it was even suggested we didnt try to think about matters to much.Most of us just needed to "look like" we were listening,and we often simply just nodded our heads! even if the truth was our brains were mostly switched off.We had simply been taught to believe those around us were totally right.So there didnt seem any real need for us to even be thinking or questioning anything.
That pretty much all changes once you become an Atheist.Infact it becomes thought a bonus thats even applauded, if you start to question and think everything over in great depth for yourself.And might be something thats sometimes even frowned upon a little, if you dont bother.This means there is less nodding,and in general neither are people so likely to be shunned or excommunicated if they decide to disagree.
Wonderful post.
ReplyDeleteI personally look to nature and science to help me develop my ideals about humanity in general. It has opened up a entirely new way to view the world.. a world which I was never able to see when I was bounded by the rigid social "norms" I thought I had to follow.
I have noticed the same change in my own life as I discarded the religious beliefs of my youth. Before, there was always the idea that things would be made right in the afterlife. Moral injustices would be made right, and I would have an opportunity to repent. Thus, my pious beliefs allowed me to hunt, for example, believing that God had created these animals for my needs.
ReplyDeleteNow I see everything as a "one-shot" opportunity. Every person, every animal, every insect has been given their moment to enjoy their life on earth. This realization has dramatically increased my empathy, compassion, and respect for life. I am much more charitable in my outlook, and treat others with a greater sense of caring. Atheism has brought me to a much higher ethical level.
But I do question whether that would be the case with everyone. I do believe that the moral moorings of many are fragile enough that absent the fear of a God they would descend rather than ascend the moral ladder. I think, for some, a belief in God does prevent them from stealing, etc. My own brother once asked me, "Since you don't believe in a God, why don't you cheat on your wife?" I think many (but not all, or perhaps even most) people would respond to a loss of believe in God in such a way.
Lehiboy