Can an atheist be moral?

Question

Does morality require a belief in a God. If so, why?

Answer 1

No morals are defined as "ethical motive: motivation based on ideas of right and wrong" so as long as you cling to a difference in good and evil you have morals.

Answer 2

Yes an atheist can be moral or immoral. Morality is about the moral choices and actions we make. Theists can also be moral or immoral. Only our moral actions define us as either moral or immoral. Crazy theists were clearly immoral when they flew the jets into the World Trade Center. An Atheist, Stalin, was clearly immoral when he murdered thousands of his countrymen. God and morality don't seem to be tied together.

Plato's question about is the "good" good because the gods say it's good or because it is good still haunts us in this question. What's morally good doesn't seem to be connected to God, meaning an Atheist can be moral.  

Answer 3

I do not believe in a "god" or higher power.  This does not make someone a "bad" person or anything like that.  To me believing in god is just another way to make someone think that they have a purpose in life or something to be forgiven for their "sins".  I do not need a purpose in life to be "moral" or treat everyone the same.  I distinguish what is right and wrong by what i would think is right or wrong.  It is all common sense.  I have never been to church, and i know nothing of the bible, but yet i have heard people say certain things about the bible that i have already made my own philosophies about and they turn out to be the same.  Maybe the bible is there for people who do not have enough common sense to know how to live their life correctly or maybe it was put here on the earth as a type of government to keep the people "in line".  

Answer 4

Morals and ethics come from socialization and experience, not magic invisible deities.

Answer 5

I think morality is all how you resonally define it, i believe in "GOD" as a higher power, but i dont believe in church. I dont think any of my morals or ethics have come from god, I grew up not every stepping foot in a church, but I also dont see my self as an atheiast.  

Answer 6

thats a sick question.

can a true believer in god be moral? does morality require clarity of thought a rejection of all barbaric superstitions ie. god?

Answer 7

no, morality isn't dependant in any form from religion, you can believe in God and be too much inmoral.

Answer 8

...yes...

...no...its the individual's choice to act and think for himself...

Answer 9

How many aetheists have started a WAR?  Go on - name one!

I think if you're an aetheist you tend to consider the world you live in a little more intelligently, than blundering through under the excuse that "the Bible" says so.

Morality has nothing at all to do with religion.  Although in saying that, most religions do encourage an interest in learning and self-development and morality.... just not the lunatic extreme forms christianity, islam, etc.

Answer 10

youre level of morality does not depend on your religion.. or even if you have one. come on.

it depends if you do what you know to be right, everyday. then you can call yourself moral.  

Answer 11

Morality is subjective. There are so many ethical philosophies. What is moral to one is immoral to another.