In anthropology is religion the founder of morals.?

Question

In a blog this person says religion is the founder of morals and without religion mankind would be at it's worse. He says he can prove it by reading "the anthropology of religion" I was telling him that I thought Mankind thought murder was bad before the ten commandments.

Answer 1

Morality, like most aspects of what we sometimes euphemistically call "common sense" offer an adaptive advantage to our species, and are a basic aspect of species survival. As Mathilda and Jon both correctly point out, what we sometimes call "altruistic behavior" is not limited to humans among the primates.  Of course, you have to understand evolution, or at least the phylogeny of primates, to understand why their points are relevant.

Answer 2

We had morals long before we had religion. Religious types claim this to bolster the justification for religion, but forget to supply one iota of evidence for their specious claims.

We see human moral precursors among the great apes.

Answer 3

I sure wouldn't count on the innate "goodness" of anyone but there is an innate knowledge that members of a group need one another for survival that is how the group stays together.

Atheist grow up in theist societies and see order from the order created by the theist.  What you see is two trains of thought the "survival by group" as the no torture for anyone group and the "survival by individual" who have higher survival

instinct, get the information so I might survive (take no chances).  Religion covers the earth and has sprung up even in remote places that would suggest an innate quality. Religion is so much a part of all that to try to untangle it out of the present or past would be fruitless.

Answer 4

Historically, religion sure isn't the founder of morals.  Over the centuries, religion has created more immoral acts than any culture, dead or alive.  The foundation of human morals is the "basic goodness" all people have as an innate reality.  Regardless of each person's current activity (positive or negative) basic goodness will motivate itself in various ways.

I would suggest even Hitler displayed "basic goodness" in one form or another.

Answer 5

Well, you see generous and altruistic behavior in great apes. Even African wild dogs can be seen chewing up meat for toothless, elderly pack members. I'd say that he's wrong.

The average atheist is 40 time less likely to end up in prison than a Christian, and a lot less likely ot condone torture as a method of extracting information from suspects. And atheist doctors do more charity work too. And athiests have a lower divorce rate.

http://atheistempire.com/reference/stats...

http://atheism.about.com/b/a/258237.htm

I don't think religion really made us 'moral' people. Non religious people today seem moral enogh.