Is religion still a necessity in the upkeep of a morally and ethically aware society?

Question

In other words, without religion would humans lack the capability to be "good", or would we be good even without the presence of a divine authority judging our actions?

What is it that drives us to be "good", god or common sense?

Answer 1

Actually, ethics (the study of how we ought to behave) exists quite apart from religion, although religion has done a great deal in determining how we think about ethics.

Social contract theory would say that we behave ourselves because we have an obligation to behave ourselves in order to form a society. If everyone was free to do whatever they wanted, we couldn't trust anyone, and society would topple over. But because there is a social stigma on things like murder, stealing, and lying, we are capable of having a society.  

Answer 2

There can not be the laws of ethics/morality, or of what is right or wrong, without a lawgiver who enacted those laws.

Answer 3

No. Without God they would lack not only the capability but the awareness of 'good'. They would just be animals.

Man can initiate thoughts and actions - they are not fully determined by deterministic laws of brain chemistry.

If materialism were true, then ‘thought’ is just an epiphenomenon of the brain, and the results of the laws of chemistry. Thus, given their own presuppositions, materialists have not freely arrived at their conclusion that something is true or good, because their conclusion was predetermined by brain chemistry.

Brain chemistry or social evolution aside - it is absolutely wrong at all times, in all places, and in all circumstances to rape someone.

Does it depend on who is judging or on an absolute standard imprinted on ones soul (the image of God)?

Answer 4

Religions have never been an authority on God. Develope a direct relationship with God by reading Friendships with God by Neale Donald Walsch.. God has never wished for us to remain ignorant of His truth..The Conversations with God books by Neale Donald Walsch were created to Give us His truth  Do not think this answer came to you by accident... God bless

Answer 5

Seeing as religious texts condone murder, rape, infanticide, genocide, slavery, sexism, homophobia and racism - no I absolutely do not think it is necessary in society.

In 2008 where people are still executed in Muslim countries for adultery or homosexuality because of what an ancient book says, surely this is enough evidence that religion paralyzes and retards moral progress.  

Answer 6

Common sense for the ability to work with others

Answer 7

Absolutely... not. We don't get our morals from a Bronze/Iron Age book. We get our morals from living in a communal society and from what we're taught. If we got our morals from the Bible, should we beat/kill our children if they're disobedient (Mark 7:9-10).

Answer 8

h**l no! We don't need religion to tell us how to live our lives--it's common sense, the feeling of guilt when we do something wrong, etc. Religion isn't necessary for that purpose.  

Answer 9

YES.  God gave each of us a conscience, wherein He resides; however, if we refuse to retain Him there, then we are yeilding ourselves to be servants to another host spirit (the devil) and he has no mercy, no love and has no care the lives of men altogether so then we become bad.

Answer 10

Humans in their ignorance distort God's messages for their own ends. God comes to Earth time and time again to help and point the way out of suffering, but people are basically good and really don't need someone or church telling them to be good. Then there is the law of the land and cops. It's the global ruling rich elites, like the Zionist, that are the evil ones and make h**l on Earth for everyone.

Answer 11

People can be good for a couple of reasons.  First, most people understand the golden rule and try to live according to that.  Secondly, people can be afraid of the consequences of being bad.  

Answer 12

Yes. It may be hard for someone to understand if they grew up in the western world because they tend to use society as the reason for mortality rather than religion. The problem with this argument is that they grew up in a society highly influenced by religion, specifically Christianity. If you go to parts of the world where there have been no religious teachings you will find a very different set of morals. In some of these places it is totally moral to eat another human.

The western world has had the influence of Christianity for over  a thousand years. The laws are based on it's teachings and just about every one born in western society has had the influence of a Christian in their upbringing.  

Many great thinkers have supported my stance.

Abraham Lincoln

http://showcase.netins.net/web/creative/...

All the good the Saviour gave to the world was communicated through this book. But for it we could not know right from wrong. All things most desirable for man's welfare, here and hereafter, are to be found portrayed in it.

George Washington

Farewell Address  Sept 17 1796  

http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/infousa/fact...

Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.

Thomas Jefferson

http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/jefferson/...

"Can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are of the gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath?" --Thomas Jefferson: Notes on Virginia Q.XVIII, 1782. ME 2:227

John Addams

http://www.masshist.org/digitaladams/aea...

Letter from John Adams to Abigail Adams, 2 June 1777 p2

Our Saviour taught the Immorality of Revenge, and the moral Duty of forgiving Injuries, and even the Duty of loving Enemies. Nothing can shew the amiable, the moral, and divine Excellency of these Christian Doctrines in a stronger Point of Light, than the Characters and Conduct of Marius and Sylla, Caesar, Pompey, Anthony and Augustus, among innumerable others.

Answer 13

Man, as a social animal, developed morals to help him get along with other men and survive and prosper.

Religion borrowed those morals.  

Answer 14

There will always be some people who require a belief in deities to lay down the rule of behavior, otherwise they may go out raping an pillaging.  

Fortunately, most of us do not require this to behave appropriately.

Societies codify their morals into laws, which all citizens have to follow or suffer the consequences.  No gods required.

The drive to obey society's laws is the drive to survive and prosper.

Answer 15

You are joking right?  If religion is a barometer of religion, we're all in trouble.  If in doubt, refer to religious icons such as pedofile Catholic priests, Jimmy Bakker, Ted Haggard and so many others like them and these are only the ones we know about because they're well-known faces in the religious/political arena.  Imagine the zillions of others who are too small to appear on the radar