<p>Okay, I'll postulate. I think religion was created by man, so therefore can only imitate the value system of the society in which it was created. Therefore, using a religious context for defining good and evil is inherently flawed.</p>
<p>Sure Americans have been to the jungles too.....right now we are working on the Middle East.</p>
<p>I don't understand what you are trying to say. Your conclusion isn't really pertinent to the question of the topic starter, or your question, which I thought was:</p>
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I am questioning whether our societal values (good and evil) are derived from religion or religion derives its values from society. Sort of chicken or the egg kind of argument.
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<p>Much law is rooted in religious dictum. It is that commonality that binds folks to a societal norm.</p>
<p>debates suck.</p>
<p>That is arguable. Depends on when you consider 'religion' to have been created as opposed to the notions of laws. It becomes highly ambiguous in that sense.</p>
<p>I doubt a law forbidding a person from murdering another would've not come if there was no religion doctrine saying murder was wrong.</p>
<p>so you opine that morality is only religion? Nay Nay Nay</p>
<p>That is nothing close to what I said. You state laws arise from religion. I assert otherwise.</p>
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I doubt a law forbidding a person from murdering another would've not come if there was no religion doctrine saying murder was wrong.
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<p>Would've. NOT. NO.........</p>
<p>If there was no religious doctrine saying murder was wrong, a law that states "DO NOT MURDER" would not have come.</p>
<p>The above is what I doubt. As in the above statement is a false one.</p>
<p>What are you trying to say? It just sounds like the things I'm saying are flying way above your head or something.</p>
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It just sounds like the things I'm saying are flying way above your head or something.
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<p>Yup that is it......you are light years ahead of me.</p>
<p>haha, disregard what I was attempting to comment.
I was intending it as jocular in nature.
Then the thread turned serious, so I rescind my argument.</p>
<p>How philosophically deep can I be?
I affixed the FedEx label on a shipment outside of the seal on the seal XP</p>
<p>Regarding whether our morality comes from religion.......my answer is a big resounding NO. Religion only puts forth one set of specific moral values; not living by the values of one religion does not make you immoral or misguided.</p>
<p>I believe morals arise out of our experiences, and our innate moral compass, which I believe all humans have.</p>
<p>Hey, thanks a lot for your ideas!! I guess that it really does all come down to the definitions of good and evil. Unfortunately, pure good or evil can't be defined because they are very subjective ideals and as someone above mentioned, change over time. The argument about free will is also true. This discussion really helped me XD</p>
<p>You can make conclusions based in many different disciplines. Philosophy. Psychology. Sociologoy. Religious Studies. Law Enforcement. Take your pick.</p>
<p>Good and evil differs in terms of behavior; some Hindu and Islamic sects view the subjugation of women in sometimes cruel ways (like sati, dowry revenge and sharia punishments) as fundamentally good; in America, such practices are regarded as quite evil (especially revenge on dowries, which frequently results in the woman being burned, killed, or severely beaten).
Earlier in time, however, Islam did not espouse much of the values that it does today; some practices of today (randomized jihad) would have been regarded as evil in the 1400s, but now are supported in the most conservative/inflammatory sects.</p>