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<p>Have you read the dialogue Euthyphro by Plato? Read it. In the dialogue, Socrates gives a pretty strong argument against what you just claimed.</p>
<p>It is rather telling that you believe it is impossible to be/do good not under threat of hellfire . . .</p>
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You misunderstand me. What I believe is that terms like “good” have no real meaning without a divine source. I’ve read plenty of philosophy, and I haven’t read anything that is very persuasive to the contrary, including Rawls.</p>
<p>Why would you do that? Maybe you need to start attending the church instead of working there with a question like this!!</p>
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<p>I have strong morals instilled in me by my upbringing. I evaluate the goodness of actions with these morals. The moral distinctions I make are meaningful to me.</p>
<p>Is that what you mean by good having meaning?</p>
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<p>Why? Because social contract theory provides yet another secular explanation for an institution that had been thought to require divine authority? </p>
<p>In fact, the categorical imperative already sets you up for a framework of absolute morality … without the requirement of God. (Yes, Kant had his own religious views, but they are irrelevant here.)</p>
<p>Hunt: are moral actions moral because they are loved by God? Or are moral actions loved by God because they are moral?</p>
<p>I’d say do it. I’m only in high school (and a catholic one!), but i’m far from being religious. I’m not a full-on atheist, but an agnostic. I, too, lie to my relatives about about this, my parents are crazy religious freaks and well i think im just better off not telling them.</p>
<p>Oh, also since i need to complete service hours to graduate, I’m teaching CCD to elementary school kids starting in September. Basically an agnostic being a catechist, if they ask me about spiritual questions and crap I guess I’ll have to lie.</p>
<p>Why? Just why? I don’t understand this question? Why would you want a job at a church?</p>
<p>“joiya550
lol? If you don’t believe in God then there AREN’T any principals”</p>
<p>Haha</p>
<p>Congratulations. You’ve found out what to say to an atheist if you want them to never speak to you again and regard you as an utter idiot.</p>
<p>People who don’t believe in God have principles, they just don’t blindly take them from a book which was written by some people thousands of years ago and doesn’t always apply today.</p>
<p>They live, and they experience the world, and based on what they see, they decide what is moral on a personal level. Each has his/her own set of principles. And they’re not fixed. This is what allows atheists to be open-minded to change and reform and science and progress.</p>
<p>Now I’m not going to try to argue about the existence of God, because that gets nowhere. I don’t know if there is a God, and neither do you. But please don’t say atheists don’t have principles or morals, because they do.</p>
<p>There have been some pretty damn evil atheists. But people have also done lots of horrible things “in the name of God.”</p>
<p>Galoisien, you really are just looking for an argument and an excuse to talk down to religious people, both on this forum and in your confusing efforts to get a job in an industry which you evidently have so much disdain for. Even as someone who agrees with your beliefs, the way you’re expressing yourself is terribly insulting and self-righteous. A year of biology classes and fervent atheism does not necessarily make you a better person.</p>
<p>For the record, I enjoy reading Dawkins’ work but realize it’s mostly for those who want their beliefs reinforced. His arguments tend to be more wordplay than science.</p>
<p>Religious people talk down all the time. Just listen to a preacher. “You’re so smug, not crediting God!” etc. Why do religious people get to be smug but atheists cannot retaliate? Oh THAT’s right – it’s because religion is a sociallly-entrenched value…</p>
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<p>Technically due to credit levels I am a third-year at the moment.</p>
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<p>It was an interesting ethical question. Because for one, religious beliefs are personal beliefs – they are not like qualifications, work experience, etc. Can you be prosecuted for misrepresenting your personal beliefs? Pretending to like a job when you really didn’t?</p>