Are atheists morally superior to religious people?

1. 73

   Gaizyposted 12 years ago

   Are atheists morally superior to religious people?
   
   Most atheists are good because they feel that it is the moral and right thing to do, but most religious people are good because they fear reprisals, or not being "saved" in the afterlife. Does this make atheists morally superior?

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2. 75

   miss_jkimposted 12 years ago

   No one, reguardless of what or whom they believe in, or do not beieve in, is morally superior to anyone else.

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3. 60

   distance2010posted 12 years ago

   that depends person to person, some people seem religious but don't believe in the religion however it gives them comfort to pretend. so maybe religious people are superior to atheists because they figured out a way to fill a void while atheists havent?

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4. 0

   icountthetimesposted 12 years ago

   I think people are morally superior based on their actions rather than their belief system.

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5. 70

   The Rising Gloryposted 12 years ago

   First of all, I clicked the "shared" button in error.  So to my followers I apologize.
   
   Secondly, I think your premise is incorrect.  While there are Christians who fear reprisal, the same could be said for "some" atheists.  They fear judgment and it is easier to believe that there is no God.
   
   However, for the true Christian they are not Christians because of fear, but because of love.  They love the Lord and therefore desire to be in relationship with Him.
   
   In the end whether atheists or Christian ALL people are believers.  It's just what the person chooses to believe.  Some believe in randomness others believe in a Creator. 
   
   From a logical standpoint, the atheist has to denounce science, the very aspect they put their trust in, to believe in randomness.
   
   The 2nd Law of Thermodynamics is very troubling and cannot be explained by those who proclaim evolution as well as many other scientific problems.
   
   Morale superiority has nothing to do with your statement, but deals with the rules of right conduct.  At that point every historical person who has been a stain on history, Hitler, Mau, Stalin, etc, were atheists.  It's hard to make the case that you are trying to make.

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6. 73

   Gaizyposted 12 years ago

   "Every historical person who has been a stain on history were atheists" - Really?  Are you forgetting:
   The Crusades
   The Genocide of the Cathars (Pope Innocent III)
   The Jewish pogroms
   The Inquisition
   Saladin
   Ghengis Khan
   The centuries of Islamic Jehad
   The Borgias (more Popes)
   The Irish massacres of Protestants etc.
   The Twin Towers 9/11
   Not to mention the untold religiously motivated bloodbaths reported in the bible.
   I could go on... and on.
   
   But you are missing the point. Of course there are good and bad Atheists just as there are good and bad Religious folk. But the good Atheists are good for the sake of being good - Not because they want some reward in the "afterlife", nor because they fear reprisals.
   
   Also "They fear judgment and it is easier to believe that there is no God" - what nonsense is this? Atheists can't fear something they don't believe exists - this is logical absurdity. (even if it wasn't, I can't see how it would be "easier")

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7. 73

   jainismusposted 12 years ago

   Yes I think, because they are not taught to sin and then confess.

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8. 0

   fit2dayposted 12 years ago

   It ultimately depends on the person. In a way, I could argue that everyone believes in God, but not everyone puts their trust in God. Throughout time people have shaped and formed their own conceptions of God. Atheism, which is no less religion than anything else, basically puts the person on the throne as being God. I say this, because I've never met a humble atheist or one who didn't claim to know more than most others. Ultimately everyone shapes their lives around some sort of belief and acts accordingly.
   
   Right and wrong from a human standpoint has varied throughout history, God's right and wrong has never changed and everyone's done wrong. If you want to go into fear making people do right, there aren't many people stopping for red lights because they think there's going to be penalty in the afterlife. I wouldn't expect most atheists to go on killing sprees because they don't believe in God. Someone who's put their faith in Christ doesn't do right based on fear of losing salvation, but because the desire is to honor God.

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9. 39

   Borsiaposted 12 years ago

   By far the most moral people I have known in my life have been atheist and the least moral have been theists. Of course that is partly a matter of exposure
   but it is also because of the fact that theists are so much more prevalent.
   
   As you pointed out Atheists do what is right because it is right and not because they expect some sort of reward or punishment, that is the foundation of true morality.
   
   The idea that atheists believe everything is random is false. There are patterns in nature from rocks to men and there are determining factors that shape the world.
   They accept math and science over superstition because of sound logic.
   Atheists have no problem accepting that we don't know everything and have no need to make up answers that aren't there attributing them to some unknown, unseen being.
   We know that with time we will find the answers if we apply sound reasoning and science, though it may well not happen in our lifetimes.
   That one thing above others is what makes them both more mortal and more moral. It is better, more moral, to say we don't yet know than to make things up and then write nonsensical stories to support false reasoning.
   I see some who desperately cling to the idea that atheists are closet believers. But this is just another example of people who's position depends on such beliefs.
   
   As to who has been more moral through history it is pretty easy to see that far more war, pain and suffering has been brought by false beliefs. Whether you want to look at the Christian wars, Muslim wars, the evils of Popes like Pope Innocent, or the Salem Witch trials, the Inquisitions, Hitler (Yes; Hitler was a Christian as were most of the Nazis and he murdered atheists along with the Jews and many others.) the list is endless.
   There have been some true monsters who were atheists like Stalin, Mao or Pol Pot but these are monsters who happen to also be atheists. They didn't do anything in the name of atheism. While the theistic monsters did most of their evil in the name of their gods.

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10. 61

    Porshadoxusposted 12 years ago

    Your question contains a false assumption- "...most religious people are good because they fear reprisals...". While some almost certainly fall into this category, I and my "religious" friends do not. We generally have a Christ-given desire to act in a holy manner, morally and rightly.

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11. 60

    nightwork4posted 12 years ago

    no such thing as a group being morally superior. i'm an atheist but i no lots of really good religious people and some pretty nasty atheist. it works both ways in my eyes. were all humans and were all capable of good and bad.

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12. 60

    Dave Mathewsposted 12 years ago

    whether one is religious or atheist, all follow moral guidelines, no one is superior to another in this aspect.

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13. 56

    autumn18posted 12 years ago

    I don't think any group is morally superior to another. I think an individual can be more moral than another person. Morals can be subjective though so there are grey areas.

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