An overview of studies which investigate correlations between morality and religious vs. secular / atheist ideologies presented by Phil Zuckerman who is a professor of sociology and secular studies at the Claremont colleges in California, USA. Summary: Atheists / secular people not only have morals but are even more moral than religious people. Note: Of course moral is a matter of perspective. In this context we agree that compassion and empathy are our foundations of moral.

Crosspost from [email protected].

An overview of studies which investigate correlations between morality and religious vs. secular / atheist ideologies presented by Phil Zuckerman who is a professor of sociology and secular studies at the Claremont colleges in California, USA.

Summary: Atheists / secular people not only have morals but are even more moral than religious people.

Note: Of course moral is a matter of perspective. In this context we agree that compassion and empathy are our foundations of moral.

  • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldEnglish
    243·
    1 year ago

    I have never heard that argument from an atheist. Only from religious people who claim there’s no morality without their god.

    • some_guy@lemmy.sdf.orgEnglish
      2·
      1 year ago

      The dude who made the McDonald’s documentary had a show putting opposite people together. A Christian lived with a Muslim family. He said that if you don’t get your values from god, he couldn’t imagine where you got them. He couldn’t imagine empathy.

      • jasoryEnglish
        11·
        1 year ago

        Again empathy doesn’t entail morally good actions, any more than a sense of smell entails a popular choice of perfume.

    • eric@lemmy.worldEnglish
      43·
      1 year ago

      That’s a completely different argument, and one I’ve had with many religious people, but that’s not what I’m referring to.

      Empathy and logic require intelligence, yet many people are too stupid to be empathetic or logical, and religion provides them with a much simpler reason to do the right thing when no one is looking.

      • Halasham@dormi.zoneEnglish
        1·
        1 year ago

        Can you give an example of how this reasoning is suppose to work? Trying to parse this the only behaviors coming to mind are the ‘fire & brimstone’ type. The 'I hate those people ‘cause the pastor said the book says to’.

        • jasoryEnglish
          21·
          1 year ago

          “Can you give an example of how this reasoning is supposed to work”

          Easily. Fear of punishment is a deterrent1.

          1. Yes fear of punishment is absolutely a deterrent, it simply isn’t a strong deterrent because most crime goes unreported and punished (this would not be a concern about an omniscient god). The fact that simple things like additional security are very effective, shows that fear of negative consequences (aka punishment) is actually effective.
      • jasoryEnglish
        15·
        1 year ago

        Technically most non-philosopher atheists seem to ascribe to moral anti-realism, which logically leads to the moral permissibility of all actions. It’s actually them engaging in erroneous logic that they adhere to morally good behavior.