Morality and Religion

[Cerran]

Just a simple question, but requires a complex answer. Where does religion begin and stop compared to morality? I'm not talking about being saved here, more of the questions that many of us grapple with about being a good person. IE is morality a seperate entity from religion? I know for most Christians it is blended with their faith but then again great theologions have surmised that morality must stand on it's own or it's not morality.

Ready... Set... Discuss!

"A man's ethical behavior should be based effectually on sympathy, education, and social ties; no religious basis is necessary. Man would indeeded be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death." --Albert Einstein

[stevehut]

What exactly is your standard for what's right and wrong? For a Christian, it should be the Bible. If you compartmentalize your life, you're only fooling yourself.

[Cerran]

What exactly is your standard for what's right and wrong? For a Christian, it should be the Bible. If you compartmentalize your life, you're only fooling yourself.

I would disagree here, because although to be a moral Christian one must follow the bible, a truly moral person does the right thing because it is right not because they fear punishment. As a Christian it took me a long long time to understand this because we so closely link our faith and our morality.

The only true way to know if you're a moral person is that you do something you don't really want to do because it is right, not because you fear retribution or want reward.

Besides, many things the bible says we are allowed to do I would be morally against, keeping slaves is one example.

It's the difference between walking the path and knowing the path. You can know the path but to walk it is far more difficult.

[BoldlyProclaimingChrist]

Morality is God's moral law written upon our hearts - which includes believer and nonbeliever alike. You know it's wrong to kill someone even if you were never taught yet this has nothing to do with belief or religion.

[Leonard]

Nietzche points out clearly what happens to 'morality without deity'....it cannot exist. His rejection of God, and his grieving for morality is what cost him his sanity.

[BoldlyProclaimingChrist]

I hope you're not implying that I meant 'morality without deity'. You missed the point of my post. Even the nonbeliever or unreligious has a sense of right and wrong but whether he knows it or not, God is behind it. (hence God's moral law written on their hearts) sheesh!

[stevehut]

What exactly is your standard for what's right and wrong? For a Christian, it should be the Bible. If you compartmentalize your life, you're only fooling yourself.

a truly moral person does the right thing because it is right not because they fear punishment.

I agree.

How did you get the idea that I believed differently?

[Cerran]

Maybe I misunderstood your position, it's just that I had this discussion with some people from another church last weekend and they said they stayed moral because they feared going to hell not because it was the right thing. It just kind of irks me that some Chrisitans feel this way that's all.

[Guest yod]

God is not interested in morality. He's interested in righteousness. Usually, righteousness and morality go hand-in-hand but not always.

Morality is a social judgement based on cultural norms. It can change from one society to the next.

Righteousness doesn't change.

[Cerran]

Morality is a social judgement based on cultural norms. It can change from one society to the next.

I would argue that this is not entirely true. There are some ideals that are true across ALL societies. Now the entire moral ruleset does tend to change, but certain tenets always do hold true.