Must someone believe in god to be a good person?

Azurain · Post by **Azurain** » Sun Jul 18, 2004 11:16 am

Brought on by a study Deacon linked to in PACE that mentioned 58% of Americans believe that belief in god is necessary for moral virtue (you can't be a good person if you don't believe in god). That's a scary percentage to me, and makes me glad I'm Canadian.

But I'm curious how many people here believe that. It's a yes or no question because I want to compare percentages. Answer whatever you actually believe and don't feel like you need to post your answers, though discussion is, of course, encouraged. :)

-- Chris

YH · Post by YH » Sun Jul 18, 2004 11:55 am

While I do believe in God (in my own personal way, not through any affiliation with any religious organization), no, I don't believe that. Even if that said person was influenced by the words of God, or has had the opportunity to accept that word and rejects it (an action which some people believe to be very immoral), really says nothing of his moral character.

I think a person can do good and be morally virtuous regardless of God. If you compare a person who does good because of God, and a person who does good not because of God... hey, as long as they do good...

Post by **Blaze** » Sun Jul 18, 2004 1:25 pm

Not at all. I know lots of moral people who don't believe in God. Lots of Immoral people on both sides of the argument, too.

SothThe69th · Post by **SothThe69th** » Sun Jul 18, 2004 1:47 pm

I'll bet there aren't too many atheists on death row.

wocket · Post by **wocket** » Sun Jul 18, 2004 5:35 pm

I say "no". Mainly because I'm an atheist, and I've found I have stronger morals and convictions than many of my theist friends.

Princess_Lorien · Post by **Princess_Lorien** » Sun Jul 18, 2004 5:38 pm

Religious people think they are right.. Behind the curtain of religion, they are hidden and therfore not accountable for their actions as much. Sure there are some 'good' churchies. There are also some 'good' athiests. Its personal morals and beliefs that make you a good person, not the god you choose to follow or the rituals you choose to partake in.

NorthernComfort · Post by **NorthernComfort** » Sun Jul 18, 2004 6:11 pm

This thread made my eyeballs roll out of my head. What do you fuggin think people are gonna say.

Skorpion · Post by **Skorpion** » Sun Jul 18, 2004 6:17 pm

I'm an atheist, so I do things because I believe them to be right, not because some old badly-translated book says they are. I consider myself a moral person, but not a very ethical one.
And if anyone tells me I'm not a good person BECAUSE I'm an atheist, I'll use my loose ethics and punch them one.

wocket · Post by **wocket** » Sun Jul 18, 2004 8:54 pm

I remember once, a few years ago, I was talking to this girl in my English class. She found out I was an atheist and went ballistic. Her exact words were "it would be better if you were a SATANIST. At least then you'd have faith in SOMETHING."

Seraphim · Post by **Seraphim** » Sun Jul 18, 2004 10:21 pm

I'm an atheist... and I think of myself as a pretty good person. I try to be helpful rather than... ya' know, eating babies.

NorthernComfort · Post by **NorthernComfort** » Sun Jul 18, 2004 10:43 pm

Agnostic myself. I'd never try to flatter myself by claiming to know anything about that stuff. But that goes for anybody.

Shyknight · Post by **Shyknight** » Sun Jul 18, 2004 10:44 pm

An atheist can be a good person, and a Christian can be a horrible person.

Morality has nothing to do with religion. It has much more to do with your own mind and heart. People who are moral have a stronger empathic connection to the people around them.

I'm sure for some people, the fear of hell or jail is the only thing that keeps them from harming others. It is not so with me.

Azurain · Post by **Azurain** » Sun Jul 18, 2004 10:44 pm

[quote="NorthernComfort";p="372083"]This thread made my eyeballs roll out of my head. What do you fuggin think people are gonna say.[/quote]
Judging by the group of people we have here? I expected pretty much exactly what I got. I'm actually surprised that one person has voted 'yes' and am suspicious that they weren't actually serious.

But, NC. If 58% of all Americans believe this, then it seemed that the odds were good that at least a few people here would also believe it... right? Regardless of how intelligent and open-minded most people here are. And since poll answers are private, people who actually believe that might actually answer that. *shrugs*

-- Chris

NorthernComfort · Post by **NorthernComfort** » Sun Jul 18, 2004 11:34 pm

True. But this forum always struck me as a notch above 58% of Americans.
Not that that's saying too much, either...

MasteR · Post by **MasteR** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 12:05 am

Not sure what religion you would put me in, I guess agnostic. Just don't care if there is or insn't a god.

Anyway, I feel I'm pretty moral. Like someone said before, might have loose ethics but I still do things based on what I feel is right, not what some old book or the christians tell me to do.

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