Opinion / Columnist
The existence of God is not necessary for moral behaviour
19 May 2023 at 08:55hrs | Views
First of all, let's just get one thing straight: I'm not a theologian, philosopher, or even a particularly religious person. In fact, if I had to describe myself, I'd say I'm more of a casual observer when it comes to matters of faith and spirituality. But one thing that I've noticed over the years is that a lot of people seem to believe that you can't be a moral person without believing in God. Well, I'm here to tell you that's a load of hogwash.
Now, before we get into the nitty-gritty of this argument, let me just say that I'm not here to convince anyone to abandon their faith. If you believe in God, good for you. I'm not going to try and change your mind. But what I am going to do is challenge the notion that morality and religion are inextricably linked. So strap in, folks. It's gonna be a bumpy ride.
Let's start with the basics. What do we mean when we talk about morality? At its core, morality is simply a set of principles or guidelines that dictate how we should treat other people. It's about doing what's right and avoiding what's wrong, and it's something that we all have a basic understanding of from a very young age. You don't need to believe in God to know that stealing is wrong, or that hurting someone for no reason is bad.
So where does this idea that morality and religion are inseparable come from? Well, for starters, most religions do have a moral component to them. They lay out specific rules and teachings that are designed to guide their followers towards living a good life. And these teachings are often presented as being handed down from a higher power - God, or whatever higher being you believe in. But just because a religion advocates for certain moral principles doesn't mean that those principles are exclusive to that religion, or even that they wouldn't exist without it.
Take the Ten Commandments, for example. These are a set of rules that form the backbone of Judeo-Christian morality. But if you look at them critically, you'll notice that most of them are common-sense guidelines that could be arrived at through simple observation of human behavior. Don't steal. Don't kill. Don't lie. These are all things that we know are harmful to others, whether or not we believe in God.
Of course, there are some moral principles that are unique to certain religions. For example, the concept of not eating pork is specific to Judaism and Islam, and is rooted in religious doctrine. But even in these cases, it's worth examining why these principles were put in place. The prohibition against eating pork, for example, likely had more to do with health concerns in ancient times than a divine mandate from God.
Now, I know what some of you are thinking: "But without God, what's to stop people from just doing whatever they want?" Well, I hate to break it to you, but people do that already. Religion has never been a foolproof way of ensuring moral behavior. There are plenty of people who believe in God and still engage in immoral behavior. And conversely, there are plenty of people who don't believe in God and are some of the most decent, kind-hearted individuals you'll ever meet.
The truth is that morality isn't something that can be dictated by a higher power. It's something that needs to come from within. It's about recognizing that we're all in this together, and that our actions have an impact on the people around us. And that's something that we can all understand, regardless of our religious beliefs.
Now, I know that there are some who will argue that without God, there's no basis for morality at all. But that's simply not true. Morality is something that we've been developing over thousands of years of human history. We've arrived at it through trial and error, through observing the way that people interact with each other, and through a deep understanding of what it means to be a part of a community.
In fact, I'd argue that the most moral people are the ones who don't need God to tell them what's right and wrong. These are the people who are guided by a deep sense of empathy and compassion, who understand that helping others is its own reward. They don't need the threat of divine punishment to motivate them to be good people.
In conclusion, let me just say this: whether or not you believe in God is entirely up to you. But please, don't let anyone tell you that you can't be a moral person without believing in a higher power. Morality is something that we all possess, regardless of our religious beliefs. And if we want to create a better, more compassionate world, we need to start recognizing that fact. So go out there, be a good person, and don't let anyone tell you that you're doing it wrong.
Kumbirai Thierry Nhamo |
Writer, Blogger, Poet and Researcher
Call/WhatsApp: +26378002 2343 | +263716984317
Email: kumbiraithierryn@gmail.com
Website(s): https://zealousthierry.art.blog/ | https://www.poemhunter.com/kumbirai-thierry-nhamo/
Social Media: Instagram | https://instagram.com/zealousthierry_?igshid=ZGUzMzM3NWJiOQ==
Now, before we get into the nitty-gritty of this argument, let me just say that I'm not here to convince anyone to abandon their faith. If you believe in God, good for you. I'm not going to try and change your mind. But what I am going to do is challenge the notion that morality and religion are inextricably linked. So strap in, folks. It's gonna be a bumpy ride.
Let's start with the basics. What do we mean when we talk about morality? At its core, morality is simply a set of principles or guidelines that dictate how we should treat other people. It's about doing what's right and avoiding what's wrong, and it's something that we all have a basic understanding of from a very young age. You don't need to believe in God to know that stealing is wrong, or that hurting someone for no reason is bad.
So where does this idea that morality and religion are inseparable come from? Well, for starters, most religions do have a moral component to them. They lay out specific rules and teachings that are designed to guide their followers towards living a good life. And these teachings are often presented as being handed down from a higher power - God, or whatever higher being you believe in. But just because a religion advocates for certain moral principles doesn't mean that those principles are exclusive to that religion, or even that they wouldn't exist without it.
Take the Ten Commandments, for example. These are a set of rules that form the backbone of Judeo-Christian morality. But if you look at them critically, you'll notice that most of them are common-sense guidelines that could be arrived at through simple observation of human behavior. Don't steal. Don't kill. Don't lie. These are all things that we know are harmful to others, whether or not we believe in God.
Of course, there are some moral principles that are unique to certain religions. For example, the concept of not eating pork is specific to Judaism and Islam, and is rooted in religious doctrine. But even in these cases, it's worth examining why these principles were put in place. The prohibition against eating pork, for example, likely had more to do with health concerns in ancient times than a divine mandate from God.
The truth is that morality isn't something that can be dictated by a higher power. It's something that needs to come from within. It's about recognizing that we're all in this together, and that our actions have an impact on the people around us. And that's something that we can all understand, regardless of our religious beliefs.
Now, I know that there are some who will argue that without God, there's no basis for morality at all. But that's simply not true. Morality is something that we've been developing over thousands of years of human history. We've arrived at it through trial and error, through observing the way that people interact with each other, and through a deep understanding of what it means to be a part of a community.
In fact, I'd argue that the most moral people are the ones who don't need God to tell them what's right and wrong. These are the people who are guided by a deep sense of empathy and compassion, who understand that helping others is its own reward. They don't need the threat of divine punishment to motivate them to be good people.
In conclusion, let me just say this: whether or not you believe in God is entirely up to you. But please, don't let anyone tell you that you can't be a moral person without believing in a higher power. Morality is something that we all possess, regardless of our religious beliefs. And if we want to create a better, more compassionate world, we need to start recognizing that fact. So go out there, be a good person, and don't let anyone tell you that you're doing it wrong.
Kumbirai Thierry Nhamo |
Writer, Blogger, Poet and Researcher
Call/WhatsApp: +26378002 2343 | +263716984317
Email: kumbiraithierryn@gmail.com
Website(s): https://zealousthierry.art.blog/ | https://www.poemhunter.com/kumbirai-thierry-nhamo/
Social Media: Instagram | https://instagram.com/zealousthierry_?igshid=ZGUzMzM3NWJiOQ==
Source - Kumbirai Thierry Nhamo
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