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Saturday, January 31, 2009

Sound Off 02-01-09

Answer the question which applies to you:

If you're an atheist: In what ways, if any, would you change your moral behavior if it were proved that God exists?

If you're a theist: In what ways, if any, would you change your moral behavior if it were proved that God does not exist?


Give me all the filthy details :)

4 comments:

  1. Hello Philosobot,
    great question...
    really, nothing would change in my moral conduct if I found God to exist. I have more to state later.

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  2. Suicide. Not that a world with out an existance of God would make me want to kill myself but that would change the negative consequences of suicide for me.

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  3. Zee, I hope you're not speaking for yourself!

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  4. Hello Philosobot,

    As I already stated, my conduct would not markedly or notably change on the moral spectrum if I became aware that there is a God. I behave morally upright: I am faithful to my wife, I provide for my children, I watch out for the best interests of my fellow man, I advocate the rights of the down-trodden, I even ready the Bible (and the Quran).

    However, a significant area of difference would be in the realm of ceremonial or ritual observance. If I became, for example, a Muslim theist, my morality would encompass the moral burden of praying five times a day, etc. On the other hand, as a Jewish theist, I would be obliged to observe Shabbat from Friday evening to Saturday evening (unless in Alaska because the Hebrew god was unaware of Eskimos).

    I find it extremely interesting how the ceremonial-ritual aspect of Judeo-Christian religiosity holds the potential to trump other interpersonal areas of morality. For example, the Orthodox Jew who keeps Shabbat is prohibited from taking actions that would violate the Shabbat even if it would result in the saving of a non-Jews life. Additionally, I have known Christian Sabbath observers that exhibit similar priorities. Interpersonal morality sometimes takes back seat to the fictive morality of ceremonial-ritual observance and is an example where theistic morality is inferior to atheist morality. Yes, I just said that, and I was not joking. Theists often have a lot to learn about morality.

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