Does One's Religion Determine One's Morals?

[Sunstone]

Does one's religion usually determine one's morals as they are practiced? If so, in what way? If not, why not?

 

[Pariah]

I think one's culture influences one's morality much differently than one's religion.
It seems to me that Indonesian, Indian, and American Christians probably may not have similar morals due solely to religion.

Culture is much more powerful factor because it is the way of life for the people around you and source of societal pressure.

 

[Booko]

Pariah makes an excellent point.

I've remarked on occasion that some coreligionists of mine are more American Baha'is than Baha'i Americans.

That does end up being a difficulty in getting consensus at times -- it takes more work to punch through the lens of culture to see what the Writings actually say.

 

[Panda]

No, if one's religion defined ones morals then people who have no religion would have no morals using this logic.

I would agree that morals come from society and culture, people who grow up in a culture are likely to adopt its morals due to the fact that humans are very conforming by nature.

 

[michel]

Does one's religion usually determine one's morals as they are practiced? If so, in what way? If not, why not?

I believe one's culture determines one's morals more than one's religion.

 

[Fluffy]

I think that a person's morals and religion are interdependent.

For example, I might be brought up as a Christian and hold Christian morals as a result. Then due to changes in my environment, my morals might change radically and consequently I change my religion.

However, I think that in the majority of cases both morals and religion are determined by the norms of society. Their determination and their interdependence are therefore caused by one's position in society.

 

[Smoke]

Does one's religion usually determine one's morals as they are practiced? If so, in what way? If not, why not?

It certainly has an effect on one's morals, to the extent that religionists pay any attention to their religion's teachings, since religious leaders, as Russell said, condemn acts which do no harm and condone acts which do great harm.

Look around you at the supporters of torture, extraordinary rendition, unprovoked attacks on other countries, terrorism, and suicide bombing. Almost without exception, their moral positions are informed by their religious convictions. It takes faith to undermine our moral capacity to that extent.

Those are the bad religions. There are other religions that teach people to have compassion and to do no harm, and I don't doubt that those religions have a positive moral effect as great as the negative moral effect of Christianity and Islam.

No, if one's religion defined ones morals then people who have no religion would have no morals using this logic.

Or, people who have no religion would have none of the deleterious moral effects of religion.

 

[jamaesi]

I was raised interfaith, but baptized Christian, as I lived with my mother who is one. At a very early age I rejected a lot of Christian ideas and morals. I spent almost half my life agnostic, and my morals did not come from any religion or culture forced on me and are very much internal and innate. Equality, tolerance, nonjudgmentalness, freedom, love, compassion, charity, forgiveness... those are the values I hold dearest. I don't think it's any surprise that I felt called to the religions I am, they both reflect those values and morals perfectly.

 

[Quiddity]

It started with culture for me. It then got morphed and refined by my religion.

They are interdependant but as a Christian we are called to make an impact on the culture, not the culture on us. Unfortunately this often get's interpreted as seeking theocracy.

 

[ChristineES]

I sincerely doubt that my faith had much to do with my morals, since I had them before I had my faith. I was even pro-life before I became a follower of Jesus. But I can't say that is true for everyone. Some people may get their morals from their faith, it is a matter of individuality.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

There is a connection Religion influences your culture...
Culture then influences you in many different ways.
The firmly religious, are perhaps more influenced by the religions teachings followed by their church.

 

[Pariah]

There is a connection Religion influences your culture...
Culture then influences you in many different ways.
The firmly religious, are perhaps more influenced by the religions teachings followed by their church.

True.
There is much to be said about cultures that come about as a result of religion. The Middle East, for example, although retaining a few of there practices from pre-Islamic times, probably changed dramatically after Mohammed introduced Islam.

Although this is a much more profound example, India is another example of how things have not changed for centuries. Subtleties exist within every culture if you can trace the roots and origins of practices, language, etc.

 

[Mister Emu]

My religion determines much of my morality...

I wouldn't be the person I am without God in my life...

 

[MaddLlama]

I think it does to an extent. One's morals are generally determined by ones upbringing and experience, and if that involves religion then that will be an influence. Beyond that, if you change religions down the road, or choose to give it up, that will also influence ones ethics and moralities.
I know for me, my journey through the many areas of Paganism (from my nominally Catholic upbringing) has influenced my ethics greatly.

 

[Ðanisty]

Does one's religion usually determine one's morals as they are practiced? If so, in what way? If not, why not?

That all depends on how much that person lets their religion determine their morals. For some people there can be no morals without religion. Other people don't define their morals by their religion. I think those people tend to be the ones who converted to their religion rather than being born into it.

 

[lunamoth]

What to do when your conscience/ethics/morality conflict with something your religion teaches...?

 

[Booko]

What to do when your conscience/ethics/morality conflict with something your religion teaches...?

I've only come up with three options to that pickle thus far:

1. Study religion further to see if the conflict can be resolved.
if not:
2. Decide to wait it out and see if it makes more sense with further experience
3. Change religions

Well, that's the short version, anyway.

 

[Ever learning]

My upbginging and my personal experinces have helped me form my morals more than anything.

 

[wednesday]

I say it depends from person to person. Personally i say having faith in anything other than yourself presents oppurtunities for others to exploit you, whilst i know people who cannot live without their faith in God. Although they live a sheltered life with a strange (often amusing) sense of reality it depends on the individual.

 

[rojse]

I do not think that faith determines morals.

If this was true, every claimant of a faith would have the same ideals, but this is not the case. Look at the death penalty - some Christians agree to it, others oppose it. If religion and morals were linked, how could this be?