"Good without God? More Americans say amen to that"

[proudpagan]

Seeking knowledge , meditations , yogic practice a is true worship to God

 

[David T]

"For the first time, a majority of Americans — 56 percent — say it is possible to be a good person without a religious belief.

So says new Pew Research Center data drawn from two polls conducted among about 5,000 American adults in June and July.

“God is not a prerequisite for good values and morality,” Greg Smith, Pew’s associate director of research, said in a post about the findings. ” … [T]he public’s increased rejection of the idea that belief in God is necessary for morality is due, in large part, to the spike in the share of Americans who are religious ‘nones.'”

Nones now account for about one-quarter — 23 percent — of American adults, up from 16 percent in 2007. But their growth is not the whole story behind the numbers.

In the current poll, Protestants and Catholics were also polled, and 45 percent of them agree that God is not necessary for personal morality, up from 42 percent in 2011.

Even white evangelicals, who traditionally believe a relationship with God is crucial to morality, have budged. In 2011, one quarter of them (26 percent) said it was possible to be good without God, while now almost a third (32 percent) say so.

“To be sure, most white evangelicals still say belief in God is necessary for morality,” Smith writes. “But the share who say belief in God is a necessary underpinning of being moral has declined from 72 percent to 65 percent in just six years.”
source
​

So, what do you think, is a belief in god unnecessary to be good?

.

John Muir was a none. Your question seems to be a city folk mental problem. Out here in the wilderness there is but that, nature, no science no religion just that, unbounded.

 

[Skwim]

So now what God requires is up to a democratic or popular vote? I think not.

You just don't get it, do you. Oh well.

.

 

[Skwim]

It takes more faith to be an Agnostic or an Atheist than it does to be a Christian.

If one uses the common definition of faith: trust in a belief, it certainly does not. This sounds more like a cliche pinned across the top of a bulletin board in a Sunday school classroom.

Why do you now reverse the question?

Not reversed at all. Being unnecessary is the thrust of the issue.

​

Define "good;"

Define "God."

Define "Necessary."

Define "Unnecessary."

Define "Morality."

Identify the persons qualified to make the judgments necessary for the conclusion.

Hmm. . . . . The questions of a college freshman who just got through their philosophy 101 course. In any case, Nope. I won't.

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[Vee]

​

So, what do you think, is a belief in god unnecessary to be good?

.

I think a belief in God helps you become a better person when you take it seriously. If you're going to call yourself a Christian but treat other people like rubbish when the bible clearly tells you to love one another, why bother to pretend to have a relationship with God?

It doesn't surprise me that society is moving away from religion, on the contrary. What is remarkable is that while religion was blamed for so many problems, now that people are drifting away from the religious "chains" that were allegedly holding them back from living their lives to the full, I would expect to find a happier, better, more balance society. That's not what's happening.
If religious beliefs are responsible for a lot of trouble, life without religious beliefs doesn't see to be any better.

 

[Revoltingest]

"For the first time, a majority of Americans — 56 percent — say it is possible to be a good person without a religious belief.
.​

​

Further proof we're all go'n to Hell in a handbasket.

 

[Revoltingest]

I think a belief in God helps you become a better person when you take it seriously. If you're going to call yourself a Christian but treat other people like rubbish when the bible clearly tells you to love one another, why bother to pretend to have a relationship with God?

One can take the Bible seriously, but there are many differing interpretations.
Serious folk have burned witches, wiped out aboriginals, imprisoned people for heresy, etc, etc.
Its effect appears to be at best random...generally bringing out inherent individual tendencies.

 

[Mister Silver]

​

Further proof we're all go'n to Hell in a handbasket.

Should be a fun ride.

 

[Revoltingest]

Should be a fun ride.

Works for me!

 

[Skwim]

If religious beliefs are responsible for a lot of trouble, life without religious beliefs doesn't see to be any better.

This is where one should be careful not to generalize. Religious beliefs have indeed been responsible for a lot of trouble; however, quality of life is dependent on far more than religious belief or a lack of it. So I'd be careful when assigning cause and effect.

.

 

[Vee]

however, quality of life is dependent on far more than religious belief or a lack of it.

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I never said the contrary. But what exactly was the benefit for society in no longer having a religious belief? Are people kinder to each other? Is there less social inequality? Is there less racism? Are people becoming more respectful of others? Is there less poverty? Is there more love among people?
Celebrating the end of religious beliefs would only make sense to me if that brought improvement to society. I don't think the fact that people are less spiritual/religious has had that much of an impact.

 

[DavidFirth]

Men without God are more honest, trustworthy and likely to believe anything any Stanford scientist says without question.

Amen!

 

[Skwim]

I never said the contrary.

I know, but the implication is that life with religious beliefs is no worse than not having them, so we may as well have them even though they're responsible for a lot of trouble. I don't buy it. Getting rid of a problematic aspect of life can only be of benefit.

But what exactly was the benefit for society in no longer having a religious belief?

well, it's certainly not a done deal yet, but hopefully it will result in:
Eliminating the creationists nuts and their constant ploys to sneak creationism into public school science courses, which would be pretty nice. And taking this into Christian education itself, it would be great if kids were spared the myths and anti-science proclamations of the Bible. C'mon, thousands of animals on a little boat for over a year during a world wide flood, all tended by eight people? No one deserves to be convinced of such silliness. The truth is much more enriching.

Are people kinder to each other? Is there less social inequality? Is there less racism? Are people becoming more respectful of others? Is there less poverty? Is there more love among people?

Well, in the USA a greater and long over due acceptance of homosexuals has been an enormous improvement. Then there's the fracturing of small denominational wrongs, such as denying children vaccinations, which has helped. And, the exposure of sexual abuse among the clergy should certainly be applauded. And we can't forget the more liberal attitude toward sex that has arisen, where, for instance, masturbation has been pretty much purged of its demonic image. Going from "Masturbation . . .is corrosive to the integrity of our persons and our intimacy of the Spirit." to "Is masturbation an acceptable component to healthy sexuality? Short answer: Yes. Long answer: Yes, absolutely. In fact, I might scratch "acceptable" from there and change it to "important." Also, the disconnect from the moralistic demands of religion has allowed people the freedom to explore partner possibilities before making blind, and potentially bad, commitments to one another.

So, yup, There have been definite improvements since religion lost its grip on its members and society.

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[Quintessence]

It's a terribly written article covering what is otherwise decent demographic research. Other than taking offense to the abuse of the English language, I'm pretty much indifferent to the findings.

 

[Baroodi]

GOD is essential for these reasons
1/ to control the universe
( The Sun Shall not catch up with the moon, Nor the night can preceed the Day, each rotating in an orbit) Noble Quran, Yaseen 40.
2/ For absolute eternal justice. what ever man do, a lot of aggrieved people are there in this mundane life. divine justice prevails here and in the Hereafter
3/ to prevent Havoc
4/ to discriminate between ritheous and sinners with due rewards

 

[Enoch07]

Some of them I really do think they would go on a spree of murder and rape if they didn't believe in their god wagging his finger at them. And for those that wouldn't, it still sounds like projection.

Seems to be necessary for some people. At least by their own accounts, they'd murder, rape, steal, etc if they did not believe in an avenging god. I wouldn't call such people "moral" or "good" though.

While your both entitled to your own opinion. I think you guys are looking at it in the wrong way. Because if the only reason someone did not do "bad" things was because they was afraid of being damned/going to hell/whatevs. That person would be not be any better off, than a non-believer, because they are insincere.

Your looking at it as negative reinforcement, when it is meant to be positive reinforcement.

Here is the difference.

Person A only goes to church because they are afraid of going to hell. They try to do their best to not break any of Gods laws. When they die and stand before God for judgement. They will either be judged to heaven or hell. More than likely hell, because doing something out of fear, is not the same as out if love. But if they are judged to hell they will probably be mad and feel betrayed. They do not accept their own responsibility for their own actions.

Person B tries to do the best they can. They do not want to give in to their "bad" tendencies, and succeed mostly, but do fail time to time. This person knows they should not do these things, but still slips up. They get back up and try to do better the next time, because they love God. This person dies, stands before God for judgement. The verdict is irrelevant. Because a true follower knows that God is correct in His judgement. But if they fail, then it was because they did not try hard enough. They accept their responsibility for their action, and the judgement that comes with it.

Hopefully that makes some sense. It's harder to explain that in written form.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Hopefully that makes some sense. It's harder to explain that in written form.

It makes since, but it doesn't address the oft repeated fallacy of needing god to be moral, or how it comes off sounding to those who are doing just fine without god.

 

[Enoch07]

It makes since, but it doesn't address the oft repeated fallacy of needing god to be moral, or how it comes off sounding to those who are doing just fine without god.

Fair enough. I agree that someone can be a moral person without religion. But I do think religion can help, at the very least, some people with morality.

 

[1robin]

"For the first time, a majority of Americans — 56 percent — say it is possible to be a good person without a religious belief.

So says new Pew Research Center data drawn from two polls conducted among about 5,000 American adults in June and July.

“God is not a prerequisite for good values and morality,” Greg Smith, Pew’s associate director of research, said in a post about the findings. ” … [T]he public’s increased rejection of the idea that belief in God is necessary for morality is due, in large part, to the spike in the share of Americans who are religious ‘nones.'”

Nones now account for about one-quarter — 23 percent — of American adults, up from 16 percent in 2007. But their growth is not the whole story behind the numbers.

In the current poll, Protestants and Catholics were also polled, and 45 percent of them agree that God is not necessary for personal morality, up from 42 percent in 2011.

Even white evangelicals, who traditionally believe a relationship with God is crucial to morality, have budged. In 2011, one quarter of them (26 percent) said it was possible to be good without God, while now almost a third (32 percent) say so.

“To be sure, most white evangelicals still say belief in God is necessary for morality,” Smith writes. “But the share who say belief in God is a necessary underpinning of being moral has declined from 72 percent to 65 percent in just six years.”
source
​

So, what do you think, is a belief in god unnecessary to be good?

.

Apparently 56% of Americans have never opened a freshmen philosophy text then.

If there is no God there exists no actual (objective) good, and no actual (objective) evil. There is no ontological foundation for your epistemological house of cards to be erected upon without God.

Prove that any act what so ever is actually (objectively) good or evil using without referring to the supernatural.

 

[metis]

Genes found in animals that are "social" establish "pecking orders" of one type or another, thus "morality" does get established, although it can and often does vary.