If there was no deity (or deities) of a higher plane of existence or no authority to judge your behavior after you die, what would you do? Would you do anything different than what you’re doing now?
I think for me I’d be a bank robber and steal from people. With so many people on the planet I have nothing divine to fear so why not steal from people? Sure I know right from wrong, but considering there is no moral judgment of face after my mortal life I would rob people.
If all I have to fear is a prison or dying from disease, or by natural causes I see no point in being a moral person.
Thoughts?
I suspect we don't have a lot of control over our moral feelings. It's mostly non-conscious influences like genetics, culture, upbringing. If there is no deity then religious leaders were influenced their own feelings when it came to morality
Whatever your morals are, it really comes down to survivability. If you survive and especially if you become affluent, you get to pass on your culture/genetics. Religion has obviously help us to survive these last several thousand years.
If we move away from religion, whatever morality survives with us will be the morality of the future.