Question:
So you claim to have no religion?
Star
2008-12-19 20:29:04 UTC
To those of you who say you are not religious...

does this mean you do not think anything is absolute and that nothing that happens really matters? That there is no right and no wrong?

or does it just mean you are a not a devoted follower of any organized religion?

I think I am confused on this issue and others' perception of it, and it comes back to bite me when I try to defend my faith. I always assumed the first, but I guess there are some people claiming to be non-religious who still believe in one right and one wrong.
25 answers:
Pull My Finger
2008-12-19 20:44:21 UTC
I think there might be some objective truth or truths, but I'm hesitant to guess at what they might be. Math seems pretty safe. Outside of that, it's more difficult to say. But I certainly don't hesitate to treat my perceptions and my logic as though they were objectively true, since I don't have much else to go on, but I try to keep in mind that the human condition is necessarily one of subjective perception, and that skepticism can be my friend.



I do think there is a right and wrong. I think there are rational behaviors and irrational behaviors, and for the most part, logic can lead us to a near-universal code of ethics. Again, there are some qualifications to this assertion, but for the most part, I think ethics is not a lost cause simply because we rule out an objective rule-maker (god).



So, yeah, it just means that I don't have any religious beliefs.



As a stark objection to your idea that the non-religious might not believe in absolutes or ethics, look at the Objectivist philosophy of Ayn Rand (an atheist). I don't subscribe to Objectivism myself, but it is certainly an example that lack of religion does not mean a lack of belief in absolutes or a lack of a clearly defined ethical code.
2008-12-20 04:34:12 UTC
If morality comes from the bible then it should be ok to kill my kids if they are disobedient right?



Morality does not come from religion!!!



"Why believe in a god? Just be good for goodness' sake," advertisements will be appearing on Washington, DC, buses starting next week and running through December. The expected responses from infantile religious spokespeople have been prominently reported in the media and, as usual, they have been treated as if their comments are obviously true. (See also our earlier post.)



The Newsmax story said, “Some experts from religious groups criticised the campaign, saying that morality and the intention to do good is based on belief in God.”



Bill Donohue, president of the conservative Catholic League, responded in a press statement, saying, “Codes of morality, of course, have always been grounded in religion. We know that militant secularists are busy flexing their muscles these days, but is it too much to expect them to act rationally?”



Such responses are a sad reflection on the education system.



Morality must be, and always has been, distinct from religion. Otherwise the actions of the gods could never be judged as morally right or wrong. One example should suffice even for the likes of Bill Donohue.



The god of the Judaists, Christians, Muslims and Mormons is reported in the book of Exodus in the Bible as having sent an angel to kill the entire first born in Egypt, excepting only the chosen few. The festival of Passover is said to commemorate the event. But does this fable describe a moral action? Anyone who says yes it does, or no it does not, rather than that they cannot say because it was an act of God, demonstrates that actions can be judged as moral or immoral without any reference to religions.
Zombie
2008-12-20 04:33:32 UTC
**'does this mean you do not think anything is absolute and that nothing that happens really matters? That there is no right and no wrong?"**



One can only guess what led you along the convoluted path of anti-reason to such a conclusion.



**"or does it just mean you are a not a devoted follower of any organized religion?"**



Indeed, "I have no religion" means I do not follow any religion. How perceptive.
TheProgressive
2008-12-20 04:37:06 UTC
Truth is. It doesn't have to be believed in, rather all one has to do is awaken to it, see it clearly, and practice it. People who are spiritual and not religious are those who seek true Truth....they are tired of the man-made doctrines and dogmas found in religion. Religion often leads to fanaticism and legalistic teachings. Spirituality leads to an open mind and true investigating, sincere searching. Being devoted to a specific religion is not the same as someone who seeks truth. Clinging to a set of beliefs or a certain doctrine is not the same thing as someone who has a desire to know truth. People who are not religious are not careless people with an anything-goes attitude, and to assume that is judgmental and ignorant, so please don't be one of those people. Being religious and unwilling to change leads to stagnation.
Alpha Beta
2008-12-20 04:36:01 UTC
Fundamentally, there really are no rights or wrongs but simply rules we decide on to follow, whether it be religion or laws, etc.



You could believe it's wrong to cut down a tree because it's a beautiful creation of god ... but it the wood from it helps heat your room to keep your baby daughter from freezing, then it's right.



Killing another person is considered wrong, except that if that person murdered 10 million people then maybe it's okay. Who are you to decide? Who is anyone to decide?



Religion is just a set of rules ... believe in them or not, that's a choice.
qwertyuiop
2008-12-20 04:38:52 UTC
i don't have a religion. i believe that what is right and what is wrong is all a matter of perception. everyone has a different perception on what is right and what is wrong which is why i don't support illegalizing abortion despite the fact i don't believe in abortion. not everyone has the same morals.



somone who thinks that nothing that happens matters would fall into the category of a nihilist
2008-12-20 04:37:50 UTC
We are a follower of our own beliefs and faiths. We Create our own religion in a sense with knowledge and wisdom that resonates with us, is what we consider truth. My Religion is love, i'll do anything that Love would do. " Infinite love is the only truth, everything else is an illusion." - David Icke
2008-12-20 04:37:51 UTC
I don't agree with religion because I believe that religion is mans way of taking an absolute and making it relative to himself. Because it is mans tendency to think that the world revolves around him.
robb
2008-12-20 05:06:12 UTC
It could very well mean that one is not part of any organized religion. I am religious and have very strong opinions on the Bible yet I am not Christian nor am I Jewish.
2008-12-20 04:37:14 UTC
Because religion is man's creation, I call myself non-religious. I do believe in absolutes.
Pi
2008-12-20 04:38:44 UTC
Means I have no religion as in I don't follow any doctrine, or believe in "revealed" esoteric (subjective) knowledge, from any books, visions, prophets, or anything which cannot be demonstrated in the natural reality which surrounds all of us.
ed f
2008-12-20 04:35:28 UTC
It's the organized religion part that I don't like. Jesus is what it's all about. We still fellowship with a church, but not for the religion, for the people.
interested1208
2008-12-20 04:33:30 UTC
I probably believe in all the same things you do, just not that there are any gods... it's that simple...



People that don't like the concept try to make it more complicated than it is... don't be one of those...





Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays...
2008-12-20 04:35:02 UTC
I don't follow religions, I believe in Christianity, the Almighty God and Jesus.
2008-12-20 04:34:05 UTC
...Are you serious? Morals don't have to come from religion. Does your opinion of slavery come from the bible? What about racism? Assimilation? Anarchy? Vegetarianism?
timelady
2008-12-20 04:31:53 UTC
I dont understand the question. Why can't you have morals without religion? And nothing is absolute.
Citizen Justin
2008-12-20 04:35:15 UTC
Morality is absolute, like mathematics. Only our awareness of it can change.
2008-12-20 04:36:50 UTC
No

I just do not care. it does not matter to me

beleiving or not beleiving in god is not the point



maybe there is a god maybe not .



does not interest me



I live my life with integrity.



so i have no need for it
2008-12-20 04:34:13 UTC
lets see



for the sake of argument, lets consider "absolute truth" vs "relative truth"



if only relative truth existed, that would, itself, be an absolute, therefor absolute truth must exist



did "god" come into that argument? no.



why must "god" be involved in morals?
2008-12-20 04:31:27 UTC
I'm just not a devoted follower of any organized religion.



My belief system is just unique to me.
Taylor T
2008-12-20 04:32:34 UTC
I don't have a specific reliogion, but i believe in right and wrong, and i beleive in meaning and in god, but i don't beleive everything in the bible and i don't go to church.
Eh
2008-12-20 04:31:39 UTC
wow you are ignorant.

since when is religion needed to know what you want to do with your life? since when is religion needed to know right from wrong?

Grow up.
OKIM IM
2008-12-20 04:32:52 UTC
Nothing is absolute.
?
2008-12-20 04:32:45 UTC
taking an online apologetics course, are we?
2008-12-20 04:31:33 UTC
ya ur a retard


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