Atheists: Given that God has given you the ability to distinguish right and wrong (conscience) ...?

Question

Are you thankful for it? Can you imagine going through life not knowing the difference between right and wrong? Granted, we can ignore things we don't want to hear... and accept others, based on our own selfishness, or sinfulness. But, it's it good to have at least SOME moral code, which has been provided by God, in your conscience?

Romans 2:12-16

When the Gentiles sin, they will be destroyed, even though they never had God’s written law. And the Jews, who do have God’s law, will be judged by that law when they fail to obey it. For merely listening to the law doesn’t make us right with God. It is obeying the law that makes us right in his sight.

***Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it. They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right. And this is the message I proclaim—that the day is coming when God, through Christ Jesus, will judge everyone’s secret life.

Answer 1

Animals have moral codes.



God zapped that into them too huh?

Answer 2

Morality is not a "gift" from God or Jesus, it's learned behaviour. Taught by Parents, Family, Friends, Experience and the society in general. Good and Bad, right and wrong, moral and evil are "subjective". Every crime has "circumstances" and the one(s) that commit the crime(s) are judged IN, BY and FOR that society (the Laws change with "social opinion") as does "God's Laws" and the Bible. If a tiger eats a zebra, is that good or bad/right or wrong? If that same tiger eats your Mom, then? Does it make a difference to the tiger? And what part did God play in this tragic event?

Answer 3

my conscience and moral code has always been dependent on the society which I was a part of. My moral code in High School was VERY different from the one I was given in the Army. And that was different from the one I was given in college. The working world, as a professional, has an entirely different set of morals and my conscience once again had to adjust. I used to keep a special "weekend" set of morals which I brought out every sunday morning, so I wouldnt get singled out and burned at the stake or crucified.... but then I just stopped going.

Answer 4

You really should read your Bible. Romans Chapter Two says it is blasphemy to preach the law to the Gentile because Gentiles are a law unto themselves demonstrating the law is written in their hearts. It is a sin to preach. Even your prophets knew the writings of scripture was a pack of lies and that truth is not found in your religion, see Jeremiah 7:8, 7:21, Matthew 15:8,9, Matthew 23:23, and Hosea 6:6, and James 1:27. They also tell you what a true religion is.



Christians with the ability to know right from wrong murder innocent people because of their sexual orientation and they harass and sew discord in society everywhere they go. They are busy bodies, and rumor mongers and adulterers, which the Bible instructs them not to be. Your religion is broken and run by despicable people. Where is your moral code to complain to churches who support the rapes and murders of homosexuals in Uganda, by Christians? Where is your moral code to protest churches that support murder and rape of homosexuals by other Christians? Your Bible says all believers are of the same body. So, the hand cannot commit violence unless the body instructs it to do so. Where is your moral code to protest churches protesting at funerals for fallen service men and women? Where is your moral code?



Why not fix your broken religion first before you instruct the rest of the world how to behave. Every time a Christian opens their mouth to speak, they prove to the rest of us there is no god and that they worship in vain.

Answer 5

1) Morality is subjective across cultures, but yes it is a product of our empathy and need to be social. We observe both moral and immoral actions in various other social species (Note not our ideas of moral but moral relative to their social groups). 2) Homicidal suicide is punishment and it removes the threat from society. Contrast this to some religions that claim that a person like Hitler could find "salvation" before dieing and thus still be forgiven and not punished. Or, the alternate case that a person does very little wrong and mostly lives an exemplary moral life, but because they don't believe they are punished just the same as a mass murderer. I definitely prefer the "atheist" option as it is at least a little just where the religious is not.

Answer 6

Given that I was provided the ability to distinguish right and wrong from Apollo, why would I accept some false god like God.



Given that Prometheus risked himself to give us fire, and The Flying Spaghetti Monster provides us with gravitational forces, I am also thankful to them :D.



Yet again, if anything from the Bible is a given, all other mythologies are given too :D.





Moral codes have already been shown to be based on biology, no god required :D

Answer 7

No deity "gave" me the ability to distinguish between right and wrong. That ability was taught to me by my parents, teachers, and other members of society. Thankfully I was taught the proper lessons to function within my culture and can be a productive, contributing memebr of society. Some are not taught what they need to know, and grow up to be sociopaths.



Morality collectively benefits society but each society has somewhat differing moral principles, so it is both an evolutionary necessity and a social construct.

Answer 8

A wise man, though all laws were abolished, would act no differently. - Aristophanes



I do not require God to know right and wrong. In fact, judging from the statements of believers, believing in god would actively hinder my sense of right and wrong.

Answer 9

I have a moral code. I have no evidence that it was provided by any god. You've provided no evidence that my moral code, or anyone's moral code, comes from any god; you've simply regurgitated verse (as you're wont to do).



There is a major difference between our moral codes, though: I do the right thing through a sense of empathy - a desire to "do good for goodness' sake"; you do it out of the hope of an ultimate reward, or out of a sense of fear of punishment.



Let's take bets on who is more mature.

Answer 10

The ethic of reciprocity is a function of empathy. What is hateful to you, don't do to others. It requires no eternal threats, nor promises of heavenly reward in order to operate, just enlightened self-interest.



Game theory shows that using a strategy based on a such a code leads to viable long term success: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tit_for_tat



Moreover, evolutionary biology and game theory mathematics overlap, and show that such behavior can confer adaptive benefits on a population: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution_and_the_Theory_of_Games

Answer 11

So what about all those serial killers and rapists? Has god just 'forgotten' to instill those concepts in them? Or maybe, JUST MAYBE, its to do with their environment and upbringing and the way their brain is wired (thanks to EVOLUTION).



When I think of my conscience, I thank my parents and the environment I grew up in.



On a side note, why are Christians so damn NARROW MINDED?



EDIT: Oh, and in response to your additional details, thanks for shoving the 'Word of God' down our throats like that. This is why I hate Christians, because they think that their religion is almighty and NOONE ELSE could POSSIBLY be right. Go to your fictional hell.

Answer 12

Given that you begged the question and committed a logical fallacy, are you ashamed of this? Or did you not realize your grave error?



There is no evidence of gods. There is no evidence any of these god concepts has given us a conscience.

Answer 13

Doing good or bad has nothing to do with the supernatural. Never did.



Atheists: Given that Odin has given you the ability to distinguish right and wrong (conscience) ...?



Substitute the name for any other god, and it all falls apart doesn't it?

Answer 14

So when did he change this moral code? Since it was obviously different for Adam and Eve since incest was ok for them, but it's not ok nowadays, right? So I guess God would change his mind about what's right and what's wrong...yeah that makes perfect sense.



If he changed his moral code twice (once with Moses and once with Jesus) how do we know he's not gonna change it again?

Answer 15

And your evidence that some "god" GAVE me this ability would be...?

No, your magic book of superstitious myths is not evidence.



And hey, your magic book endorses, condones, and even demands human slavery.

Yet today, hardly any followers of your magic book consider slavery "right" in any way.

So much for it being a reference as to "right and wrong."



Peace.

Answer 16

You're still Assuming the Answer, Junior...you don't get to claim credit for ANYthing on your god's behalf, unless and until you PROVE it.



You ever get tired of making yourself look like an @$$hat, you let me know -- I'm going to throw you a party, with candy and balloons and everything!

Answer 17

No deity gave me my ability to reason.



Ethics and morals and the ability to think critically are NOT the results of any type of religious indoctrination. In fact....it is quite the opposite.

Answer 18

"God has given you the ability to distinguish right and wrong"



that's pure speculation/belief, do you christians even know the difference between a fact and a belief?

Answer 19

Look, if you want to give credit to your god for your own morality, whatever. But don't fantasize about me with that amoral bully.

Answer 20

You see, right there in your headline you used the word "god". Given that I don't agree with your premise, there is no question to answer.

Answer 21

Actually my parents gave me my moral compass, when they taught me right from wrong.



Thanks for the 2 free points

Answer 22

I'm not sure a book full of bloodshed is the best source of right and wrong.

Answer 23

Not everyone, regardless of belief, CAN discern between right and wrong. Where's your argument now?

Answer 24

who gave your god the ability to distinguish right from wrong?

Answer 25

right and wrong is nurtured not nature, if you believe there is an almighty God than you would know he is innate and comes before learned experiences.

Answer 26

You're assuming that God gave morals to us.

Answer 27

You lost me at "Given that God"

Answer 28

You are dishonestly misrepresenting your beliefs as facts.



Either prove that "god" has given us that ability, or stop lying for jesus.

Answer 29

I am sorry, that is NOT a given. And therefore your question is based on a false premise.

Answer 30

Well..let me ask you..."What is Right and What is wrong?"

things that seem right to you may not be right to others and vice versa.

Answer 31

Who gave me that ability?

What are you smoking? Can I try some?

Answer 32

Why you say "given that" without asking us if we agree with that "given that" ?

Answer 33

I'm thankful my parents taught me right from wrong.

Answer 34

you failed immediatly. they don't believe in god so why would they believe that "He" gave them that ability?

Answer 35

Are you really this dense?

Answer 36

Sorry you lost me at the bible reference. Viable sources please!