"Why do we need a God to be good? Why can't we do the right thing just because it is the right thing to do?"
To be "good" implies that there is a higher, external authority of what is good and bad, independent of the entity (mankind) seeking to be good. You cannot even aspire to a good life unless you acknowledge that there is a standard against which "good" is to be judged. By acknowledging that there is indeed a "right thing to do," you acknowledge a standard of right and wrong that exists independent of mankind on whom it is applied. That standard is what is called God.
Without this higher authority, we could logically define "good" for each of us as that which makes us each the happiest. Bad would be what makes us unhappy. That leads to problems. It might make me happy to kill Bill Gates and live in his house and enjoy his money and power. But that would not be good for Bill Gates. So we have to reject that line of thought, because we are seeking a universal good, not just an individual good that might be bad from other perspectives. A universal good must come from outside ourselves.
Nothing any animal does is "bad." Animals act on instinct. For them there is neither right nor wrong. It is only because we are children of God that we perceive right and wrong, and can choose either. With no God, we would be like animals: everything we do would be free from any question of right or wrong.
We cannot substitute "human race" for God. A sentient "human race" is not reality. We are all individuals; all separate, sentient beings, with completely separate free will. There is no collective consciousness.
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Comments: 14
There are atheists running rampant who are just fine.
Sometimes I wonder what God really does all day. I just have to wonder.
One of my newest connection is very devout and very tolerant. He accepts me for who I am explains his position and leaves it at that.
I dont hold a persons religion against them just their attitudes.
I am in complete agreement with all you said in this article. Your reasoning is impeccable, and your insight into the reality of human individuality is logically irrefutable. Many will disagree, but will not be able to tell me how many fingers I'm holding up, let alone demonstrate anything but a tendency for people to accept what they believe the majority accepts. There is no collective consciousness, just collective gullibility.
"We have no proof that we'll ever see or hear from God."
I believe what you really mean, is the YOU have no such proof. I had none either, for most of my life, and pretty much ruled the possibility out . . . but not completely, for I am a scientific thinker. That means one does not assume what one merely suspects, is truth. One awaits repeatable evidentiary "proof"
One day, for various reasons, it occurred to me that I had only looked at the Book as the work of men. Never had I read it from the open-minded point of view, that it might be what it claims. So, I did the only rational thing a serious seeker of truth could, I felt. I asked that God forgive my lack of faith in Him, and reveal to me His presence (If that was what He wished). He did. A hundred times over, addressing my actual doubts, as they occurred, through that Book.
It is simply presumptuous to speak of "we" not having proof. Billions of human "eye" witnesses may not mean much to some, but what they witness in their lives is often proof to those people. Please speak for yourself.
IF there is a God, there is nothing at all irrational or pointless in thinking we cannot live well in denial of that centrally important fact.
I did as you ask, for I knew not what might come of it, but I have read those words several times already, and accept them as the very Word of God. I did not mention all that I did in respectfully doing as the Book, and it's potential author, requested, but yes, such confession was a part of my sincere request of God, and I would advise anyone to be sure to approach God as he instructs in that Book.
I don't believe He is being demanding in making it clear how one ought approach Him, but expressing His concern that we not be filled with our own concepts and images, for then we might misunderstand the importance of those concepts, and attribute some great significance to what we happened to be thinking when He "touched us". That would lead to confusion, and; "God is not the author of confusion, but of peace".
Thank you.
I believe in a higher being and I don't believe that giving money to a church is going to
get me into heaven. Going to church these days is like seeing who has more than
you in the way they dress etc. Thats not giving back to the poor, and helping your
fellow man.
If you do good works, and live a clean life and help take care of others that brings
you closer to your higher being whatever his/her name is.
Treat others like you want to be treated isn't that really all that God ask of you?
If you live your life afraid of God, and filled with guilt , is that getting your closer to
God or away from him?
Religions in a whole have forgotten that they are there to help their fellowman learn more about the teaching of one great man. What happen?
We are given the right to pick good or bad in everything we do.
God doesn't help those who doesn't help themselves first. Thats just the way it is..
Now if we can stop wars started in his name, the world in a whole would be a better place.
Just my opinion.. nothing more..
I certainly hope that life has more meaning than Survival and avoiding harm.
How do we really know what is good and what is bad.
Having faith in something other than ones-self is a healthy thing. If we had nothing to examine beyond our own existence, than why not just give in to our animal instincts? We are smart enough to kill all the other animals and eat them, is murder really murder if we are simply animals?