The Oxford Dictionary defines the word moral as “A lesson that can be derived from a story or experience, or Standards of behaviour; principles of right and wrong” (Oxford University Press [online] 2019). When this is mixed with religion does having faith really determine if you have more morals that someone who doesn’t? A practising Christian would argue that the moral code as defined by the Christian Bible teaches them the difference between what is morally right and wrong. Whereas non-religious people would argue that morals are something you learn or are taught by different people through life skills.
Within the Christian faith, it is taught about the importance of moral code. This teaches them about two important things, loving God and loving people. Through life a Christian makes many sacraments showing their loyalty and trust in God. Following the Christian faith gives you a set moral values and beliefs which are followed through every day. This makes you a ‘good’ Christian. From birth you are taught what is right and what is wrong, but does this actually put pressure on them as a human being to be perfect in an non idealistic world. “We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.” (1 John 5:18).
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This is a set of morals and values that were developed over hundreds of thousands of years ago, before technology, conflict and an overall change in society. Something that is deemed morally wrong in past tense compared to something from today’s generation could be completely contradictive to the current society of Christians. In today’s society there is a sense of worry involved as people do not want to let their family, priest or most importantly God down. With current mental health problems arising in this generation it is understandable why many Christians feel this way. They almost feel like if they are not good they are automatically sinners and will live with that guilt even once apologised for. Things from childhood can make adults act out in an aggressive manner towards others, this is when people start to believe this is normal behaviour. Is it the parents fault that the child has been subjected to traumatic experiences or is it then the child’s fault that they think their rights are wrong and wrongs are rights? Are religious people who have been jailed for their crimes still more moral than non-religious people? If they are taught the real differences between right and wrong, then are they expected to not make mistakes so bad they are imprisoned. Following this belief shows how people are subjected to not really have freedom of thought as they are told from a very young age that certain things are right and certain things are wrong.
Richard Dawkins is an English ethologist, biologist and author. He believes morality has no ties to religion what so ever, and he states that “we clearly do not get our moral compass from religion”. (Richard Dawkins, 2015). A moral compass is someone’s ability to distinguish the difference between what is right and wrong.
Up until the 2000s slavery was a normal thing that wasn’t frowned upon and although it was banned in a lot of counties it still happens today with a different outlook. Years ago slavery was just something that happened, but as society changes the moral compass moves when people start to realise that is it actually wrong to do such things and stop it. As the years pass and generations move on, people start to develop their own moral ideas of what is right and wrong which has nothing to do with religion. If the moral compass had anything to do with religion we would still be murdering people for crimes, they did not commit and inequality between men and women would still be an ongoing issue. The moral compass is how generations and societies move on from old beliefs and start to develop their own ways of living the way they believe is right to do. They start to realise and create their own pathways which is a group or individual thing that doesn’t have any connection to religion. Believing in the moral compass gives people more diverse thoughts and allows them think more freely. However, it can be said that this can allow more people to have ‘evil’ thoughts and actions without the consequence of disappointment.
There will always be strong arguments for each side as it is a very controversial subject of conversation. Personally, as someone been raised a Christian and has been subjected to all the sacraments in the religion. I still strongly believe an atheists point of view and I would consider myself an atheist. I have been confronted by many mental health and other challenging problems throughout my life which has made me question how moral our society actually is and will one-day religion be a thing of the past?
Bibliography
- Oxford University Press, online 2019 [accessed 30.01.2019] https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/moral
- 1 John 5:18 Biblia.com, online 2019 [accessed 30.01.2019] https://biblia.com/bible/esv/1%20John%205.18
- gotquestions.org, online 2019 [accessed 30.01.2019] https://www.gotquestions.org/how-old-is-the-Bible.html
- Daniel C. Dennett, online 2012 [accessed 30.01.2019] https://twitter.com/dennetsdouble/status/224033052865724416
- Richard Dawkins interview, online audio 2015 [accessed 30.01.19] https://www.businessinsider.com/richard-dawkins-religion-morality-2015-10?r=US&IR=T
- Psychology Today, Gregg Henriques Ph.D., 2012 [accessed 31.01.2019] https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/theory-knowledge/201201/finding-our-moral-compass
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