Atheists and Accountability

[whatsthestoryinbalamorytoday]

Hi

My MIL is an athetist and I've had atheist friends in the past. They are the most morally corrupt people I've ever met.

People who believe in God or some form of higher being and an ultimate judgement day or reward (even through reincarnation) live by a certain set of rules e.g. 10 commandments. In a way it makes you aware of a higher being or that you will eventually be held accountible for your actions and should (in an ideal world) stop you doing bad things.

People like my MIL sleep around and do whatever they please regardless of who they hurt or how immoral the act is. As long as she's not breaking any laws of the land (and adultery is not one of them) she thinks it's fine to get away with it. Because she doesn't believe in God, she believes that she has in fact "got away with it".

What are your opinions on this? How do atheists enusre they don't do bad things? Whih set of rules/principles do you follow?

We were talking about the 10 commandments and where did they come from; that's the relevance Twiglett. I have a Jewish joke book at home (that one wasn't in it btw) written by some one with a Jewish name. Is it ok to tell jewish jokes if you're jewish yourself?

How many jewish mommas does it take to change a lightbulb?

None. Don't you worry about me, I'll just sit here in the dark.

What was your objection, Foundintranslation?
Maybe it's the way I tell em.

Elasticwoman, you have every right to makes about religion. If that is your choice. It's called freedom of speech. And it's very worrying indeed that more and more people are not allowed to voice their opinions and thoughts in fear of offending someone. Religion should be open to ridicule. Why not? If you believe or have faith in something, what does it matter what other people think of it??

I think I may have stepped away from the original question, but I just wanted to support Elasticwoman's right to freedom of speech.

I agree with Elasticwoman's right to free speech but am pondering the wisdom of using this right to post religious-stereotype jokes under Philosophy/Religion/Spirituality rather than under Only Joking.
Perhaps we should swing over to Multicultural Families and excercise our right to freedom of speech by posting some racial-stereotype jokes?
Anyone with me?

If that's what you want to do. Go for it. Something tells me you don't want to though.

freedom of speech does not encompass the right to be racist I'm afraid

Which ever way you look at it Freedom of Speech means that you can say whatever you like as long as you are not inciting violence or hatred which I don't think Elasticwoman was doing... That is all I was saying.

So freedom of speech is all right Mrs Badger, so long as you post it in the right thread?

I do not consider the French, Germans or Jews to be races. The first two are nationalities and the last is a religion. Hitler thought the Jews a race: "They may be a race, but they are not human." He was wrong about that as he was about a lot of things.

I just thought this thread was getting a bit bad-tempered and hoped every one would lighten up!

No one has answered my question: is it all right to be rude about Jews if you are one?

not online, no its not

Message withdrawn

Richard Dawkins is an Evolutionary Biologist and I would suggest he is perfectly 'qualified' to be discussing the non-existence of God. The Big Bang is just a theory, God isn't even that. Evolution cannot be argued with no matter how unpalatable it is to you and your belief system. That doesn't make your beliefs any less valid, but people do look rather stupid when they blatantly deny what is true because a book tells them it is so.

Neitzche wrote eloquently on the formation of morals as dictated by the society in which we live and in getting back to the opening post I would say that this is where my morals (as an atheist) come from.
My parents never instilled a religion into me but gave me time to think and make my own choices with regard to religion, they did not however abandon me with regard to morals and ethics and I would argue I have a deep respect for all life on this planet in equal measure. The difficulty with the arguments presented and questions asked here, for me personally, ultimately boils down to one of acceptance. We all have the ability to make choices with regard to how we live our lives. I have differing views on religion to some of my friends, but thats exactly what makes us all different, and my circle of friends would be dull indeed, I suspect, if we all agreed with each other and felt the same way about many aspects of our lives.
Just my little bit.