Atheism and conscience

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Tero
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Re: Atheism and conscience

Post by Tero » Wed Aug 14, 2013 3:44 pm

I can be cheap but not dishonest. Cause I dont have a priest to go to repent with. Besides, sky daddy does not exist so I would need to find the actual people to apologize to. Too much work.

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Re: Atheism and conscience

Post by cronus » Wed Aug 14, 2013 3:48 pm

Never needing to steal is always a good motive for not stealing. I wasn't brought up honest but I was in credit and still am. :coffee:
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Re: Atheism and conscience

Post by Svartalf » Wed Aug 14, 2013 4:01 pm

Self respect and self image are great motivators for me to be a decent guy. Plus, maybe as a leftover from my christian days, I'm a great believer in the golden rule.
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Re: Atheism and conscience

Post by En_Route » Wed Aug 14, 2013 4:20 pm

orpheus wrote:Don't overlook empathy. I do such things because I put myself in the shoes of others and try to think how they might feel. In the case Rum describes, I'd think of how the people might feel on receiving the flowers and I'd want to do them that kindness. Furthermore, I'd think of how my mother feels - quite obvious, since she wanted to send the flowers in the first place - and I'd want to do her the kindness of helping her, rather than thwarting her wishes.

Empathy. Don't leave home without it.
The origins of altruism, empathy etc are the subject of endless debate and keep an army of researchers in business contradicting each other,, but the fact remains that such impulses seem to be hardwired to a greater or lesser extent in all of us (maybe only sociopaths apart). Of course as human history shows, these "virtues" are selectively applied and people who are kind to their old mum can and do behave monstrously to others; social conditioning or belief-systems can certainly act as an override too or as in the case of say eg Buddhism actually reinforce or extend fellow-feeling. Unpicking what motivates you is a time-consuming and probably futile endeavour.
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Re: Atheism and conscience

Post by Woodbutcher » Wed Aug 14, 2013 4:40 pm

If I'm kind to others it makes me smile and feel good. What else matters?
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Re: Atheism and conscience

Post by Rum » Wed Aug 14, 2013 4:42 pm

I found myself wondering how, given that nearly all of us feel better if we do the 'right thing', religion seems to have almost universally hijacked morality as its own territory and indeed its originator.

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Re: Atheism and conscience

Post by charlou » Thu Aug 15, 2013 4:48 pm

human neurology
no fences

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Re: Atheism and conscience

Post by PsychoSerenity » Thu Aug 15, 2013 6:28 pm

Rum wrote:I found myself wondering how, given that nearly all of us feel better if we do the 'right thing', religion seems to have almost universally hijacked morality as its own territory and indeed its originator.
You know that feeling when you do something good? That is God. That's how.
[Disclaimer - if this is comes across like I think I know what I'm talking about, I want to make it clear that I don't. I'm just trying to get my thoughts down]

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Re: Atheism and conscience

Post by hadespussercats » Thu Aug 15, 2013 6:35 pm

Scrumple wrote:Never needing to steal is always a good motive for not stealing. I wasn't brought up honest but I was in credit and still am. :coffee:
I was going to say something along these lines.

I think if my mom had done something like that with me when I was broke in my twenties, I might have pocketed the money. Maybe I would have made a greeting card and sent it instead, since I had those supplies around and it wouldn't cost anything...
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Re: Atheism and conscience

Post by Svartalf » Thu Aug 15, 2013 6:42 pm

Tell that to those super rich celebs that get in trouble shoplifting on Rodeo drive.
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Re: Atheism and conscience

Post by hadespussercats » Thu Aug 15, 2013 6:47 pm

Svartalf wrote:Tell that to those super rich celebs that get in trouble shoplifting on Rodeo drive.
Well. Some people don't let a conscience bother them regardless.
The green careening planet
spins blindly in the dark
so close to annihilation.

Listen. No one listens. Meow.

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