Article  Do you need religion to be a moral person?

#1
C C Offline
Do you need religion to be a moral person?
https://bigthink.com/thinking/do-you-nee...al-person/

KEY POINTS: While some moral intuitions, like deference to authority, may align with religious beliefs, the link between religion and morality is not inherent. Scientific research suggests that morality is rooted in universal principles of cooperation, not necessarily tied to religious beliefs. A study across 60 diverse societies found that seven cooperative principles, such as loyalty, reciprocity, and respect for property, are universally judged as morally good, with rare exceptions rooted in specific cultural contexts. (MORE - details)
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Cynic's Corner: What planet is the naïve public living on? Left ideology is principally about using contrived secular morality to acquire power (based on class struggle, cultural hegemony, and the many spin-off social oppression conspiracies in general).

Socialist or socialist-leaning bureaucrats replace the priests, and literary intellectuals (philosopher kings) replace the prophets. Left ideology has been around in developmental stages since the French Revolution, arriving at one of its peaks after 1867 with the publication of Das Kapital.

IOW, A non-theist sphere of dogma has been demonstrating for over two centuries that you don't need religion (or precisely a religion) to profit from moral crusading.
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#2
Magical Realist Offline
A better question might be, do you need society to be a moral person? I think a morality that is limited to your relationships and interactions with other people is superficial and all too functional. A deeper and more rooted morality is one grounded in one's own authentic being in the world. Of the mere moments of compassion for all living things and the star-bejeweled wonderment that spontaneously descends upon one in their lone daily pursuits. In the simplicity and purity of living in innocent playfulness with the universe, open to the ongoing music of its delicate unfoldings.
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#3
Syne Offline
Their "seven cooperative principles" sound like they're trying really hard to come up with a leftist version of the 6 Moral Foundations, which clearly show moral traits that adhere to religious beliefs across cultures.
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#4
confused2 Offline
(Aug 24, 2024 07:11 PM)Magical Realist Wrote: A better question might be, do you need society to be a moral person? I think a morality that is limited to your relationships and interactions with other people is superficial and all too functional. A deeper and more rooted morality is one grounded in one's own authentic being in the world. Of the mere moments of compassion for all living things and the star-bejeweled wonderment that spontaneously descends upon one in their lone daily pursuits. In the simplicity and purity of living in innocent playfulness with the universe, open to the ongoing music of its delicate unfoldings.

Like.

As I was writing this it struck me that capitalism is a religion in it's own right .. so I've doubled back to give a warning about what is to follow..

In squirrel society most of the squirrels collect nuts in Autumn and hide them in the ground so they have a food supply to see them through the winter. Some of the squirrels watch where the other squirrels are hiding their nuts.. dig them up and hide them somewhere else .. by so doing they become rich squirrels. They (the poor squirrels) get so used to hearing the mantra "A rising tide floats all boats" that they start to think it is true.

I think that's enough for today.
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#5
Syne Offline
(Aug 25, 2024 12:20 AM)confused2 Wrote: ...capitalism is a religion in it's own right ..

That's just socialism projecting on capitalism.
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#6
Magical Realist Offline
Quote:..capitalism is a religion in it's own right.

I agree. Sometimes I wonder if today's Christians even know what Jesus taught:
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#7
Syne Offline
It's a complete lie that Jesus taught anything akin to socialism.

No, Jesus Wasn’t a Socialist
Christian charity, being voluntary and heartfelt, is utterly distinct from the compulsory, impersonal mandates of the state.
- https://fee.org/articles/no-jesus-wasnt-a-socialist/

Jesus taught morality. If it is legislated and mandated, it's not morality, it's fascism.
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#8
Magical Realist Offline
Quote:..capitalism is a religion in it's own right.

I agree. Sometimes I wonder if today's Christians even know what Jesus actually taught:

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."---Matt 6:24

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal"--Matt 6:19-20
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#9
Syne Offline
You don't have to serve money in order to make money. Most successful people make money by providing things others need or want. IOW, they're helping others. That's the story of almost every modern convenience and innovation that has improved the quality of life.
Matthew 6 is all about where you primarily seek your reward. In the material or the spiritual. It doesn't mean you should be a pauper. It means you should have higher goals than just amassing wealth. But the two are not mutually exclusive.

And much of Matthew 6 is an admonishment against virtue-signalling.
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#10
Magical Realist Offline
Quote:It means you should have higher goals than just amassing wealth. But the two are not mutually exclusive.

Uh no. Jesus said amassing wealth for wealth's sakes was definitely wrong. No man can serve God AND money. That means they ARE mutually exclusive. "Capitalism" literally means "wealthism"--the worship of wealth.
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