If you found out today, without a doubt that there was no God. How would your behavior change, your personality, your relationships et al?

When I was teaching and we covered existential literature, I would ask my students if there were no law against murder, would murder still be wrong? Incidentally, this question stems from a study of Camus' The Stranger

Are some of us being "good" simply because we're working toward an eternal reward? I realize this hints at Greek philosophy and even into the modern realm with the way atheists counter Christian apologetics.

This is all for now

Alex

ALEX

THIS is a good question

most of us would think that we would continue to do
what is right

the thing is we would each have to ask our selfs
how would I want to be treated by others then
ask ourselfs how would I WANT to treat others

would we think how this would effect this
other person we would also have to think
how would my attaction affect me as a person

dgrimm60

I have asked myself this same question, only with a different ending to it.

I've seen many people turn into completely different people when presented with certain circumstances. Morals can become quite hazy, even for formerly stalwart people. Even pastors. But then, we've all heard stories and rumours.

The endings for alex's question might be:

- if you were convinced God wasn't looking
- if you are a victim of some evil in your past
- if you found yourself single
- if your earthly circumstances are currently hopeless
- if you have almost superhuman opposition, especially coming from within your own home

These are difficult trials, indeed!

GAIL

WELL all these questions could be different threads

dgrimm60

Very interesting thoughts Gail.

pk

There are some really fine, caring athiests out there that don't murder or steal, etc. To them, this would be a moot question.

There isn't a God anyway.

Yeah, but there IS a Godhead with three Gods in one.

I'm perplexed. Why hasn't anyone attempted to answer the question I proposed for themselves? Most of you are speaking either about the question or around the question or on a tangent from the question.

Outside of your religious beliefs and spiritual identity, what motivates you to do good? It doesn't matter what atheists think - what do you think? or whether this question should be modified to fit one's personal history. The very concept of what "good" begs the question: "If no God, is there still the "good?"

I've noticed a habit some posters have of immediately referencing issues and questions to their own personal histories and/or agendas. I'm not sure where this is coming from but if you were in my classroom, I would redirect your responses.

Maybe the question can't be answered? Maybe its very essence is inscrutable or ineffable but if we simply give up trying to struggle with it, there might come a time when we are called to task to answer why we believe and act as we do. Will we be able to respond?

I'm sorry if I might have ruffled some feathers but as a teacher, I've spent my life attempting to get people to think about hard questions - the ones that make us uncomfortable and even may push us outside of our comfort zones.

Alex (just trying to be as helpful as I can)

ALEX

I DID my best to anwser you question

dgrimm60