HEY ALL

A PERSON can have morals and standards but are they
using those for there ownself or to honor GOD

dgrimm60

Oh, you mean we are in school? Okay-

I have no idea and wouldn't even want to hazard a guess.

Whqt I mean is what I wish for myself and what happens in life are not always the same thing. Morality without God... means that we have to leave morality to our finite minds' ideas of it.

And that is existentialism. Not a good topic for the forum. IMHO

Methinks the originator of this thread has a specific agenda in mind.

I don't know how I would be different, because right now, I can't wrap my mind around the fact that there is no GOD. I would like to think though, that I would basically be the same person. In my youth I was intentionally mean, and I really hated the feelings that stemmed from that, so I now strive not to cause pain to anyone, even though I know that I do from time to time it is completely unintentional.

In Sabbath School a week or so ago, we were talking along these lines, and a young person spoke up and said that the only reason they were "good" was because they didn't want to go to hell. I felt really bad for them, because in this line of thinking they also miss out on the goodness of GOD.

As the originator of this thread, I can say categorically that I did have an agenda in mind. My agenda is to try to encourage posters to respond to ideas through a critical lens that does not first and foremost reflect personal histories and/or personal theological biases.

Shoot me. I'm guilty.

Alex

Hey- I worked hard for that bias!!

:)

I don't think it's wise to use existentialism as a basis for your questions. It's humanism at its best. Your question certainly DOES ask for reflection of personal histories in order to answer what you asked.

Oh, whatever.

My behavior and values wouldn't change, but I know that is because of the Holy Spirit in my life. I'm sure that if I hadn't been converted to Christ, I would eventually have committed murder. But because of prayers in my behalf, the Holy Spirit led me to choose Christ, and after that God changed me. So I am what I am today because of Christ. Without Him, I'm certain I would have either been killed by now or been put in prison.

You ask whether it is wrong to murder if there is no God. Not in any absolute sense but only because it is against the laws of society, and people are punished for violating society's norms. Being constituted as they are, humans also usually punish themselves-- though not necessarily consciously-- because of their "wrong acts." But without God, there would be no violation of a universal moral law since all moral law proceeds from God. If God does not exist, then everything is permitted as far as the universe is concerned. Apart from God's existence, the universe is completely indifferent to morality. Morality is how things should be-- the rule of the ideal-- questions of right and wrong, whereas the universe of itself alone deals only with power and what actually is. It declares that all that is, is right.

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

The only way to answer a question about "me" is through "my history and personal theologies".

First, I'd want to know how I found out. Is this a reliable discovery, or is it just someone else's opinion? The only reliable source I find for my personal beliefs has to come from within my realm of personal experiences.

Assuming I do come to the conclusion that God does not exist, I don't believe my personality would change in the least. My relationships would not change save my relationship with God. My behavior also would not change save my going to church (and church-like settings) and speaking to others about God.

I do not behave "morally" to please God. I behave "morally" because intrinsically, I feel it is the right thing to do. My own moral code is one based on respect for my fellow human being.