See I got it wrong again, I ment to type.....
Can you lead a good life without God?
Can you lead a good life without Morals?

I appologise for mucking this up.

No worries, Dizzy.
I think you can lead a good life without God. I think you can't live a good life without morals. Definitely not.

But it's such a shame that people keep saying that people who believe in God or go to church do really bad things etc. Yes, many people who have faith are capable of doing bad things - myself included- I don't believe ANYONE is perfect....but let's not think that just because SOME religious people do bad things in life that it means religion is a bad thing or that believing in God is a bad thing.

That's just not the case. You get good and bad people in every area and walk of life- not just religious people. I'm sure there are plenty of atheists in this world who have done bad things but I'd never think that because some atheists have done awful things that it means ALL atheists are bad. It's all individual about how good a person is, not based on what they believe.

For me, personally, God has HELPED me be the person I am today, He has instilled in me some very strong beliefs and morals. THAT can't be a bad thing.

To go back to the original question that UglyNRude posted....
Are morals more important than God? No. But I am sure that to anyone who believes in a God that they are both important: Both God and morals have a place in my life.

Morals help me be a good person whilst here, on earth. God helps me nurture who I am and helps my journey to the Other Side. Every aspect of me as a human being thrive on both morals AND my spiritual life.

I agree, there is good and bad in us all, i think people tend to remember the bad that happens to them. I know alot of very nice and trully good religious people, but, they tend to keep quiet about their beliefs, as we have all come across.......Its the extremeist that we all remember.

I usually tend to keep my moosh shut about religion, as i dont know enough about it to have a fair debate, i tend to agree on some bits and not on others haha, im choosey haha.

I wouldnt knock anyones religion, as long as theyre not shouting "Im right, and your wrong". You understand, course you do, iv read your posts.

I do believe in God, but that is a personal choice...one that I would never force on someone else.

But.....I didn't get my set of morals (which I happen to think are pretty good) from God. I got them from my parents....neither of whom even believes in God. The lessons I learned from them about honesty, compassion, helping others, and the difference between right and wrong are the lessons I've lived my life by as an adult.

When I was growing up, I remember a poem that my parents hung in their living room. It was called "Children Learn What They Live". If I'm not mistaken, the poem was written by a Christian, but the message is true for everyone. Here is an excerpt from it....by Dorothy Law Nolte.

If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.

If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.

If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.

If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.

If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.

If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.

If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.

If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.


And it goes on. Notice it doesn't say anything about what religion to follow....it says how your children look at the world starts at home. Morals begin with good teachings and good examples....no matter what God you believe in...or don't believe in.

Scarygirl, that poem was up in every school i went to, it had a picture of two sets of footprints in the sand, one of an adult and one of a child.

Scary, that leads to my question: Who defines morals?
UNR, I am right with you. The struggles in life happen whether you believe in a god or not. The lessons you learn are to help you get through this life. The way you behave will either help or hinder your life here, as well as others'. How I behave here and now will surely affect my afterlife in the same manner. I think that goes without saying since I believe in the soul - which is forever in one form or fashion. Our souls are our souls, whether we be here or there. Our eternity is now.
I am a good, moral person who makes a lot of mistakes. I seriously don't think I am gonna burn in a pit of fire for those mistakes; I have been punished here. I am very happy, although I haven't always been - god or no god. In fact, the worst parts of my life happened during the time I was on my knees every Sunday and Wednesday. Overall, my life is good and no matter what I have done or what has happened to me, I maintain my morals. I don't have to have a god to be happy or be moral. It comes from within. I don't blame a god for the bad things and I'm not good because I fear him or hell. I just believe in being a good person.
I'm rambling, too, Fiona. Not even sure I am making sense.

Thanks Indiangirl, for your post.

Quote:I don't have to have a god to be happy or be moral. It comes from within. I don't blame a god for the bad things and I'm not good because I fear him or hell. I just believe in being a good person.

This is exactly how I feel, which is why I feel the question of God being more or less important than morals is kind of redundent..I don't feel God and morals go hand in hand...they are seperate things in my eyes. Atheists live morally at times, and so can people of faith. It's a humanistic responsibility to be good -but I don't see why we would have to compare what's more important between God and morals...

I'm completely with you UNR. I've had religious people screaming in my face about believing in God. Like you, i'm willing to believe in a higher power but i don't believe in religion. I find it funny when these people are yelling at me because i probably live a more moral life than they are.

I just want to say I know alot of really good people who is Athiest and Agnostic. These people were beautiful amazing helpful kind and helped me along my spiritual journey to what I am today.
I think there is something really special about a person who doesnt believe in a hell or punishment like hell and still strives to be kind and good to all people.
In other words "IMO"if you have to believe in some utterly unimaginable consequence to be a good person then I believe generally you might not be a good person just afraid of the "follow through".

i think how you're raised has alot to do with it. my mom was a saint. she more or less guilted me into not being able to lie or steal. she taught me patience and kindness. to respect my elders. i open doors for seniors, as well as anyone else. heck i'm so honest i get myself into trouble. mom was very religious. i never really was, but i never let her know it. now i don't have anyone thing i believe in for sure, i just wing it day by day. i look to do random acts of kindness. i call it brownie points. if karma does exist, i figure the good i do outweighs the bad and what goes around comes around. sure i get taken advantage of and stole from. some is my fault in letting it happen. but i say they must of needed more than me. if someone can do another wrong and live with themselves, so be it. i am just not a bad girl and can't be, thanks mom!!!