Religion VS Atheism and the decline of ethics and morals

EndofMysteries

Being back in college after leaving the borg, one of the required classes for a degree at my college is ethics.

After learning a few things, I am curious where morality and ethics is heading for the future of humanity.

I wish I could find the source again, but several weeks ago I recalled reading a transcript of a very old document that talked about when christianity was being spread in Europe, it brought civility and community.

In the ethics class, we saw a video showing studies and changes from the 1950's to present day. Even though there were many prejudices and problems back then, there has definitely been a shift from humility and community to selfishness and disregard of manners, ethics, etc.

2 correlations are a major decline in religion and kids not being raised by parents because of both of them working.

For thousands of years, religion is what taught people what is right and wrong (whether all of it was correct or not), and instilled in people even if they don't get caught, someone else is still watching.

Even though the decline of religion may have a positive of everybody is more tolerant of each other (no judging), is humanity going back into a barbaric phase where everyone is for only themself, if they don't get caught they'll do whatever they can get away with, etc?

How are children to be taught what is right and wrong? They have a short life, why not lie, steal, and cheat and do all they can to get as much as they can as long as they can get away with it since there is no consequence if they don't get caught? Why is it wrong? Isn't it just survival of the fittest?

EndofMysteries

Also I want to ad, the point of this post is not to debate if religious people are more moral and ethical then athiests and vice versa, that is NOT what I'm getting at. I'm asking, since traditionally religion has been used to teach and establish morals and "be good to your neighbor" "dont steal" "dont cheat", accountability whether caught or not, etc, how will or can those things be replaced with the decline of religion?

Viviane

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7xt5LtgsxQ

Viviane

I would be interested in seeing the data showing there has been a decline in manners, morals and ethics from the 1950's to today. Were all the examples of white suburban America?

cofty

Even though there were many prejudices and problems back then, ...

Pause there for a moment and reflect on the stunning depth of racism, homophobia, mysogyny and child poverty that was the norm in the 50s and before.

The polite civility of 1950s America and Europe was a facade that hid a cruel and depraved society. It was a foreign land compared to the enlightened one our children grew up in.

Perhaps Billie Holiday can put bad manners in perspective.

...

jgnat

http://www.ted.com/talks/chrystia_freeland_the_rise_of_the_new_global_super_rich.html

The shift you are seeing is a first-world phenomenon. It is not a world-wide trend.

http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.ca/2013/09/the-moral-behavior-of-ethics-professors.html

galaxie

Back in the day there was much less media instant coverage of atrocities, scandal, negative behaviour. But boy was it around .You can look back with rose colored spex but there was a lot of nasty stuff going on.

If you are saying people were moralistic because they were religious, it doesn't say much for them as people. What about their own moral compass?

It's always been my belief , treat others as you would like to be treated that doesn't need religion.

Education for all especially the young is the key. Show them how mankind benefits by tolerance, doing good.

Show them by example and historical reference what benefits their lives and the type of behaviour which is negative.

No god or religion is required.

wasblind

Down through the centuries people use religion for their own purpose

Some use it for control, and some for comfort

.

For the souther slave master, it was a way

to justify the act of slavery as well as to make those

in bondage more trust worthy to do what the master bid

.

For the slave, it was the only way they could congregate

and get comfort in a large group

that would'nt cause their masters to be up in arms

.

To say or even think that all Non believers act uncivilized and don't know right from wrong

is like havin' the mind set of the Ol' Southern Slave Master

set out not to save souls, but to control..

confusedandalone

@cofty

"Pause there for a moment and reflect on the stunning depth of racism, homophobia, mysogyny and child poverty that was the norm in the 50s and before.

The polite civility of 1950s America and Europe was a facade that hid a cruel and depraved society. It was a foreign land compared to the enlightened one our children grew up in.

Perhaps Billie Holiday can put bad manners in perspective."

I applaud you for bringing this up... I really really do. Alot of people ignore the fact that things were as bad as they were back then. By the way, I love that song. It was said everytime she performed that song she ran off stage and would throw up after. Not sure if it is true - but I can imagine how uncomfortable it must have been. <Back to the paragraph>

I do no tunderstand why no one believes that things have gotten much much better and that religion and its stranglehold on American society wis what created or fostered some of the most despicable acts ever

humbled

Actually the removal of formal/traditional religion could herald an improvement in human relations.

When people get "saved"--baptism effectly does this for Catholics and also for fundamentalist protestants as well--they are immunized against their personal moral and ethical failings.

But children will learn what a caring parent teaches and models. The discussion of why the golden rule is a ubiquitous teaching is the ground for hope.

Do children learn this in church?

Listen to Billie Holliday's Strange Fruit in a past post. That fruit grew in the churchyards of the South.

Religion VS Atheism and the decline of ethics and morals

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