July 1, 2007

Morality Part 2: Immoral Religion

Posted at 12:00 am by Richard and tagged bible, books, catholosim, evangelism, marriage, morality, religion, sex, slavery, sociology. Popularity: 17% [?]

It seems a common claim that morality is impossible without religion. While I might agree that in some cases religion (or, more specifically, the fear of eternal damnation) can be a pretty good motivator, I think that a morality that doesn’t rely on religion is not just possible, but it’s a lot more desirable. Last time, I outlined a somewhat extreme view of what some people think of morality without religion. In this post, I’d like to explain how I feel Christian morality (and religion-based morality in general) can be flawed and potentially abused. Next time, I’ll outline some of my ideas about morality.

• Morality Part 1: God Hating Atheists
• Morality Part 3: Non-Theistic Morality

Immoral Religion

With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion. - Steven Weinberg¹

As Steven Weinberg suggests, some people use religion to justify their immorality. I remember a joke I was told a few years ago (by a Lawyer, I think - who knew they had a sense of humour?), that talked about there being two types of Catholics - those who felt so restricted by their religion, that they had very dull lives, and those who live life to the full (”immorality” and all), and then simply ask forgiveness. Religion, I suppose, can be quite liberating for one’s morality if one can always rely on the forgiveness of sins.

According to one book (at least, the review of it that I read) evangelical Christian teenagers, although likely to think not having sex before marriage is the right thing to do, are actually more likely than many other Christians to commit this “sinful” act.

80 percent think sex should be saved for marriage. But thinking is not the same as doing. Evangelical teens are actually more likely to have lost their virginity than either mainline Protestants or Catholics.²

Sure, maybe you could argue that these teenagers “aren’t true Christians”, otherwise they wouldn’t be having sex before marriage³. But then, that wouldn’t stop people using the bible to justify slavery (as long as the slaves are from neighbouring nations)⁴, and killing people who work on the Sabbath⁵⁶. Not to mention all the historical atrocities committed in the name of religion⁷.

I’m definitely not claiming that religious people are necessarily immoral, but I think I’ve shown that it’s certainly possible to “live by the rules” of religion, and act completely immorally (honestly, does anyone still think slavery is moral?). There’s people out there clearly saying that religion is not always a force for good⁸, and they make some pretty good points!

Why, then, do people persist in claiming that religion is the only way to live a moral life?

1. http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/26814.html [↩]
2. http://www.slate.com/id/2167293?nav=tap3 [↩]
3. Of course, you might also argue that sex before marriage isn’t immoral, in which case, I’d agree with you [↩]
4. Leviticus 25:44 [↩]
5. Exodus 35:2 [↩]
6. Some other great examples at Follow the Bible? [↩]
7. The Inquisition, The Crusades, etc. [↩]
8. Link via Religious Education With Warts [↩]

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