Why do we need a god?

[SnailyBoy 10]

read my posts above.

 

I have, how do you decide if something is moral?

[leviathan13 350]

That's exactly my point. There is no real meaning, everything IS pointless, but what is also true is that humans need to create some meaning and purpose otherwise life isn't good. Religion for some does this. For everyone else, meaning, purpose, morals etc need to come from somewhere and humans need to create those things. So I return to my original statement that there are aspects of religion in everyone's life (maybe not the god part, or unquestioning faith part, but there is the system of beliefs, the sense of belonging, the purpose because without that we only have nihilism and that is not a philosophy that results in a cohesive and functioning society.

 

And some use religion as a way to upset another person's journey through this life.

 

And the purpose for many religious people is to use life as a test to ensure a better afterlife. Their purpose isn't to enjoy this life, it's to enjoy death. So if the taking of another life ensures they have a better afterlife, how does that help towards a cohesive and functioning society?

[TimmyR 10]

I have, how do you decide if something is moral?

 

I have a non-religious belief system.

 

---------- Post added 17-05-2018 at 14:19 ----------

 

And some use religion as a way to upset another person's journey through this life.

 

And the purpose for many religious people is to use life as a test to ensure a better afterlife. Their purpose isn't to enjoy this life, it's to enjoy death. So if the taking of another life ensures they have a better afterlife, how does that help towards a cohesive and functioning society?

 

I'm not attempting to defend all religions (or in fact any religions)

The title of this thread is "why do people need a god?" and I was trying to give my view on why people need a god. it gives them structure/purpose/belonging. Whether a person judges the actions of a religious person as morally acceptable is rather dependent on what that person's own entirely subjective beliefs are.

Edited May 17, 2018 by TimmyR

[SnailyBoy 10]

I have a non-religious belief system.

 

Okay, so how do you decide if something is moral?

[TimmyR 10]

Okay, so how do you decide if something is moral?

 

I engage a complex algorithm in my brain, into which is fed all my personal experiences, things I've been told by peers and significant figures in my life, things I have seen, conclusions I have drawn myself, things I have read and my brain comes up with answer or it doesn't, it depends on the situation. That algorithm is what I have been referring to as my belief system. We all have one. NOBODY can make a decision based purely on absolute fact and truth, the world is too complicated.

 

Tell me, how do you decide if something is moral?

[SnailyBoy 10]

I engage a complex algorithm in my brain, into which is fed all my personal experiences, things I've been told by peers and significant figures in my life, things I have seen, conclusions I have drawn myself, things I have read and my brain comes up with answer or it doesn't, it depends on the situation. That algorithm is what I have been referring to as my belief system. We all have one. NOBODY can make a decision based purely on absolute fact and truth, the world is too complicated.

 

Tell me how do you decide if something is moral?

 

Can you give an example of where you've not been able to decide if something is moral or not?

[TimmyR 10]

Can you give an example of where you've not been able to decide if something is moral or not?

 

why do i need to?

 

ok, a friend has a wedding and they say "we don't want gifts" on the invitiation, but all my other friends who are going are buying a gift. I am then in a moral dilemna, I A) think people have too much crap anyway B) they have stated they don't want gifts but C) don't want to appear stingy next to my friends. in this case I can't resolve an acceptable solution based on my beliefs. I can't know what will happen if I don't buy a gift or if I do buy a gift. I want to seek the solution that gives the least discomfort to me. Its at times like these that I turn to god and ask him....ha ha no thats not true.

Edited May 17, 2018 by TimmyR

[SnailyBoy 10]

why do i need to?

 

In your earlier post you said "I engage a complex algorithm in my brain, into which is fed all my personal experiences, things I've been told by peers and significant figures in my life, things I have seen, conclusions I have drawn myself, things I have read and my brain comes up with answer or it doesn't, it depends on the situation. "

 

I was wondering in what situation your brain didn't give you an answer whether something was moral or not.

 

Hence asking for an example.

 

---------- Post added 17-05-2018 at 14:47 ----------

 

why do i need to?

 

ok, a friend has a wedding and they say "we don't want gifts" on the invitiation, but all my other friends who are going are buying a gift. I am then in a moral dilemna, I A) think people have too much crap anyway B) they have stated they don't want gifts but C) don't want to appear stingy next to my friends.

 

You need to define what you mean by moral.

[TimmyR 10]

In your earlier post you said "I engage a complex algorithm in my brain, into which is fed all my personal experiences, things I've been told by peers and significant figures in my life, things I have seen, conclusions I have drawn myself, things I have read and my brain comes up with answer or it doesn't, it depends on the situation. "

 

I was wondering in what situation your brain didn't give you an answer whether something was moral or not.

 

Hence asking for an example.

 

i have added an answer above.

 

---------- Post added 17-05-2018 at 14:48 ----------

 

 

You need to define what you mean by moral.

 

why do i? is this a cross-examination? its largely irrelevant to this thread. moral: concerned with the principles of right and wrong behaviour. right and wrong is defined by whatever system of beliefs you have. There is nobody who knows absolutely based on fact what right and wrong is.

Edited May 17, 2018 by TimmyR

[SnailyBoy 10]

i have added an answer above.

 

---------- Post added 17-05-2018 at 14:48 ----------

 

 

why do i? is this a cross-examination?

 

If you think moral = x and I think moral = y, where does that get us.

 

What do you mean by moral?

[TimmyR 10]

If you think moral = x and I think moral = y, where does that get us.

 

What do you mean by moral?

 

in the situation where we have different morals.

moral: concerned with the principles of right and wrong behaviour. right and wrong is defined by whatever system of beliefs you have. There is nobody who knows absolutely based on fact what right and wrong is.

[SnailyBoy 10]

in the situation where we have different morals.

moral: concerned with the principles of right and wrong behaviour. right and wrong is defined by whatever system of beliefs you have. There is nobody who knows absolutely based on fact what right and wrong is.

 

Okay, so if someone has a system of beliefs that says it's right to kill a person who doesn't share the same system of beliefs.

 

Are they acting morally to kill that person?