How’s your moral compass

bobmac said:
I'm sure there are many good moral people all over the world who do good and help others but you don't need religion to do good.
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I'm sure too. I hope I'm one of them. I was just suggesting that "no religion" doesn't have to be anti-religion.
If some people need a crutch to get through life, it's good if there are people to provide it. There are many who can't cope with our idea that we're just occupying the void for a very short time before leaving only dust and a few short-lived memories.
 
I am always a bit bemused when those of no faith; those who dismiss as a fairy tale the two collections of books that comprise the Bible; and choose to lump all traditions and denominations together with no recognition that these can and do hold very different approaches to taking understanding from reading or hearing the Bible read - that those same people who think it’s a fairy tale, choose to advise me that if I want to call myself a Christian then I must believe every word and phrase as written.

Well the good news is that I don’t - and nobody requires me to.

As I have commented before, when I read or listen to a Bible reading I ‘listen for the word of God’…I am not listening to it. For me that is a very big difference.
 
If we can get back to "moral compass".

Want and like - immature thinking - can lead to irresponsible or criminal behaviour.

Need and ought - mature thinking.

The person driving at 42mph in a 30 zone is doing what he/she wants to do and likes to do.
This is unlikely to be what he/she needs to do and certainly not what ought to be done.

The same can be said for parties during lockdown. They did not need to and certainly ought not to have done.

Who will be making choices today based on want/like rather than need/ought?
 
SocketRocket said:
Not believing in religion is a belief.
What Fact is it that suggests otherwise.
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You are mixing the concepts of Atheism (actively not believing) and Agnosticism (believing that we can't tell).
It's a 'language' thing. If someone states, truly, that they don't 'believe in <anything/nothing in particular>' then it's their belief that's a/the fact,not the subject/topic of their belief. They could still be wrong.
Of course, faith is something that cannot be 'proven wrong' because if attempted, the final, end of argument, statement will alway be along the lines of 'but/well, I have faith...'!
 
Voyager EMH said:
If we can get back to "moral compass".

Want and like - immature thinking - can lead to irresponsible or criminal behaviour.

Need and ought - mature thinking.
...
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To me, Golf provides lots of opportunities to detect or challenge a person's 'moral compass'.
I don't believe that the descriptions above, though applicable in some situations, can be applied to golf in the way you've described.

And, btw, I'm sure that there are plenty of situations where there's a crossover. Some (rare) situations may men that it's actually a 'Need' to, for example, to travel at 42 in a 30 zone, so is actually 'mature' thinking.
 
SwingsitlikeHogan said:
As I have commented before, when I read or listen to a Bible reading I ‘listen for the word of God’…I am not listening to it. For me that is a very big difference.
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I've been asking these types of questions for over 50 years in an effort to understand why people believe the things they do. I'm still waiting for the answers.
I've been told by some that god will let me know when he's ready, I just have to have faith.
I've been told god moves in mysterious ways.
And I've been told that I get my morals/laws when god writes them on my heart.

So I guess when it comes to making good decisions, I'll just have to wing it until the big man decides I'm ready.
 
In reply to Tashy’s question:

Respect other peoples’ views and show humility.
Treat others as you would wish to be treated.
Try and be helpful with people.
Treat others as equals.
Avoid conflict and try and seek a solution if possible.
Accept I make mistakes and when this happens apologise.
Avoid discussing religion on a forum as this will ensure the subject invariably will soon go off track
 
bobmac said:
I've been asking these types of questions for over 50 years in an effort to understand why people believe the things they do. I'm still waiting for the answers.
I've been told by some that god will let me know when he's ready, I just have to have faith.
I've been told god moves in mysterious ways.
And I've been told that I get my morals/laws when god writes them on my heart.

So I guess when it comes to making good decisions, I'll just have to wing it until the big man decides I'm ready.
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For me it’s not this, but it’s when I am ready - willingly and with an open heart and mind.
 
Foxholer said:
To me, Golf provides lots of opportunities to detect or challenge a person's 'moral compass'.
I don't believe that the descriptions above, though applicable in some situations, can be applied to golf in the way you've described.

And, btw, I'm sure that there are plenty of situations where there's a crossover. Some (rare) situations may men that it's actually a 'Need' to, for example, to travel at 42 in a 30 zone, so is actually 'mature' thinking.
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Comparatively very few rather than plenty, hence my qualifier of "unlikely".
 
Its interesting to me is that many look to external factors for their moral 'compass'.

Ancient (BC) philosophers (Chine, Rome etc) looked at a logical mechanism of control. Religions do the same through a belief in a higher being that dishes out punishment in the hereafter to discourage and induce fear and as a basis to instil control.

Religious books merely document the guidance as a psuedo rule 'books' and like the party game 'Chinese Whispers' have changed to the convenience of the religion's leaders. Horrendous immoral acts have been committed by religious cults as their leaders try to extend their sphere of control.

Morality is down to a basic understanding of what is right for society and IMO most people know what's right and what is not.
 
drdel said:
Its interesting to me is that many look to external factors for their moral 'compass'.

Ancient (BC) philosophers (Chine, Rome etc) looked at a logical mechanism of control. Religions do the same through a belief in a higher being that dishes out punishment in the hereafter to discourage and induce fear and as a basis to instil control.

Religious books merely document the guidance as a psuedo rule 'books' and like the party game 'Chinese Whispers' have changed to the convenience of the religion's leaders. Horrendous immoral acts have been committed by religious cults as their leaders try to extend their sphere of control.

Morality is down to a basic understanding of what is right for society and IMO most people know what's right and what is not.
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Most of that is because humans are naturally tribal - just like herds and the groups within herds. 'Evolution' has meant that such (successful) traits gain precedence.
 
bobmac said:
I guess that's the difference, you're prepared to believe without evidence because you have faith. I need evidence before I can believe and so far your mate hasn't given me any.
C'est la vie
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Sorry but you keep going down the single path of what (and ‘who’) you think that I should believe and believe in (my mate), and what acting in the context of faith might mean for an individual.

On any issue I look to develop an understanding of what is right and what is wrong, beyond what I might myself perceive or what my will might tell me. And where I can, and as best I can, I act on that understanding.

Many agnostics and atheists refer to that ‘looking beyond myself’ as seeking guidance from a Higher Power - a God of their own understanding - my Higher Power just so happens to be of a religious nature.

As it happens at the moment my moral compass is spinning all over the place, with some really difficult issues to address…with what is best for myself and my Mrs not being our most pressing concern.
 
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