Atheism

Sacred narrative

Mormons, morality, and sacred narratives

Posted 2006 December 06 @ 09:30 - filed under Atheism.

Updated 2006 December 26 @ 18:08

Much of the misunderstanding and apprehension that religious people have of atheists (people without belief in gods) is the assumption that non-believers necessarily reject morality, spirituality and meaning in life. Nothing could be further from the truth.

I was recently visited by two Mormon missionaries and had a nice long chat with them, about these topics and others. (While Mormon metaphysics is almost as weird as Scientology, much of what they said came across as being far more positive than what other Christian denominations teach.) For these two missionaries, and most believers I have met, morality necessarily comes from god, spirituality is divine, and god gives meaning to one's existence. Questioning the validity of these assumptions is greeted with a frown, a gasp, or worse.

These assumptions have always had a false ring to me. Certainly, morality is a fundamental human dimension, anyone can experience certain things in a deeply spiritual way, and has meaningful things in, and meaning to, their lives. These are psychological facts – a holy book is not needed to see this. In fact, the presence of these three features in all religions strongly suggests the very human origin of the impulse to religion.

Which is why atheists must be particularly careful in their own lives. Religion is a convenient, conventional wrapper for morality, spirituality and meaning, with all sorts of nonsense bits tacked on depending on the particular historical period and cultural background. Getting rid of the nonsense may be difficult for some, impossible for others. But having done it, the non-believer still has to address for him or her self the questions that religion pattly answers with "God".

Biologist E.O. Wilson writes in Consilience: "The spirits our ancestors knew intimately fled first the rocks and trees, then the distant mountains. Now they are in the stars, where their final extinction is possible. But we cannot live without them. People need a sacred narrative."

Reply by Sid - 2006 Dec 07, 15:08 SAST [P]

Does religion not then serve a good purpose by enforcing morality amongst a society that would otherwise largely reject an honest living? You say that some believers are unable to stop believing. Surely this group is thus best kept civil by the religion that they choose to follow? If they are dependent on that religion for meaning, but weren't able to practice it, wouldn't these people live a lifestyle of crime and debauchery, in a world where "anything goes"?

Reply by Auke - 2006 Dec 07, 15:56 SAST [P]

Sid wrote: "... enforcing morality amongst a society that would otherwise largely reject an honest living?"

Being without religion does not automatically lead to rejection of an honest life and embracing crime and debauchery. Many atheists/agnostics are good, honest people.

Religion is a complex social institution, touching people in many ways. On an individual level, religion offers something for each of our basic motivations, which is why it was, and is still today, relevant.

However, these same needs can be met by other belief systems (e.g. secular humanism) that do not require believing in the supernatural.

There may indeed be people whose identities are so strongly defined by their religious beliefs that they are unable to change. That does not mean that future generations have to be subjected to the same way of thinking.

Anything certainly doesn't go, but what does go, does not need to be based on what amounts to organized superstition. And moral behaviour does not have to follow from a mere desire to avoid punishment.

Reply by Sid - 2006 Dec 07, 16:28 SAST [P]

Auke wrote: "There may indeed be people whos identities are so strongly defined by their religious beliefs that they are unable to change. That does not mean that future generations have to be subjected to the same way of thinking."

I don't think it's practical to wish away religion as a problem that will not be here in a couple of generations time. It is so inherent to human nature that even with the sustained attempts of various non-believers, the worldwide practice of religion in whatever shape and form will always be with us. Those who are converted to a no-deity way of thinking give way to others who are "reborn" to a new belief system, as so many people do under life-changing circumstances.

Even in today's technologically advanced society, religion plays too big a part in giving millions a reason to live. These religions will be necessarily passed on to future generations, purely as a survival mechanism to which humanity can cling to a perceived reality.

Reply by Auke - 2006 Dec 07, 17:02 SAST [P]

Sid,

I agree with you - it isn't practical to wish anything away!

Religion will most likely, sadly, be with us for many generations, continuing to hurt and divide people.

I do, however, have an optimistic attitude towards human nature and our ability to adapt and learn. Prejudice can be combated, and attitudes can be changed, if people are given the opportunity to learn about alternatives.

Religion is no doubt a necessary evolutionary step, but it is not necessarily the final destination.

Reply by denise m - 2006 Dec 08, 09:45 SAST [P]

just because we won't be able to get rid of religion completely doesn't mean that we shouldn't try.

we need to be optimistic about the positive social and personal change that a godless outlook offers individuals and communities and countries.

if we retire to the conviction that religion will always dog humanity then we may loose focus of religion seeping into goverment, imposing on scientific research and teaching and keeping its followers ignorant, naive and delusional.

it is our moral obligation to support secularism.

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Keywords: Atheism, morality, origin of religion, psychology

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Words of wisdom: "As to the common people, ... one has to be hard with them and see that they do their work and that under the threat of the sword and the law they comply with the observance of piety, just as you chain up wild beasts." – Martin Luther, German leader of the Protestant Revolution.