Life Without a Net
morality
Rabbi Says Religion is Better for Human Rights
Writing for Huffpost Religion, Rabbi Alana Suskin has argued that with all its history of human rights abuses, religion is still a better basis for human rights than secularism. I disagree. To begin with, she addresses the claim that “religious people are a sort of automation for God’s whim:” While I can’t speak for all faiths, the … Continue reading
Evolution’s Harsh Truth, and the Atheist’s Moral Imperative
Unlike many of the children who grow up today learning about the “conflict” between Creationism vs. Evolution, I grew up in a comfortable bubble where the two never saw eye to eye, but never drew swords. In church, I was taught that humans were special, and in school, I was taught that all life … Continue reading
Hell is Immoral
It’s likely that many readers have seen this article before, but I think it’s worth reposting for new readers. In talking with ex-believers, I’ve found that getting over the fear of hell is one of the biggest hurdles to living “Life without a net.” Hopefully, this essay will help put the whole thing in perspective, … Continue reading
This Religious Meme is Not Moral
There are a few things I’ve had trouble with in contemplating this whole “religious morality” debate. This verse and others like it are one of the most glaring. (For you sticklers, I didn’t make this poster, and I know it’s technically 1 Timothy 2:11-12. Get off my back.) Here’s the problem in a nutshell. There’s … Continue reading
Good Without God?
This is a cut-and-paste version of an ad created by a secular student organization. The frame with Pat Robertson is an unauthorized addition. (Here’s the original.) This version doesn’t reflect the intent of the creator, but it still has an important point to make. (Look here to see that the creator agrees with me.) One … Continue reading
The Problem of Evil and Moral Accountability
I don’t spend much time talking to theists about the problem of evil. It doesn’t really address the existence of God, which is most often the topic of choice when atheists and theists get together. (Consider, even if God is responsible for great evil, he might still exist, and just be a pretty rotten deity, as … Continue reading
What is Morality?
Yesterday I reposted my account of why the Christian model of morality is unworkable. Today I will repost my article outlining the scientific alternative. As a pre-emptive strike against the accusation that I am not proposing an actual prescriptive ethical methodology — I know. This is a blog, not a compendium of all knowledge. That’s … Continue reading
Christian Morality
Where Do Christians Get Their Morality? Ask a random Christian where his morality comes from, and you are likely to get one answer out of a few that are commonly given. Many fundamentalists believe that God is the source of all morality. Without God, they say, humans would not know right from wrong, and we would be … Continue reading
Morality, Christian vs. Natural
I’ve written two articles which articulate the difference between natural morality and Christian (or other faith-based) morality, but it occurs to me that I’ve never actually presented them sequentially. So, for anyone who has difficulty expressing the difference, here’s the two-chapter version: WHAT’S WRONG WITH CHRISTIAN MORALITY If we assume that there is, in fact, … Continue reading
Fail for Hauser. Win for Science
Marc Hauser has been a rising star on the science scene for several years. He’s published lots of articles, written books, and given lots of speeches. Riding largely on the coattails of Elizabeth Spelke, a bona-fide star in the field of human infant cognition, Hauser was set to revolutionize the way we think of primates … Continue reading
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