Awesome Quote

"You're an idiot if you need religion for morality and common sense."
^

someone posted that on fb, and I instantly hit the Like button.

I've always wanted to say what the person said in the quote.

What I have to say about it is

Truth hurts! If you're offended, you must be that idiot.

your input?

I think that quote mistates the theistic proposition on morality. that is its not so much atheists can't be moral, they very much can be, but they can't account for that morality or justify it.

I didn't know morality=intelligence. You learn something new every day. themajormayor

[QUOTE="themajormayor"]I didn't know morality=intelligence. You learn something new every day. Kocelot

[QUOTE="Kocelot"]

[QUOTE="themajormayor"]I didn't know morality=intelligence. You learn something new every day. themajormayor

[QUOTE="Kocelot"]

[QUOTE="themajormayor"]I didn't know morality=intelligence. You learn something new every day. themajormayor

[QUOTE="themajormayor"][QUOTE="Kocelot"]Whom do you know is an idiot with morals?

Kocelot

That didn't answer the question.

You are an idiot if you believe that being right (or at least believing you are right) gives you the right to act like an A-hole to others.

[QUOTE="Kocelot"][QUOTE="themajormayor"] Do you have morals?Oleg_Huzwog

That didn't answer the question.

You are an idiot if you believe that being right (or at least believing you are right) gives you the right to act like an A-hole to others.

1PMrFister

[QUOTE="Oleg_Huzwog"]

[QUOTE="Kocelot"]You must be very offended at the quote.Kocelot

That didn't answer the question.

How is Religion related to common sense exactly?Mafiree

"themajormayor should be lobotomized"Dystopian-X

How is Religion related to common sense exactly?Mafiree

[QUOTE="1PMrFister"]

You are an idiot if you believe that being right (or at least believing you are right) gives you the right to act like an A-hole to others.

Kocelot

[QUOTE="Kocelot"][QUOTE="Oleg_Huzwog"]

That didn't answer the question.

themajormayor

[QUOTE="themajormayor"][QUOTE="Kocelot"]I already know he was implying I was an idiot. Yes, I have morals. I see no reason for anyone here to troll me, unless you were offended.Kocelot

[QUOTE="Kocelot"]

[QUOTE="1PMrFister"]

You are an idiot if you believe that being right (or at least believing you are right) gives you the right to act like an A-hole to others.

mattbbpl

[QUOTE="1PMrFister"]

You are an idiot if you believe that being right (or at least believing you are right) gives you the right to act like an A-hole to others.

Kocelot

Dammit, I hate when themajormayor is right. He's insufferable enough as is.

[QUOTE="Kocelot"]

[QUOTE="1PMrFister"]

You are an idiot if you believe that being right (or at least believing you are right) gives you the right to act like an A-hole to others.

Oleg_Huzwog

Dammit, I hate when themajormayor is right. He's insufferable enough as is.

[QUOTE="1PMrFister"]

You are an idiot if you believe that being right (or at least believing you are right) gives you the right to act like an A-hole to others.

Kocelot

[QUOTE="Mafiree"]How is Religion related to common sense exactly?Kocelot

Alright cool asshoIe.

I think that quote mistates the theistic proposition on morality. that is its not so much atheists can't be moral, they very much can be, but they can't account for that morality or justify it.

Philokalia

What's the point of being moral if God doesn't exist? It's the same "point" that people should acknowledge if God does exist: because the happiness and suffering of other human beings matter to us such that we should seek, whenever possible, to increase their happiness and decrease their suffering. It's also the "point" that morality is required for human social structures and human communities to survive at all. Neither the presence nor the absence of any gods can change this, and while religious theists may find that their beliefs impact their moral decisions, they cannot claim that their beliefs are prerequisites for making any moral decisions at all.

Morally speaking, it really shouldn't matter whether any gods exist or not - the happiness and suffering of others should play an important role in our decision making either way. The existence of this or that god could, in theory, also have an impact upon our decisions - it all really depends upon how this "god" is defined. When you get right down to it, though, the existence of a god can't make it right to cause people suffering or make it wrong to cause people to be more happy. If a person is not a sociopath and is genuinely moral, such that the happiness and suffering of others really matters to them, then neither the presence nor absence of any gods will fundamentally change anything for them in terms of moral decisions.

[QUOTE="Kocelot"][QUOTE="Mafiree"]How is Religion related to common sense exactly?Mafiree

I don't need to know the Ten Commandments to know it is wrong to stab another person 10 times.

[QUOTE="Kocelot"]

[QUOTE="1PMrFister"]

You are an idiot if you believe that being right (or at least believing you are right) gives you the right to act like an A-hole to others.

1PMrFister

[QUOTE="Mafiree"][QUOTE="Kocelot"] LOL. not gonna add fuel to the fire..Kocelot

I don't need to know the Ten Commandments to know it is wrong to stab another person 10 times.

So in other words hub your just arguing because it makes us feel good and protects our self interest we should be ?Moral?? I put it in quotation marks as I don?t see that is moral, it seems just the natural process of life which has no more meaning or value than anything else we do. Im just not convinced this is a real morality or makes morality ultimately binding on the individual.

[QUOTE="Kocelot"]

[QUOTE="Mafiree"] It need some explanation imo. Using my own view of common sense, I would not post or even like/comment on a post like that on facebook.......Mafiree

I don't need to know the Ten Commandments to know it is wrong to stab another person 10 times.

[QUOTE="Mafiree"][QUOTE="Kocelot"]I've already abandoned the thread, since I don't want to start any more flame wars. but if you must know.. Most Religions tend to attempt to tell you 'right from wrong'.. An example are the Ten Commandments.

I don't need to know the Ten Commandments to know it is wrong to stab another person 10 times.

Kocelot

So in other words hub your just arguing because it makes us feel good and protects our self interest we should be ?Moral?? I put it in quotation marks as I don?t see that is moral, it seems just the natural process of life which has no more meaning or value than anything else we do. Im just not convinced this is a real morality or makes morality ultimately binding on the individual.

Philokalia

I'm just going to let you actually think about what I have said instead of get into an argument with you about it, it's just my two cents. I will give you a hint though; it has nothing to do with self interest.

So, basically...

"Religious people are idiots."

Never heard that one before.

I think that quote mistates the theistic proposition on morality. that is its not so much atheists can't be moral, they very much can be, but they can't account for that morality or justify it.

Philokalia

In its most basic sense, we(as in all animals) developed altruism as a means to keep genes alive, in humans this aided in development of empathy, desires, 'n such. Our basic 'morals'. We developed these especially due to us being a social animal who lived in small tribes, and it's beneficial for the survival of us, and in turn our genes, to have some basic sense of morality the 'golden rule'.

Then there's the moral zeitgeist, which changes immensely over time. And seems to become 'fairer' as time goes on, we become more connected, and we think of each other as equals. Just a hundred years ago, what would be called progressives were in favor of slavery and said things along the lines of Blacks not being mentally capable of keeping up with Whites.

----

I think in 'this video' Richard Dawkins covers this quite nicely .(I'm not sure if it's part 1, 2 or 3, but it's a good watch anyway imo)

As someone else mentioned, I dont get the common sense angle. Maybe that quote needs some more work to move itself out of the idiot zone.