Staunch atheists show higher morals than the proudly pious, from the pandemic to climate change

[SharonClark]

I like this article....

Two recent events have shed an illuminating light on who is and who isn't moral in today's world.

First, Cardinal Raymond Burke, a leader in the U.S. Catholic Church and a staunch anti-masker/vaxxer, was put on a ventilator as a result of his suffering from COVID-19. Second, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change of the United Nations released its latest data-rich report, warning that "unless there are rapid and large-scale reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, limiting warming to close to 1.5 degrees Celsius or even 2 degrees Celsius will be beyond reach."

The global pandemic and the rapidly warming of our planet — these dire phenomena are, above all, deeply moral matters in that they both entail care for the well-being of others and a desire to alleviate misery and suffering.

Now, while most people assume that such a morality is grounded in religious faith, and while it is certainly true that all religions contain plenty of moral ideals, in our nation today, it is actually the most secular among us who are exhibiting a greater moral orientation — in the face of deadly threats — than the most devout among us, who are exhibiting the least.
. . .
However, despite such complexities, the overall pattern remains clear: When it comes to the most pressing moral issues of the day, hard-core secularists exhibit much more empathy, compassion, and care for the well-being of others than the most ardently God-worshipping. Such a reality is necessary to expose, not simply in order to debunk the long-standing canard that religion is necessary for ethical living, but because such exposure renders all the more pressing the need for a more consciously secular citizenry, one that lives in reality, embraces science and empiricism, and supports sound policies — not prayer — as a way to make life better, safer and more humane.

whole article: https://www.salon.com/2021/08/21/staunch-atheists-show-higher-morals-than-the-proudly-pious-from-the-pandemic-to-climate-change/

[genxlib]

1. There is an old saying

That character is what you do when no one is looking

My corollary to that is that morality is what you do when God isn't watching.

[Poiuyt]

2. I like that

[JanMichael]

3. About 20/21 years ago I had a fairly liberal religious person tell me that same thing.

On an Athiest board too. The hyper religious (and very conservative) people were truly obnoxious and uncaring about poverty, the environment, living wages, healthcare, etcetera. I was happy to go post for post with them and eventually got called more moral and decent than the pious assholes. In real time. It was kind of nice to hear that.

Now I am older and need to nap more. No more arguing over religion on defunct boards...

[wryter2000]

5. Even Jesus is quoted as calling bible thumpers "hypocrites."

We have no idea that anyone named Jesus of Nazareth said anything like that. And the passage has been translated and rewritten many times by regular people. But I can tell you most Episcopalians agree.

[wryter2000]

4. My personal theory of moral development

Is it starts to develop at a very early age when we learn not to hit and to share. After a while, that morphs into caring about other people. It could be partly genetic. I've seen preverbal infants respond to the crying of other infants with obvious concern on their faces.

After we've developed empathy, we attach "reasons" for it. That's when we learn rules that we then consider the basis of our morality. Of course, moral development continues, but I think moral behavior is only tentatively attached to religion or philosophy or other moral precepts.

I do not have data to prove this, of course, and I'll be damned if I'll go back to school to write another dissertation.

[I_UndergroundPanther]

6. About fucking time

Someone noticed this fact.

[Celerity]

7. K & R for visibility

[smirkymonkey]

8. K&R

[Lonestarblue]

9. My theory is that the world would be better off without religion.

Organized religion, especially. Too many people seem to focus on being the religion police, monitoring other people’s morals while doing any immoral act they choose.