Hergest Ridge

In a flash, all was clear. The theory I had been formulating over the past couple of months finally blossomed into a concise idea that can be described on a single yellow post-it note (other colour post-it notes would do equally well).

Theists often perceive atheists to lack morals. This is reflective not of reality, but of a fundamental difference in how each defines life and much in it. The atheists is pro women’s choice on abortion, not because she or he believes that killing babies is acceptable, but simply, the atheist does not see a cluster of cells as a baby. If an atheists sees the zygote as a baby, even without being religious they’re likely against abortion.

Most of the world’s theists and atheists share moral convictions, but since each defines murder and life, lust and sexuality, nature and existence, and so on in different ways, an illusion of immorality can manifest itself.

When a terminally ill patient is unable to end their life and asks for assistance in doing so, and if the atheist answers the call on grounds of mercy, the theist is likely to conclude that murder is what took place. From this, the theist will often conclude that atheists have no morals, but the difference is not of morals, but that in how each defines murder. The atheist may in turn see the theist as immoral (although this case is less likely). After all, what kind of being sanctions and forces suffering onto another? Surely, not a moral one… Does a theist not put down his dog if all it has is suffering?

Contrary to the Christian’s belief, people did not go around and murder, rape, pillage, and sin to their heart’s content until the bible came along. Morality is not of the bible, but often the bible is wrongfully believed to be of morals. Everything good in the bible existed before it did - arguably, some evils not known to man before the bible, came into existence right around the time it was published.