Night_Walker
Well-Known Member
So, are you saying religion is necessary in order for a society to function, or merely the morals that come from it? Because rules/morals are entirely different from a supernatural agent.
No.
What I meant is when you take away the clearly religious things from the Ten Commandments, that are held up as the basis of morality in the western world, and you look at what's left what I see aren't 'religion inspired morals' they're actually morals that make perfect sense has having arisen in order to keep harmony within a group situation.
To put it another way, there are numerous types of other social animals who are not religious who live in relatively harmonious communities thanks to abiding by, broadly, the same kinds of 'morals'/restrictions on what is acceptable in their society - ie not stealing food or implements from one another, not killing or attacking one another at the slightest excuse.
In short my opinion is that morality is something we've come by because it was necessary for our success as a social species, not something that comes from religion.
Religion provides justifications to discriminate against and even be violent towards other people over things that are really personal matters that don't harm anyone.