[Villages PL]

I heard a scientist make the above statement on the radio. Do you think it's true or false?

[angiefox10]

Originally Posted by Villages PL

I heard a scientist make the above statement on the radio. Do you think it's true or false?

What do YOU think?

[Jim 9922]

Seems more right to just wack your enemy over the head with a rock or club and walk away , than praying to win the war and then bombing them to oblivion just for good measure.

[DAWN MARIE]

Morality is inborn. Religion is learned.

[gomoho]

What came first the chicken or the egg??? Some folks morals are based on their religious beliefs so I would think religion came first; however, I believe empathy may
have come first being an innate trait of human beings.

[eremite06]

Morality first because the bond to family is innate.

[ylisa7]

Morality is how anyone would want to be treated by others. If you don't want it done to you then don't do it to someone else. Simple.

Religion is learned and not always moral.

[Justjac]

The old saying goes:

You don't need religion to have morals. If you can't determine right from wrong, then you lack empathy...not religion.

[graciegirl]

I don't know. There are more questions than answers as I get older. Many more gray areas.

It does seem that people who hold EXTREME religious views are often immoral, no matter what the religion.

Protecting our family comes from instinct or hormones and is probably a form of self preservation.

Caring about others not connected to us is a gift from..................I am pretty sure it is God.

And if that is true, I hope I am doing things right. What we do affects so many others.

None of us walks through life unconnected. We ARE our brothers keepers and I don't know if I know that by instinct or by morality or by religion.

[jblum315]

Originally Posted by DAWN MARIE

Morality is inborn. Religion is learned.

I disagree. I think both are learned. A 3-year-old child has no moral sense.

[duffysmom]

I believe it 100%. Religion is learned, just ask the religious extremists.

[Taltarzac725]

Ethics and War in Homer's Iliad

Homer seems to have religion and ethics/morality in his works but they are extremely different from those of Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and the other major religions. They seem most to be the morals of a warrior culture and the Gods get into the wars as well.

[blueash]

There are many observations in the animal kingdom of non-human acts of what we anthropomorphize as morality. There is a TED talk with videos showing such behaviors. Frans de Waal: Moral behavior in animals | Video on TED.com As those who believe that morality is dependent on an understanding or a fear of a god, no matter what the god-concept may be for a particular faith (don't you love the phrase god-fearing as if it were a good thing) then to explain such morality in animals you would have to say that the animals either have an understanding of religion or have an unsullied soul which makes them pure good. I don't think anyone would posit that an animal is pure good. Not even a dog in a restaurant.

[DAWN MARIE]

Yes, religion is learned but God put in each one of us a sense of what is right and wrong deep down. Even a 3 year old knows when he's done wrong...may not stop him from doing so but he knows. Anyone who has had small children can see this as they try to cover up their errors. Sometimes it can be quite comical. What we teach them is discipline and how to discipline themselves from doing wrong. It's much easier to do wrong than right.

[blueash]

Originally Posted by jblum315

I disagree. I think both are learned. A 3-year-old child has no moral sense.

You might find this interesting

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/09/ma...anted=all&_r=0