Over generations, countless people have put forth the notion that an individual’s moral compass is both created and dictated by religious beliefs. However, this is a narrow way of viewing the spectrum of human experience. The existence of secular morality can be observed, tested, and quantified using a variety of factors. Still, there are those who refuse to acknowledge the fact that people can be good without being a member of a particular religious organization. Dig deeper and learn a bit more about secular morality.
A Matter of Perspective
Since religious institutions have long been entwined in the everyday happenings of societies, it makes sense that the misconception of “religion creates morality” came about. When you’re trying to get people to not steal or kill, the fear of punishment by God can be a perfect deterrent. It does not stop thieves or killers outright, but it does lessen the number of instances by weeding out those who have a sense of concern over their actions. This is where morality lies as a whole. By understanding the consequences of one’s actions, right and wrong become more defined.
Unfortunately, perspective can also shift how one views morality. If a person’s individual morals are dictated in a way that he or she puts ego-driven needs above the welfare of others, this morality will be perceived as quite skewed when compared to moral sets where the needs of the group are placed above all else. This is where defining “right” and “wrong” can become quite murky. It is a leading reason many people felt more comfortable letting a deity or prophet decide on matters of good and bad long ago.
A View on What Ought To Be
The debate over how morality is defined has been going on for centuries and has taken many forms. One of the more interesting points of view came from Scottish philosopher and historian David Hume. It was Hume who noted that people tend to talk in two ways. One way is discussing reality and how the world actually is, whereas the other way is talking about reality and how it ought to be. Dubbed the “is-ought” problem, this has been pointed out by other scholars, like novelist C.S. Lewis, as a driving force behind secular morality.
The idea is that a person will dictate his or her moral standards based on how things ought to be, rather than by observing reality and seeing how things actually are. This is not to say that one viewpoint is right or wrong. Instead, the “is-ought” problem illustrates how easy it is for an individual to create a system of morality based on observation and generating prescriptive or positive statements.
A Contradictory Road
The trouble with allowing morality to be entirely defined by religion is that many dogmas offer rules and guidelines that are outright broken on a regular basis by followers. For example, almost all religions have strict codes against killing. However, this has never stopped a single war from being waged in all of human history. These contradictions exist in all moral mindsets but are usually the most evident in those who use their religious affiliations as a way of justifying specific moral tenets while outright ignoring others.
Secular morality is a topic that has been of interest to people for almost as long as the concept of institutionalized religion itself. Whether it exists due to a force greater than humanity or can be found within anyone regardless of belief system tends to be a matter of opinion. Still, it is easy to see that anyone has the ability within them to understand and follow a certain moral code.