Questions to Atheists on Standard of Morality

Objective Morality and the Basis for Moral Judgment

All right, this is a set of questions for atheists and it's dealing with the Topic of morality in particular having a standard of morality now. I've got about I think 36 questions here. I need to read them in order and You'll see why I'm not saying they're all show stoppers and things like that.

But they're intended for atheists who will hopefully answer some questions. They'd like to ask them see if you can answer them. All right. Regarding an objective standard. Do you have enough an objective standard of morality by which you can judge whether or not something is morally right or wrong?

Number two. If you do not have an objective standard of morality by which you can determine what is right or wrong Then from where do you get your morals? Number three. If you do not have an objective standard of morality by which you can determine what is right and wrong wrong, then how are your moral values not just based on your subjective opinions?

4. If you do not have an objective standard of morality by which you can determine what is right or wrong, then what gives you the right to make moral judgments upon Nazi Germany or the God of the Bible?

If you do not have an objective standard of morality by which you can determine what is right or wrong, then should anyone adhere to your moral standard of what is right and wrong? 6. If you say that people should not adhere to your moral standard of what is right and wrong, then how is your standard of any value to anyone?

7. If you say that people should adhere to your subjective moral standard, then who decided that your subjective moral standard is the one that anyone should follow? 8. If you don't need an objective standard of morality by which you can judge what is right or wrong, then how do you determine what is right or wrong?

9. If you don't need an objective standard of morality by which you can determine what is right or wrong, then how do you know that what you think is right and wrong really is right and wrong? 10. If you say that you do have an objective standard of morality, then where did you get this objective standard since an objective standard is one that is not based on your opinion or your experience?

Morality Derived from Society

11. If you say that you got your objective standard of morality from society, then what justifies the idea that society is the proper place to obtain this standard of morality? If you say you got your objective standard of morality from society, then which society has the right moral system when they contradict each other?

13. If you say that you got your objective standard of morality from society, then if Nazi Germany was morally wrong to put Jews to death, why was it wrong since its morals were derived from its society?

14. How is having a moral standard based on societal norms not ultimately subjective since that society is comprised of individuals with subjective moral standards? 15. If you believe that society produces an objective moral standard, then how does an accumulation of individuals with subjective moral standards within that society produce an objective moral standard?

16. If society is what determines moral truth, then how is this not committing the logical fallacy of begging the question by saying that a society determines what is right and wrong because a society determines what is right and wrong?

17. If society determines what is right and wrong, then it is deriving morals from itself. Aside from the issue of whether or not God exists, why then would you reject the rationale that God derives morals from himself and thereby declares what is right and wrong?

18. If society determines what is right and wrong, then are the morals derived from society obligatory to all members of society? 19. If the morals derived in society are not obligatory, then how are they proper morals that should be followed?

20. If the morals derived in society are obligatory, then from where do you derive the right to impose them on people? 21. If you say that society has the right to impose its morals on people, then how can you legitimately complain against Nazi Germany or the Jews of the Old Testament since both societies impose their morals on people?

Morality Based on Common Sense, Evolution, and Instinct

22. If you say your moral standard is based on common sense, then what do you do when what is common sense for one person contradicts what is common sense for someone else? 23. If what you believe is common sense contradicts what someone else considers to be common sense, then are your judgments really common sense?

24. If however, you say that your common sense morals should be followed by others because they are right, then how is that not being arrogant since you are elevating your personal, subjective moral opinions above those of others and saying they should follow what you believe?

25. If you say that your moral standard, whether social or personal, is evolving and getting better, then by what non-subjective standard do you judge that it is getting better? 26. If you say that your moral standard, whether social or personal, is evolving and getting better, then how do you know it is getting better without committing the logical fallacy of begging the question by saying things are getting better because they are evolving?

27. If you say your standard is evolving and getting better, then can you assert that it won't evolve into something that contradicts what you believe now, thereby demonstrating that your moral beliefs now were really wrong?

28. If your moral standard is evolving and can contradict itself, can that system of moral determination be true since it can produce self-contradiction? 29. If you say your morals are self-determined, then are they true for everyone or just for you?

30. If your self-determined morals are true only for you, then do you have the right to judge the morals of anyone else, such as the God of the Bible, by saying they are wrong? 31. If you say your morals are derived from instinct, which is brain-programmed behavior, then how are they morals and not simply brain patterns to which you arbitrarily attach moral values?

32. If you say your morals are derived from instinct, which is brain-programmed behavior, then wouldn't that mean that different people's brains would produce different moral values? 33. If you say your morals are derived from instinct, which is brain-programmed behavior, then how would you really know if anything is right or wrong?

34. If you say your morals are derived from instinct, which is brain-programmed behavior, then how does one neurochemical state of the brain that leads to another neurochemical state produce proper moral truths?

35. If you really don't know what is right or wrong, but just go with whatever works, then what gives you the right to complain about anyone's moral actions anytime, anywhere, since different behaviors work for different people in different situations?

36. If you really don't know what is right or wrong, but just go with whatever works, then how is moral stability obtained when whatever works can change depending on circumstances and goals? All right, atheists.

If you want to respond to this with a video, I would ask that you would respond by answering the questions. I know there's a lot of questions, and maybe you might want to do a lot of videos. If you wanted to do a written response, well then please do, because as you'll see here at the bottom, I'm putting the URL of where this list of questions is on the CARM website.

Now if you want to get angry, mean, say I'm stupid, whatever, that's fine, it's your opinion. But then, what gives you the right to really make any moral judgments about anything? I'm asking you serious questions, and I would hope that atheists would seriously try to answer them.

Thank you.