Morality

[AbominableMowman]

Mod edit (Brenden): Very open discussion/debate of morality here - feel free to mention anything about it/go off on any tangent and we won't consider it off topic

Good people go to heaven, bad people go to hell.

How would you define 'good' and 'bad'?

Just curious about what you guys think.

Instead of trying to think of actions as good or bad people should strive to be amoral. Society and religion impose a lot of moral codes and values on us, most of which we don't even understand. Being consistent with our own morals instead of following moral systems that are imposed on us seems like a better choice.

[brenden]

I think you might want to revise the way you define amoral

[jazza97]

What do you think determines where people go? Like, does an atheist go to hell simply by virtue of being an atheist, even if they live a Christian way of life? (Or whatever morally righteous way of life you choose?). P.S not attacking you, I'm just curious.

i'm pretty sure amongst religious scholars, not religious nutters, that it is generally accepted that everyone, no matter who you are or what you have done, will have the chance to enter heaven as long as you repent your sins.

[brenden]

i'm pretty sure amongst religious scholars, not religious nutters, that it is generally accepted that everyone, no matter who you are or what you have done, will have the chance to enter heaven as long as you repent your sins.

Well, if we take the Bible as true, blasphemy and suicide are two things you can't repent from.
Also - when do we repent? Do we get the chance to repent once we're dead, or do we have to do it before we die?

[AbominableMowman]

I think you might want to revise the way you define amoral

If a human rejects the idea of 'morality' they could be amoral.

[brenden]

http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/amoral?q=amoral

Definition of amoral
adjective
lacking a moral sense; unconcerned with the rightness or wrongness of something:
an amoral attitude to sex

Why should we strive to be unconcerned with the rightness or wrongness of something, though?

[jazza97]

Well, if we take the Bible as true, blasphemy and suicide are two things you can't repent from.
Also - when do we repent? Do we get the chance to repent once we're dead, or do we have to do it before we die?

Every scholar will tell you that the Bible is not a literal truth, even the New Testament.  It's filled with metaphor and symbolism.  Also, we have to remember that the Bible was written for a purpose--didactically--and the author of passages within it that claim what you said may have been writing for a different type of culture or community.  Remember, the Bible was collated over numerous years, by many, many authors, schools of thought and etc.  As you see with political parties, there are various ideological differences or factions, however, they are united under the one cause.  I believe that the Bible acts as a model (which is different for other people or cultures) for us to follow how to live our lives.  Moreover, I don't know of any passages in the New Testament which speak of blasphemy and suicide as unrepentable.  Jesus says that he is the 'replacement of the Old Law, the replacement of the Feasts' (John 7:28)....He says is the 'new commandment and covenant' (john 15 or 13)...  Therefore, the New Testament is the new order and new model for the Christian community.

I think that God wants us to live a good life, for others, however, I think we are truly judged when we die.  Although, you know what, I have no idea what happens when we die, so I just try to do my best and try to impact society in a positive way.

[Lolly]

Every scholar will tell you that the Bible is not a literal truth, even the New Testament.  It's filled with metaphor and symbolism. 

I agree with most of your post, but I would say that parts of the Bible are meant to be viewed symbolically, others literally ( like Acts and other chronological accounts) I think you've got to be genre specific.

However, there is indeed truth to metaphor.

[AbominableMowman]

http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/amoral?q=amoral
Why should we strive to be unconcerned with the rightness or wrongness of something, though?

Because morality itself doesn't exist.

definition of  morals: standards of behaviour; principles of right and wrong

If morals are principles that define what is  right and what is wrong, how can we be sure of what morals to follow? There are no universal rules that tell every one of us what morals we should live by. In fact the very idea of morality itself comes from what a particular society dictates. 
So instead of being concerned with morals, we should be concerned with the consistency of our actions (which could be seen by others as immoral).
Immoral =/= amoral

[Lolly]

Because morality itself doesn't exist. If morals are principles that define what is  right and what is wrong, how can we be sure of what morals to follow? There are no universal rules that tell every one of us what morals we should live by. In fact the very idea of morality itself comes from what a particular society dictates. 
So instead of being concerned with morals, we should be concerned with the consistency of our actions (which could be seen by others as immoral).
Immoral =/= amoral

If there was no objective morality, there would be no such thing as " moral progress".

[brenden]

It's a non sequitur to say that because there are no universal rules for morality that morality doesn't exist or that there can be no standards of behaviour. There can be individual standards/principles of morality.
I'll be clearer...

Being consistent with our own morals instead of following moral systems that are imposed on us seems like a better choice.

contradicts

lacking a moral sense; unconcerned with the rightness or wrongness of something

Edit: I mean, you can't say that morality itself doesn't exist and then say that we should be consistent with our own morals without being contradictory.

[AbominableMowman]

Maybe I should rephrase that, I meant being consistent with our own actions not morals:P

[brenden]

Maybe I should rephrase that, I meant being consistent with our own actions not morals:P

Well, aren't you just advocating that consistency of action is a worthy moral principle?

[grannysmith]

So... we should follow our desires regardless?

[brenden]

So... we should follow our desires regardless?

Are you asking a general question or questioning Ab.Mowman?