Yes. You can make morals through your perception of what is right and wrong. Does not need to be from some 'higher power'..

uhhm yea plenty of schools of thought don't have a God but still teach decent human treatment

Ethics can, and has for eons.

The estute application of moral principles yields the most sound moral framework. Some people struggle with the brain power necessary and defer to authoritarian black and white thinking.

Absolutely! I can't see why some people think it can't.

Ask a Buddhist Monk. Too often people ignorantly assume that godlessness = hedonism or nihilism. I'd wager that the average Buddhist Monk lives a much more moral life, than the average lay Christian or Muslim - despite the fact that Buddhism is a fundamentally nontheistic religion. --- Of course, I'm not saying that only religious nontheists like Buddhists can be moral without God. But the main point stands: Belief in God and Morality do not have to go hand in hand. In fact, very often they do not.

Yeah, morality has nothing to do with god.

Only if it wants to work well.

Yes. If fear of hellfire is your only reason to be a good person, then you are not a moral person at all. Actually, the basics of morality have sound evolutionary reasons. Kin selection explains why we are nice to relatives. Reciprocal altruism explains empathy and cooperation. Additionally, status and reputation are very important - in today's society and in the world of our ancestors. Generosity and kindness is often a sign of superiority. Then moral philosophy, for example Kants categoric imperatif or utilitarian ethics use reason and the desire for a fair and good society to derive morals from.

Morality has always existed independent of a god or gods. The morality emanating from a god is enforced by fear of punishment (Hell) and the hope of a reward (Heaven). Morality that is independent of a god is pure, because it is its own reward.

Morality has nothing directly to do with God

I am an Atheist (with a capital A) and I have great morals. Most humans are born with a predisposition to learn morals from the world around them. Hence "the moral of the story is...." It is part of the religous teachings that people without religion have no morals. Religion and morals are not co dependant in any way shape or form. In fact, some of the worst crimes against humanity are commited by the theists themselves.

As a believer in God and one who has been in God's presence I can most definitely say, Yes morality can exist without a belief in God, I used to be an atheist and I was very moral. God would rather the whole world be atheists and love one another, then be religious and hate one another.

I think God is a concept that helps to motivate morality...but then I think about the Pear of Anguish and go, naaaah.

of course

Morals are something you're born with.

there would probably be more ,, and not as missplaced .

Of course! My morals are based on my personal experiences (and the law) instead of a higher power. I don't need an ancient book telling me how I should behave.

It already does.

It seems to do much better without a God.

Does morality exist with God? Just doing What God Says is mere obedience to orders, not morality. Morality is when you have choice, and you choose to do something other than the purely selfish thing. Which means that you are doing it for the good of some greater group - be it the family, the community, the nation, all mankind, or an even wider grouping. Morality depends on choice and not taking the easy choice. If you do the "good thing" only because of the bribe (you believe) of heaven, you are not moral you are expedient. Only when you give up gains for yourself to achieve gains for some large group are you moral.

i propose that god is everywhere at all times [although certainly not the god who has been created by man's dogma and narcissism]. i propose that human-kind has the freedom to use their power for moral purposes or immoral purposes.

There are certainly atheists and merely ir-religious people with at least some morals. However ... While materialists argue that moral systems are social constructs that evolve with the society, that entails that there are no moral absolutes and thus no "morality" as the term has been used normatively throughout history. More importantly, as Kant proved, in a materialist or purely Atheistic system there can be no moral imperatives - that is while moral systems/structures may exist, once one realizes that these are just subjective social constructs there's no reason one should feel necessarily obliged to abide by them. "You ought to" is thus deconstructed and shown to mean nothing more than "I/he/we/they want you to" - which means "morality" becomes nothing more than the attempted imposition of the wants of one, some, or many on others. Thus Dostoevsky's dictum, "If there is no God, all things are permitted." A moral imperative requires an eternal and universal authority and arguably some guarantee of ultimate justice for all. This does not necessarily necessitate a personal God: if there can be an eternal law (like darma) that is naturally self-enforcing (karma) then there isn't a need for an eternal legislator and judge: arguably a moral imperative still exists. The need for eternal justice would, however, seem to necesitate some kind of afterlife or reincarnation, and presumably ultimate destinations as well (i.e. a heaven and hell). Just for the record, Christian theologians have been divided for as long as there have been Christian theologians between 3 schools of thought: 1. God is prior to "the Good": right and wrong are what God says they are. 2. "The good" is prior to God: right and wrong are what they are, and God testifies to them and enforces them. 3. God and the good are one in the same: all that is the good (righteousness, justice, love, compassion, grace) is essentially relational and personal - even interpersonal; e.g., love is not a rarified abstraction but a verb and has no existance without a lover and beloved, indicating that if God is love, God is necessarily not only personal but multi-personal. That's the one I subscribe to.

To me morality is proof of God.

Depends how how you care to define "GOD". I think so, how about you? +5

No,God's law is written on our concience.

Nothing exists without God's hand in it, even for the aetheists.

If you are referring to human actions with care and concern for their fellow man. NO! If you are talking about human actions without care. YES!

No. Then you would have no basis for judgment. No point of reference. How would you discern what is Moral from what is Immoral. - Look at the world today. God's word is fading from the hearts of men. And immorality runs rampant. Sex, drugs, murder. God detests them all. therefore building a basis for morality.

Yes it can and it does.

Absolutely. It can because exist without god(s) and it does. Anyone who claims they are only moral because of religion is making quite a statement about themselves. My concern isn't for us godless atheists, it's for people who think that they are only not out there killing, raping and stealing becuase their imaginary friend tells them it's bad. That's scary. What if their imaginary friend tells them that, actually this time it would be ok? Or they slip up one time and stop listening to their imaginary friend?

Yes, because the collaborative endeavor of the stone-age caveman would have been impossible without some code of morality, [same goes for Moses' tribe that survived wandering in desert for 40 years (2 generations)] * which advanced mankind far enough to have leisure time, to wonder about 'the self and the surrounding universe', and imagine the concept of 'god', with all its varied good and ugly facets, as a primitive answer! * * * Thus human morality pre-existed human-gods. All other 'heathen' beings live their life driven by the biological instincts developed by evolution over billions of years; and they live a more perfect and ethical moral life. e.g., They don't rape, or commit gluttony when not hungry. [One could go on and on]

It does. The more interesting question, given the examples of most gods throughout history, including the Biblical one is how can morality exist despite god(s)? +5

Yes. It does. Atheists will say "yes" to this since most of us believe in Morality, yet do not believe in god. Theists will say "no" since God is the source of morality (and everything) for them.

Yes it does and seems to mean more to others.

It already does.

Unbelievers insist in their literature, web sites, and everyday walk in life that they are moral people and that human beings do not need a god to be moral. The key word is,"moral." What is morality? Various sources define it differently which doesn't surprise me. Without a God-given moral code, all humans have the right to decide for themselves what is right and what is wrong, and if they, like the atheist Nietzsche, want to propose that “good is evil and evil is good,” who is to say otherwise? People without God can choose to be decent people and may succeed in doing so to a significant extent, but they have human nature fighting against that choice. Carnal, selfish human nature is at work in them as well as in religious people. Carnal human nature will tempt them as well as it tempts sincere Christians. Unbelievers may actually choose to continue in their actions and not necessarily feel guilty, because they decide what is right or wrong and they can rationalize their actions ad nauseam and their minds may go perfectly along. The type of morality embraced by “genuine” Christians is not just a morality of kindness and decency. It demands virtues that those without God do not have to be subject to, and that most do not care about. Those without God don’t have to love and forgive they who abuse them. They are not required to pray and wish the best for those who mistreat them. They are not expected to turn the other cheek, and to endure persecutions with a forgiving spirit. Those without God may choose to stay faithful to their mate, but they are not required to never entertain adulterous thoughts as Christ commanded. Yes morality can exist without God but this type of morality is of ones own choosing. A morality that best fits their own life style. What one person without God may consider moral may not be what another person without God may consider moral. For a true Christian, God is the basis for their morality. A single source of morality that encompasses every aspect of their lives and not simply what they may choose to be their own morality of the day.

Of course it does. To say otherwise is just ridiculous.

of course

Technically, no, because God created mankind (Genesis 1:27) and without man, there would be no need for morality.

I would say that it exists despite god(s). More harm is done because of belief than for disbelief.

What is morality? If not God, who determines what it is and what it isn't? If morality is whatever I say it is, if I can make it as I see fit, sure it can exist without God or anyone else.

I think it has a much better chance to exist without God. The most moral people I know are atheists.

Just as the waves of ocean cannot move without moonlight, just as most living creatures cannot exist without sunlight, just as fish cannot live without water; in the same way how can morality exist without God? God is the source of morality. Religous or not, all morals derive from truth, righteousness, love, faith. These are how are value systems are developed. We use God and his teachings as an example to live our lives. Even our government doctrines orginated from religios texts. Look at the ideals of God and the ideals we value as a society as being Good and you will see no real differences. For example, God teaches us to be loving, tolerant, kindhearted, helpful, truthful, faithful, hopeful, optimistic, pure minded and devoted. These are all qualities that both religion and non religion accept as good. Without God, the example of all Purity; society will crumble and there will be no hope. People will sin because they will have no reason or purpose of existence. Although many non believers might not believe in a high power, they do, or aleast most, follow the ideals of society. And without God, none of these ideals would exist. Hope I helped.

I love this question! So many possible answers, and all of them right! Those who don't believe could argue that it has been surviving just fine anyway... On the other hand, considering all the hatred, war, crime etc., we could equally well argue that if God does exist, morality is taking a heck of a beating! I personally agree with Voltaire, "If God didn't exist, it would be necessary to invent him. I think man has been quite capable of developing his own moral code, but the teaching of it and, for the majority, observance of it without belief in a higher being would be difficult indeed!

Morality exists: God does not. QED

Obviously, morality exists, although God is hypothetical. (The hypothetical nature of God does not hinder morality to exist.)

God is in everything so yes it can! being moral doesn't mean that you are right or wrong good or bad, in the eyes of God. Its what you choose with the morals you have before you, your conscience(God that is in you) then you take responsibility for your actions.Scrap the rule book written by others!

Nothing exists without God.

I hope so.

I thought I answered this already. Why does it keep showing up as a new question?

Certainly. Morality, at it's base, relies on love. Although I believe love comes from God, I can also see it as an organic, emergent property ... something coming from the advanced development of the human system, which developed over time through evolution.

Morality does exist without God

How would we know the difference?

This is a silly thought since virutally nothing exists without God.

It does. Face it. There is almost certainly no god of any kind - at least not one that can be recognized or understood by humans. Morality does exist - flawed, often half-assed and hypocritical, and sometimes as one of the most beautiful expressions a person can offer. +5

Since i don't believe in God and I have morals.....Sure

I know of a couple who is atheist yet they live fairly moral lives they are honest to a fault when they do their taxes. Neither of them has ever cheated on the other in over 25 years of being together. You will often find them at one of the local soup kitchens helping to feed the homeless and less fortunate. Many times they have taken in Foster kids and refused the state stipend that most Foster parents get. So yes it is very possible to have morals without believing in God.

Yes, morality does exist DESPITE god, its agents, godp imps, prophets, messengers, saints, rabbi, priests, mullahs, pundits, gyanis and monks, etc. + + + This is another 'phishing' question by a blind-faithful, another 'washed-brain' believer, perhaps unemployed, acting as a part-time preacher prawling, or kerb-crawling AB! * No sale & no, not sorry! * This is what happens of believers in non-existent non-entities of nonsense; educated ‘e-literate’ people believing in gods, godp imps and peddlers of other superstition.

What would be the point?

No, not absolute morality. Only moral relativism. In that world the Holocaust would not have been wrong if the Nazi's had one WWII and told us it was the right thing to do. There would be no overpowering righteousness, only what society accepts.

Yes. In fact only an atheist can exhibit true morality as it is not dictated by a fear of retribution by an outside force. Sincere and true morality from within.