brainsys's Comments

Do I beleive that people today are intrinsically better/more moral than in the eighteenth century or indeed the first century?

Of course not. One thing I hope many of us share whether religious or non-religious is a desire to make 'a better world'. For ourselves, for our children, for all people. Of course we don't always succeed but the result should be an evolving morality. Hopefully improving with time - but not continuously (1930's Germany for example).

Morality is after all how one as an individual interacts with friends, family and society. An important underlying driving force is 'do unto others as you would wish to be done by'. A generally good strategy for most people to have a safe, secure and enriching life and an even better one for their children. Of course the payback may not always be obvious so both secular and non-secular groups tend to create codes of social behaviour - a mixture of peer pressure and legal constraints for those less susceptible to peer pressure. That's what I see as morality.

And its our job to improve it if we can. William Wilberforce is seen as a great moral force behind the abolition of slavery. But he had morals we would be very uncomfortable with today. Similary I share morals that may on greater reflection might be thought perverse in the future.

I have no problem with that. Do you?

I answer as an aetheist with another question. Which of us is the most moral?

I can't answer and I hope you can't either. Absolute morality? Most aetheists subscribe to "thou shalt not kill". Not because they are told to but because they believe that to be right. Whereas all three Abrahamic faiths insist on killing "in the name of God" and there is a pretty appalling track record of it being practised worldwide right now by all three.

It is notable that as christianity lost its grip on many countries around the world so judicial killing was also abolished. It is those that strongly believe in God who continue to practice it vengefully. Oh and also those who believe in alternate infallible leaders who must be obeyed - natural or supernatural.

Morality is a moving thing. It once accepted slavery, now we have moved on. Its needs much thought, much negotiation between us as human beings. It surely can't be relegated to biased interpretations of some dodgy translations of bronze age myths ... I would resist having our morality frozen absolutely in this way.