If there is no God, is everything permissible?

[A War Lord]

Now, obviously this is yet another riveting religious debate that will stay on topic, intellectually stimulate everyone, remain civilized and hurt no ones feelings.

With that subtle disclaimer behind us let's get to the meat of the question. Fyodor Dostoevsky's philosophical novel The Brothers Karamazov, gave the world the interesting aphorism, "If there is no God -then everything is permitted."

This is a morality discussion, and should be treated as such. Not a legal one and not a capability one.

Therefore, why should a man not rape a woman if he lusts for her--biology would have us do that. Why should a man not kill a coworker who threatens his job security--evolution has shown us this to be the case many times over.

Many people might say something akin to, it is for the preservation of society. But why preserve a society in which you have to control your 'natural' lust, or greed or aggression? Survival of the fittest, take what you can and screw the others.

It seems that everything we say is [morally] wrong (eg; killing gays/being gay, slavery, rape, porn, theft etc.) is a societal convention worth nothing more than what society as a whole thinks. But what if there were a society of 1,000 people--a moon colony, let's say--and they decided to lynch and cannibalize the hundredth member--would that heinous crime of the 99.9% be morally pious or would they simply be "their own culture, not barbaric, just different" or would objective right and wrong stand out in the face of the numbers and show that there is a standard that is of value, not because it is mathematical but because there is a Divine right to live?

In short, if we are just clouds of atoms acting by non-rational causation as science would tell us, why not do as you wish?

[Keyboard Warriors]

No. Because we thought long and hard about it and it seemed like a pretty bad idea.

[Jumalariik]

Yes, if God did not exist, there would be no objective morality, still, people would have to have some system of morals.
This question however, is based on the possibility that God does not exist. If God did not exist, the world would be vastly different.

[A War Lord]

No. Because we thought long and hard about it and it seemed like a pretty bad idea.

Fantastic contribution as first post.... Care to clarify who we are? when we thought it? what "it" was "we" thought about and why any person should abide by their conclusion?

[Norstal]

But who's watching God?

*Cue Inception music*

[Ifreann]

No. Because we thought long and hard about it and it seemed like a pretty bad idea.

Don't lie, no one has ever thought about Dostoyevsky.

[Viritica]

Therefore, why should a man not rape a woman if he lusts for her--biology would have us do that.

Because no means no.

Why should a man not kill a coworker who threatens his job security--evolution has shown us this to be the case many times over.

Because we're more intelligent and civilized than a pack of dumbass baboons.

[A War Lord]

Therefore, why should a man not rape a woman if he lusts for her--biology would have us do that.

Because no means no.

Why should a man not kill a coworker who threatens his job security--evolution has shown us this to be the case many times over.

Because we're more intelligent and civilized than a pack of dumbass baboons.

This is emotionally charge. No may mean no but so what? One says no, the other says yes, nature dictates power will decide which one wins. Unless a man constrains himself for a reason. What reason should a man constrain natural urges?

[Anollasia]

Even if God didn't exist, there would still be a ''treat others how you would like to be treated'' policy, in my opinion.

[Viritica]

Because no means no.

Because we're more intelligent and civilized than a pack of dumbass baboons.

This is emotionally charge. No may mean no but so what? One says no, the other says yes, nature dictates power will decide which one wins. Unless a man constrains himself for a reason. What reason should a man constrain natural urges?

Because the woman doesn't want his natural urges forced upon her.

[Ifreann]

Because no means no.

Because we're more intelligent and civilized than a pack of dumbass baboons.

This is emotionally charge. No may mean no but so what? One says no, the other says yes, nature dictates power will decide which one wins. Unless a man constrains himself for a reason. What reason should a man constrain natural urges?

Where did you get the idea that restraining one's self from harming another person is unnatural?

[Pandeeria]

No, how about we actually be nice to each other because we're empathetic and compassionate?

[The New Sea Territory]

God is not the only source of morality. Plenty of atheist religious philosophies have moral basis.

But, I, as any good moral nihilist, see it all as societal structure and subjective. Not advocating for murder, but saying that making is "objectively wrong" is bullshit because people will still do it, in the name of your god, country, ideology, race, sexuality and whatever else wars want to be started over.

[Norstal]

Because no means no.

Because we're more intelligent and civilized than a pack of dumbass baboons.

This is emotionally charge. No may mean no but so what? One says no, the other says yes, nature dictates power will decide which one wins. Unless a man constrains himself for a reason. What reason should a man constrain natural urges?

Rape in animal kingdom != all animals rape.

If the reason why you're not raping your mom is because God is watching, there might be something wrong with you anyways.

[A War Lord]

Most of the counter arguments are various re-wordings of "be nice because it's nice to be nice" but why should a cloud of atoms do anything that doesn't benefit it as much as possible? There is supposedly no reason to the universe, from this perspective, so why create mini-reasons to not carpe diem?

[Viritica]

Most of the counter arguments are various re-wordings of "be nice because it's nice to be nice" but why should a cloud of atoms do anything that doesn't benefit it as much as possible? There is supposedly no reason to the universe, from this perspective, so why create mini-reasons to not carpe diem?

Because it shouldn't do things that harm other clouds of atoms.

[The New Sea Territory]

Because no means no.

Because we're more intelligent and civilized than a pack of dumbass baboons.

This is emotionally charge. No may mean no but so what? One says no, the other says yes, nature dictates power will decide which one wins. Unless a man constrains himself for a reason. What reason should a man constrain natural urges?

That's how the world works whether their is a guy in the sky or not. The jews said "no, don't persecute us", but it still happened. (Not literally, but you know what I mean) Morality is more or less a tool to use to get people to do things they normally wouldn't and refrain from things they normally would. Not much more.

[A War Lord]

This is emotionally charge. No may mean no but so what? One says no, the other says yes, nature dictates power will decide which one wins. Unless a man constrains himself for a reason. What reason should a man constrain natural urges?

Rape in animal kingdom != all animals rape.

If the reason why you're not raping your mom is because God is watching, there might be something wrong with you anyways.

Exactly my point. How can you say there is anything "wrong" with a person if you have no objective standard of what is right and just how far said person has drifted from that standard? You wouldn't know a room was dark if you lived your whole life blind...

[Ifreann]

Most of the counter arguments are various re-wordings of "be nice because it's nice to be nice" but why should a cloud of atoms do anything that doesn't benefit it as much as possible? There is supposedly no reason to the universe, from this perspective, so why create mini-reasons to not carpe diem?

Why should a cloud of atoms do things that benefit itself?

[The New Sea Territory]

Most of the counter arguments are various re-wordings of "be nice because it's nice to be nice" but why should a cloud of atoms do anything that doesn't benefit it as much as possible? There is supposedly no reason to the universe, from this perspective, so why create mini-reasons to not carpe diem?

There is no reason to the universe. Move on.

"Their is no god, and your human ideals are laughable"
-bender, the greatest cartoon atheist

[Edward Richtofen]

No because that's what laws are for.

[Wisconsin9]

Why do so many people think survival of the fittest means rape, murder, and terrorize your way to the top? Cooperation is one of the greatest survival strategies there is.

[The New Sea Territory]

No because that's what laws are for.

Laws more or less are morality from the state rather than a religion/society, but I understand your reasoning.

[Ifreann]

Rape in animal kingdom != all animals rape.

If the reason why you're not raping your mom is because God is watching, there might be something wrong with you anyways.

Exactly my point. How can you say there is anything "wrong" with a person if you have no objective standard of what is right and just how far said person has drifted from that standard? You wouldn't know a room was dark if you lived your whole life blind...

Yes you would. Blind people aren't stupid.

[The New Sea Territory]

Why do so many people think survival of the fittest means rape, murder, and terrorize your way to the top? Cooperation is one of the greatest survival strategies there is.

*high five*