Atheists adopting theistic morality

Christian apologists and others frequently argue that atheists appropriate their moral values from the theistic cultures in which they reside and they often do not have a strictly atheistic morality. Christian apologists and others frequently argue that atheists appropriate their moral values from the theistic cultures in which they reside and they often do not have a strictly atheistic morality. See also: Atheism and morality

William Lane Craig, citing the research published by author Arthur C. Brooks, points out that atheists raised in religious households are twice as likely to give to charity than those raised in nonreligious households (see: Atheism and charity).

Moshe Avarick on Western atheists who adopt Judeo-Christian moral values

See also: Religion and morality and Protestant cultural legacies

William Lane Craig, citing the research published by author Arthur C. Brooks, points out that atheists raised in religious households are twice as likely to give to charity than those raised in nonreligious households. See also: Atheism and charity.

Moshe Avarick, in his article The Judeo-Christian Atheist, writes about atheists Greg Epstein and Bart Campolo:

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Greg Epstein (ordained atheist/humanist “rabbi”) and Bart Campolo (a former Christian minister) seem to disagree with Ruse. Epstein’s book, Good Without God: What a Billion Nonreligious People Believe, was one of the factors that inspired Campolo to become a Humanist Chaplain at USC, according to a recent New York Times article by Mark Oppenheim. The article described Campolo as “the son of a famous pastor…now a rising star of atheism.”... It is self-apparent that in a universe consisting of nothing but mass, energy, light waves and the laws of chemistry and physics, morality means whatever you want it to mean. Ultimately, for the atheist, there is nothing that is truly “moral” and nothing truly “immoral.” There is only what I like and what I don’t like. The only “moral boundaries” that would prevent the humanist/atheist from committing murder with impunity (assuming a powerful motive) are the potency of one’s inborn nature and societal and psychological conditioning – and once overcoming those – the question: Do I think I can get away with it? Despite this, I am certain that both Epstein and Campolo are very pleasant people and I’m not worried about them committing violent crimes. This is because they are not real atheists. They have not formulated their value systems by following an atheistic world view to its logical end, which is amorality. They are Judeo-Christian Atheists. Their values are drawn from the eternal, unshakeable, God-centered values of the society in which they have been raised. The fundamental moral principle of Judeo-Christian society – which we take for granted but which was revolutionary when first introduced by the Israelites – is that all human beings are created in the image of God (Genesis, Chapter 1). All human beings, therefore, have value that transcends the entire physical universe. All human beings stand equal before their infinite, transcendent Creator. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they have been endowed by their Creator with inalienable rights.” This provides a rock-solid foundation for what is commonly called ethical and moral behavior towards our fellow human beings. It is this principle that has been embraced by humanists like Epstein and Campolo (and then quietly dropped the God part).

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See also

• Atheism and violence

• Irreligion and domestic violence

• Atheism and rape

• Atheism and mass murder

• Moral failures of the atheist population