Codo, on May 29 2008, 02:06 AM, said:
I try to follow the ten commitments. And I would try to follow them (okay without the first one) when I am an atheist too. So there are no big changes required in my lifestyle. I really believe that Atheists like Gerben or MikeH do life a live not far away from the standards I have. So there simply is no difference in lifestyle between sane belivers and sane atheists.
Hi Roland.
Regarding your statement that you try to follow the ten commitments, and would do the same when an atheist, I wonder what list you are referring to. You grant that, as an atheist, you would make an exception for the first one, but since the first four on any "ten commandments" list which I am familiar with all have to do with "god", it seems unlikely an atheist would try to follow any of these.
There are many interpretations out there, and I don't believe there is a specific list of ten anywhere in the text of the Bible. Is the version you try to follow something like this one I found on Wikipedia?
1 - I am the Lord your God . You shall have no other gods before me
2 - You shall not make for yourself an idol
3- You shall not make wrongful use of the name of your God
4 - Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy
5 -Honor your father and mother
6 - You shall not murder*
7- You shall not commit adultery
8 -You shall not steal***
9 - You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor
10 - You shall not covet your neighbor's house You shall not covet your neighbor's wife
Speaking as an "atheist" (though I agree with Sam Harris that a word to say someone doesn't believe something ought not be necessary - just as we don't refer to people as "non-astrologists"), here's how I relate my own lifestyle and standards to the above list:
Numbers 6, 8, and 9 on that list are rather important to me
Numbers 1-4 are meaningless to me
Number 5 I'm not sure about. Perhaps we should "honor" all fellow human beings unless they prove undeserving, and a mother or father should be no exception.
To whatever extent I might try to follow #7, it would already be covered by #9 (which I read to mean "be honest").
Finally, while one would probably be happiest following number 10, it seems relatively unimportant (as compared with murder?), and also impractical to try to judge anyone's morality by their thoughts rather than their actions.
Richard Dawkins in the God Delusion, offers a set of "New Ten Commandments", which he says he happened to find on an atheist website. I'd like to share this:
1- Do not do to others what you would not want them to do to you
2- In all things, strive to cause no harm
3- Treat your fellow human beings, your fellow living things, and the world in general with love, honesty, faithfulness and respect
4- Do not overlook evil or shrink from administering justice, but always be ready to forgive wrongdoing freely admitted and honestly regretted
5-Live life with a sense of joy and wonder.
6- Always seek to be learning something new.
7- Test all things; always check your ideas against the facts, and be ready to discard even a cherished believe if it does not conform to them.
8-Never seek to censor or cut yourself off from dissent; always respect the right of others to disagree with you/
9- form independent opinions on the basis of your own reason and experience; do not allow yourself to be led blindly by others
10- Question everything
Perhaps this would make for a good BBO thread - an invitation to come up with a list of "Ten Commandments" to live a rewarding and ethical life. I wonder how many would include PLAY BRIDGE!