Saturday, June 23, 2012

Does religion make us moral?

The question pops up far more often then it ought to. Recently, the somewhat science challenged Science on Religion blog devoted a post to the question. The answer is both simple and more complex than most people seem to realize. The simple answer is NO. Religion, in and of itself, does not make people moral. That is not to say that religion does not indirectly contribute to the development of morals. It contributes in the same way it contributes to an individual's happiness (another foolish supposition that gets tirelessly repeated). It is a side-effect of religion that allows for morals (and happiness) to develop. That side-effect would be more accurately labeled "social interaction."

Humans are social animals. We need interaction with one another. Virtually every study that has been conducted on religion's impact on society has discovered the same thing. Social interaction within a church is the greatest factor. The level and quality of interaction within a specific religious group says far more than the the doctrines, rites and rituals, or structure in terms of whether the individuals find their "faith" valuable. There are also ample reasons to believe that it is this interaction that informs individual morality within religious groups and even correlates with levels of contentment and happiness.

Religion does not make people moral. Social awareness and interaction helps guide individual morals.

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