Ethics & Religion: Can You be good without God? ( Adam's Opening Statement - 1 of 4 )

Can there be ethics without God?

Is it possible to be moral without God?

Can we have morality without God?

The Debate of the year

Representing the Muslim perspective was Adam Deen: Adam is a former Islam channel presenter and intellectual activist who has been working in the field of Muslim apologetics for almost a decade.

He has contributed to debates on issues ranging from ethics, to religious philosophy and theology.

He is a member of the Muslim Dawah Initiative its formed of members from the Muslim community with experience in public speaking, apologetics, polemics, research and community work.

He is currently completing a degree in Philosophy at Birkbeck University.

He runs his blog www.adamdeen.blogspot.com

Representing the Atheist was Mr Dan Barker, Mr Barker is a prominent American atheist activist, co-president of the Freedom from Religion who served as a Christian preacher and musician for 19 years, but left Christianity in 1984.

Barker received a degree in Religion from Azusa Pacific University and was ordained to the ministry by the Standard Community Church, California

In 1975. He served as associate pastor at a Religious Society of Friends (Quaker) church, an Assembly of God, and an independent Charismatic church.

To this day, he receives royalties from his popular children's Christian musicals, "Mary Had a Little Lamb" (1977), and "His Fleece Was White as Snow" (1978), both published by Manna Music and performed in many countries. In 1984 he announced to his friends that he was an atheist.

The Topic of Debate: Ethics & Religion: Can You be Good without God?

Adam Deen (www.AdamDeen.com)

vs.

Dan Barker (www.ffrf.org)

(Imperial College, London, UK 26th November 2009)

Category:

Education

Tags:

• God
• Morals
• Morality
• Allah
• Islam
• Religion
• Science
• Adam
• Deen
• Dan
• Barker
• humanism
• atheist
• theist
• Humanist
• Humanism
• debate
• Atheism
• Freedom
• From
• ffrf
• morals
• ethics
• Quran
• Koran
• Qur'an
• muslim
• terrorism
• holocaust
• nazi
• Debate
• richard
• dawkins
• hitchens
• logic

[Sasuk3xxx]

@eritasevoli See people like that chose to be moral because of fear, I chose to be nice to others because it is logical, it's called reason, instead of saying god told you not to kill your neighbor for no reason, why don't you ask yourself how would you like it if your neighbor killed your for no reason?

[theneonfire]

@eritasevoli If heaven and hell are the only things that can convince you into doing good things or prevent you from doing bad things, you aren't a moral person.

[HerbJon]

Watch the whole debade instead. Search for: Can you be good without God? Adam Deen vs. Dan Barker (one of USA's leading atheists)

[eritasevoli]

"Can You be good without God?"

No.

If there is no heaven, why be good if there is no reward in the afterlife? I am not obliged to be nice to you if I'm not rewarded in the afterlife.

If there is no hell, why can't I rape and kill? These are the only things that scare people into not commiting these acts.

[spiminator]

Wow, I must applaude Dan. I've watched the whole debate and Dan really has presented very good arguments. I share all his thoughts.

I am also an atheist and humanist ...

[awia12]

As an atheist myself, i do not believe in absolutely supreme mortality, i believe in a morality system that can be discussed, changed, and one that does not hurt others. A morality that evolves that suits everyone's needs. Anyone who thinks that killing disbelievers is moral needs to really rethink their moral code.

[dhyleck]

Well as far as an athiest is concerned I have had a few debates with them and I have never used the Quran to prove my point. But let me give u a piece of advice If as a theist (not as a muslim) we can prove that the Quran is the evidence for the existence of God then the next argument becomes automatically true that Islam's morality is the absolute morality.

[dhyleck]

...Continued

"Satan fills them with false hopes, and Satan makes them not promises but deception" (4:120)

this is why people don't accept the truth even if it hits them in the face they choose disbelief and the dunya.

[satanicaa]

that works fine for me, but can you use that as arguments for an athiest? The answer is no, because that's what I used to do. I spent countless hours trying to convince people exactly the same way you are doing now, and it was grossly unsuccessful. I recommend truly thinking about morality and reading books other than the quran to have a better insight on THEIR end of the spectrum. Thanks jazak Allah khair

[dhyleck]

If ur a muslim then let me quote to u a few verses of the Quran "...truth stands clear from from falsehood... " (2:256)

"Those who do not respond to Allah's caller cannot thwart Allah on earth and have no protectors apart from Him. Such people are clearly misguided." (46:32)

"Have you come to us to turn us from what we found our fathers doing, and to gain greatness in the land? We do not believe you." (10:78)