I trust in God.
Analogous to the fundamental principle of virtue ethics, I think that good morality has to be brought forth from within, else it is mere agreement with a social contract. But I don't believe in amoral or "free" upbringing or value-neutral society. It doesn't follow from individual responsibility at all.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lagun
I have met many people that being deeply atheist, had on the other hand, very strong social values. Furthermore I have known people that claimed to be "perfect Catholics" ("de misa diaria" as we say in Spain), and then fail terribly as individuals, having no social values what so ever,and being what we could call "selfish money lovers".
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I once discussed in detail the possibility of God with an atheist, who curiously is nevertheless interested in spirituality. He made an argument to the effect that we cannot know whether our subjective experiences correspond to realities. For example, an experience that will be best described as an experience of God, would thus not entail a Ding an sich (thing in itself) apart from my own experience with an objective existence. I countered this argument by implying that the step from experience to existence is a quasi-step, that we should consider the possibility that the experience of God
is God in the way we can know God, and that the experience of God is the only proof we need of God's existence.
What I mean to say is that I think there are some "atheists" who are not really atheists. If they have a strong and sound morality, it may well be that they are already in touch with God? Perhaps the only schism between them and the church is one over superficial criteria.