Do Morals Need Religion?
When it comes to moral behavior, infants and toddlers have something to say. Grown-ups should listen.
Around the world, our involvement with religion is changing. Participation in religious activities is declining in well-resourced countries where citizens feel relatively secure about a stable future. In countries that are less resourced and where citizens’ futures are more uncertain, participation in religious activities is increasing.
What impact does declining participation in religious activities have on morality? Does distancing ourselves from religious congregations inevitably lead to a decline in our moral standards?
The Christian Bible contains narratives that caution against abandoning religious teachings and illustrate the consequences of straying from spiritual guidance. The story of Moses and the Ten Commandments highlights the doctrinaire belief that people fall into sin without clear moral directives to guide them.
