Atheist Commandments

[Flying Pig]

Right. This thread is meant to be ab attempt to set out a group of rules that Atheists can follow. 613 is, as much as I admire people who can remember them, NOT an easy figure to use, solet's stick with 10-20, please.

Here's a few I think are good. Add more/feedback, please. They go in decreasing order of priority

1. Thou shalt obey all laws. This doe not validate the Nurenburg Defence.
   
2. Thou shalt obey all orders given in authourity, unless that contradicts rule 1
   
3. Thou shalt not harm humanity as a whole, unless that contradicts rule 1 or 2
   
4. Thou shalt do no harm to a human, unless that contradicts rule 1 2 or 3
   
5. Thou shalt take these laws as intended. I think we all know what it means, and so no loophole-dodging
   
6. Thou shalt learn all that is possible
   

[Quintus.JC]

How about The Eleven Satanic Rules of the Earth.

[Uesugi Kenshin]

Right. This thread is meant to be ab attempt to set out a group of rules that Atheists can follow. 613 is, as much as I admire people who can remember them, NOT an easy figure to use, solet's stick with 10-20, please.

Here's a few I think are good. Add more/feedback, please. They go in decreasing order of priority

1. Thou shalt obey all laws. This doe not validate the Nurenburg Defence.
   
2. Thou shalt obey all orders given in authourity, unless that contradicts rule 1
   
3. Thou shalt not harm humanity as a whole, unless that contradicts rule 1 or 2
   
4. Thou shalt do no harm to a human, unless that contradicts rule 1 2 or 3
   
5. Thou shalt take these laws as intended. I think we all know what it means, and so no loophole-dodging
   
6. Thou shalt learn all that is possible
   

Why do atheists need a set of rules to follow? To be atheist merely means you believe that there is no God/gods/divine force, and as religion does not hold a monopoly on morality there is no reason that atheists would require a set of rules such as The Ten Commandments. We have laws, and though many ignore this people also have their own personal moral compasses.

I am an atheist and see this to be a silly mental exercise, especially considering that as atheists share no mythology or common background they are not a unified group upon which you can suggest/dictate a set of moral principles. Personally I think atheism follows to some extent the existentialist/humanist schools of philosophy, wherein individuals should make their own decisions or judgments. Though people of faith can certainly be existentialist or humanist as well.

Let us each come up with our own morals/rules to follow and live by, if you wish to write up your own personal moral code please do, if you wish to have others make suggestions or exhibit their own personal moral codes please do that as well, but saying you wish to set out a group of rules that atheists can follow seems to suggest a misunderstanding of what it is to be atheist and the organization (or lack thereof) of atheists around the world.

Personally I try to follow my heart, and believe that when such action is not to the harm of the group within which I live (family, friends, state, humanity or whatever) it is almost invariably the best way to go. I don't really feel a need to set down morals though. I am by nature quite loyal to my friends, and value loyalty to friends quite highly, so you could say one of my personal moral codes is to always be loyal to one's friends and always there for them in times of need. I can't really think of any other personal moral rules which I like to follow, but if I do I will update you on them.

By the way if the beginning of my post seems a bit harsh I may be overreacting, but I'm going to leave it as is for now. Please don't be offended.

[LittleGrizzly]

What he said....

The only think you group atheists by is thier lack if belief... they may have more similarities but Atheism is not an exclusive club, its simply a lack of belief in God...

[Pannonian]

1. Thou shalt contribute to the Babe Thread.

[Adrian II]

1. Thou shalt nothing. Whatsoever. Cool it.

[Samurai Waki]

1. Thou shalt nothing. Whatsoever. Cool it.

I sense Adrian is jockeying for a position in the mod staff

[JAG]

# Thou shalt obey all laws. This doe not validate the Nurenburg Defence.
# Thou shalt obey all orders given in authourity, unless that contradicts rule 1

I don't understand why this would have to be applied to atheists alone as a rule and not everyone. But also, they are terrible rules anyway.

*senses this going to the backroom anyway*

[Beirut]

I'm curious why an atheist would begin a phrase with "thou shalt".

Backroom? Maybe. But for the moment we would do well to heed Pannonian's advice.