Morality IS a Choice

Many people associate atheism, secularism, or agnosticism with a form of nihilsm.  It as if people believe that the lack of religious beliefs removes you from morality.  By the removal of religious belief, an atheist is often categorized as “evil” or apathetic when it comes to making decisions of what is right and wrong.  Dostoevsky believed that “…if God is dead, then everything is permitted.”  Being without religious belief doesn’t leave you without the accountability for your actions.  People are subject to being “good” or “bad” without the tenents of religion for a morality lesson.  Atheism doesn’t guarantee you a pass that says you can do whatever you want.  I’m pretty sure that there are some secularists, agnostics, and atheists that do practice Nihilism, but there is always a bad apple that spoils the bunch.  These people are usually the ones that are singled out for ridicule and, therefore, put a label for all atheists, agnostics, and secularists as being without a moral code.  Morality isn’t a nursery rhyme or a parable from the bible stating how you should live.  It’s a human choice.  You have an innate ability to judge how you would like to live your life idealistically and morally.  Whether you are religious or not, you can still be selfish, violent, bigoted, and hateful.  It hasn’t stopped anyone from showing their own human flaws.  Religion doesn’t absolve you from those things.  There is no requirement that says that you need something larger, spiritually speaking, than yourself to keep humanity from wrong doing.  You have to wonder if people use religion like a lottery ticket.  You can’t win if you don’t play?  Please!  I don’t play the lottery and I don’t need to take a gamble with doctrine just so I can earn my way into “heaven”.  I do not need a divine guarantee.  I find moral quality in my vulnerability as a human living in the world.  I find solace in rational, critical decision making and the ability to relate to my fellow humans.  That is what makes us individuals, good or bad.  This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t believe in God or whatever diety you are worshipping.  It just means that morality doesn’t need religion in order to instill a sense of accountability, charity, or good nature.