Do you think theists or atheists are more motivated by compassion in general? (Check the link)

by Jacksane Posted 2012/05/02 01:07:54

Related Topics: Religion, Atheists, Atheist, Faith, Religious, Berkeley, Sun, Compassion, The Sun, Evil, Earth, 2012

37 votes
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	Non-believers are far more motivated by compassion	13 votes	35%
	The evidence is wrong! Believers are more motivated by compassion! Atheists are evil! The sun revolves around the earth!	3 votes	8%
	Faith/Religion/Belief has nothing to do with how motivated by compassion a person is	11 votes	30%
	Undecided	10 votes	27%

According to a new study, highly religious people are less motivated by compassion than non-believers.

http://newscenter.berkeley.edu/2012/04/30/religionandgenerosity/

!!!

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Disko Pickle 2012/05/04 01:41:08

Non-believers are far more motivated by compassion

+6
Most atheists have rejected religion because they've realized that the purpose of a belief in God is to self-justify immorality and cruelty.
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More polls by Jacksane

life's big ? 2012/08/15 22:03:31

Non-believers are far more motivated by compassion

+1
We don't have to fear afterlife to be kind to some one. Most Atheists are humanitarians.

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Sean Mathews 2012/06/02 21:54:53

Non-believers are far more motivated by compassion

Just in my own experience, the believers whom I've known have done "good" things which were motivated mainly from assertions of (supposedly) divine authority and the fears of a hell and the want for a heaven. It seemed as though they cared about how much their god liked them more than they genuinely cared about the people they were helping. But this is just in my own experience.

I understand that it's not a bad thing to help people, but we need to be encouraging people to make good decisions based on good reasons. Not magical ones.

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Jiorgia 2012/06/02 07:00:45

Faith/Religion/Belief has nothing to do with how motivated by compassion a pe...

I think it has more to do with your upbringing and how you were taught to treat others, atheists generally decide their beliefs for themselves and therefore decide their own moralities, where as theists tend to strictly and blindly adhere to what is written in their holy books, whether or not it is socially acceptable to do so.

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Badger 2012/05/15 04:25:47

Non-believers are far more motivated by compassion

Within the limits of the article I agree. Now I say the issue is that the article primarily covers Abrahamic faiths which have a mandate for charity and a punishment for not performing charity. This takes the compassion out of it, it must be done as a tenant of the faith.

This makes it so compassion is killed in the act of giving. I would be interested if they covered some of the non-Abrahamic faiths. Hindu, Shinto, Buddhism, etc.

I am pagan I have no demands for charity in my faith, I am told to act for the better of all life. I find supporting certain issues seem to fit that idea and give to them when I can. I will also give to various other charities just because I come across them in my travels.

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Prion Indigo 2012/05/04 23:58:44

Undecided

The answers in this poll are biased toward atheists.

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Jacksane to Prion I... 2012/05/05 05:16:26

+2
Within the question I provide an article which explains the study. There is only one option in favor of atheists, so I wouldn't really call it bias. Yes, the option saying that Christians are more motivated by compassion is made to sound ridiculous simply because if you aren't even going to consider the article then you probably have nothing valid to contribute to the conversation.

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Hippygirl to Prion I... 2012/05/29 14:30:37

How so?

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Disko Pickle 2012/05/04 01:41:08

Non-believers are far more motivated by compassion

+6
Most atheists have rejected religion because they've realized that the purpose of a belief in God is to self-justify immorality and cruelty.

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Jacksane to Disko P... 2012/05/04 01:44:55

+3
Give this man top opinion!

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Prion I... to Disko P... 2012/05/04 23:58:09

+2
That's often the purpose of a god in some religions, but not always!

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Hippygirl to Disko P... 2012/05/29 14:32:35

+1
So true!

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ehrhornp 2012/05/03 23:42:34

Undecided

+1
While the study was interesting, it didn't give any breakdown on how much more generous non believers were. I would think, like any population sample, some would have more compassion and some less and this would be true in both groups. I know compassionate people in both groups. Maybe the people with less or little faith might be more compassionate but I don't think by much. Other factors affect compassion besides faith. I also think a lot depends upon the faith. I think Wicca, the Friends, Unitarians, and Buddhists as a general rule would have great compassion. Fundamentalists republican so called christians would probably have none.

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Moonage 2012/05/03 14:32:41

The evidence is wrong! Believers are more motivated by compassion! Atheists a...

A religious person thinks people should be allowed to experience what they are experiencing. Atheists believe people should not be allowed to experience something. Which sounds more compassionate to you?

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Jacksane to Moonage 2012/05/03 22:56:30

+2
If you're experiencing suffering, I think the one who wants to help you get out of the suffering is more compassionate. Not all experience is wanted.

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Moonage to Jacksane 2012/05/29 15:52:21

Not referring to ALL experiences, just one in particular. One group wants to experience it, one group not. Which group would be more compassionate? The quesion is a no-brainer.

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Hippygirl to Moonage 2012/05/29 14:37:38

We do? Funny I didn't know all atheist believe that and I'm atheist. I guess I didn't get the memo that ALL atheist think alike.

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Moonage to Hippygirl 2012/05/29 15:53:19

In order to BE an atheist one has to think there is no God. So yeah, in order to BE an atheist they all have to think alike.

Sheez.

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Hippygirl to Moonage 2012/05/29 16:05:37

I'm not stupid I KNOW all atheist think there is no God. However you did not say that you said: a religious person thinks people should be allowed to experience what they are experiencing. Atheists believe people should not be allowed to experience something. Which sounds more compassionate to you ........... that implies all atheist believe you should not be experience something. That is NOT a factual ASSumption. The ONLY thing that ALL atheist agree on is there is no god EVERYTHING else they have MANY different beliefs.

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001 2012/05/03 13:04:49

Undecided

+6
I think atheists have better reasons to be motivated by compassion. They do not fear hell, they simply want to be a good person for the sake of humanity. Now I don't say all good theists are good because of the insecurity of afterlife, but it does play a part, and with atheists it doesn't.

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mr echo 2012/05/03 09:07:45

Non-believers are far more motivated by compassion

+1
religious people i met were pure evil

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caroline 2012/05/03 08:54:31 (edited)

Non-believers are far more motivated by compassion

+3
When a holy book tells its followers to put God before anything or anyone else then that has an effect.

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Ken 2012/05/03 04:30:50

Undecided

+2
Fascinating research....essentially it confirmed the parable of the Good Samaritan. As the gospel of Luke (chptr 10) tells the story; A certain man was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho when he was fell upon by thieves. They robbed him, beat him, and left him half dead. A certain priest came along and when seeing the man crossed to the other side of the road to avoid dealing with him. Similarly a Levite (another religious order of the day, i.e., someone paid to study the scriptures and do good works) avoided engaging with this injured man. Later a Samaritan (read evil doer, non-believer, atheist) sees the injured man and has compassion. This Samaritan binds the man's wounds and takes him to a inn, pays for his stay, and offers the innkeeper who apparently knew the Samaritan still more should the man need more assistance. Christ then ask his followers, "Which of these three do you think acted as a neighbor to this man?" His followers all said the Samaritan of course....to which Christ replied "Go and do likewise." Just to complete the reasoning...Christ also said (Matthew 7:15-20) we would could separate the good prophets from the evil prophets by their "fruits" i.e., results. Clearly the unbelievers in this survey are better Christians than many who profess Christi...

Fascinating research....essentially it confirmed the parable of the Good Samaritan. As the gospel of Luke (chptr 10) tells the story; A certain man was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho when he was fell upon by thieves. They robbed him, beat him, and left him half dead. A certain priest came along and when seeing the man crossed to the other side of the road to avoid dealing with him. Similarly a Levite (another religious order of the day, i.e., someone paid to study the scriptures and do good works) avoided engaging with this injured man. Later a Samaritan (read evil doer, non-believer, atheist) sees the injured man and has compassion. This Samaritan binds the man's wounds and takes him to a inn, pays for his stay, and offers the innkeeper who apparently knew the Samaritan still more should the man need more assistance. Christ then ask his followers, "Which of these three do you think acted as a neighbor to this man?" His followers all said the Samaritan of course....to which Christ replied "Go and do likewise." Just to complete the reasoning...Christ also said (Matthew 7:15-20) we would could separate the good prophets from the evil prophets by their "fruits" i.e., results. Clearly the unbelievers in this survey are better Christians than many who profess Christianity....because Christ also said "Not every one that saith unto Me, `Lord, Lord,' shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but he that doeth the will of My Father who is in Heaven. Many will say to Me in that Day, `Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name, and in Thy name have cast out devils, and in Thy name done many wonderful works?' And then will I profess unto them, `I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.'"
(more)

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Jacksane to Ken 2012/05/03 22:58:54

+1
I wish more Christians followed this passage rather than those that say you can only find salvation through worshipping Christ/God.

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Ken to Jacksane 2012/05/03 23:42:35

+1
Personally, I am delighted when I can follow this passage and other teachings of Christ. What other profess to believe does not concern me much because as Christ says in Matthew 7:15-20, we know what they believe by what they do.

So my response to anyone who claims to be a Christian is don't tell me, show me. And when someone asks me, I don't tell them I am a Christian because IMO Christianity is not about what you say....and no matter what some preacher says, the Bible makes it quite clear there are no magic words.

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Bozette 2012/05/03 04:30:22

Undecided

I believe it has more to do with the individual than with belief. Many factors influence who we are and how we react in a given situation, and those factors can change, sometimes dramatically, over time. I find that there are many compassionate people, among both believers and non-believers.

I would like to know, though, what those who did this study defined as "highly religious". I have faith, but am not religious.

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Inquisitve Kat 2012/05/03 03:15:39

Faith/Religion/Belief has nothing to do with how motivated by compassion a pe...

I found that a very interesting read and I really answered incorrectly. I do believe theists and atheists are probably equally compassionate, but, yes, I believe atheists are more motivated by compassion whereas religious people are more motivated by moral obligation.

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Jacksane to Inquisi... 2012/05/03 23:04:15

+1
I'm not sure I agree. The moral obligation found in religious texts is reliant upon what that text says about any given situation. So, for example, in the Christian bible it says that God has given men the right to kill animals for their use. To a christian, this morally justifies things like factory farming cattle. However, to a non-believer, using animals in this way is immoral because it is contrary to the well-being of sentient creatures.

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Inquisi... to Jacksane 2012/05/03 23:07:55

+1
That's a good point...

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sjalan 2012/05/03 03:01:09

Non-believers are far more motivated by compassion

+5
And the reason why is that they are attacked for their belief that there is no god far more than theists are attacked for believing in a god.

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Sean 2012/05/03 02:49:29

Undecided

+1
Religious people on some level are compassionate, and on some they're not because religious people, and the majority of atheist are not addressing the cancerous economic system that's keeping people living in deprivation.

The problem is we have not started recognizing that the well being of all of our fellow humans is critical to our individual well being, if anyone is living in deprivation, there is no security for anyone.

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Brandi Angela 2012/05/02 23:50:48

Undecided

+2
I think that theists are motivated to be compassionate because of their fear of their selected deity. They are compassionate because they think it will get them into the positive afterlife they believe in. Whereas atheists are compassionate because it is the right thing to do. Treat others the way you want to be treated kind of thing. They may both be motivated by compassion but for some the need to be compassionate comes from a selfish place.

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Prion I... to Brandi ... 2012/05/04 23:56:13

Not all theists are motivated to be compassionate for those reasons, please stop stereotyping!

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Kevin 2012/05/02 05:19:50

Faith/Religion/Belief has nothing to do with how motivated by compassion a pe...

+3
Compassion is a degree of empathy; with religion or not, we can develop our empathy and increase our compassion. Though, when one's empathy is colored by mythology, compassion may come up short.

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Savior 2012/05/02 01:37:52

Undecided

+2
Many atheists I know are very compassionate but many of them lead "alternative" lifestyles, like one likes to drink, one does drugs. But generally they are more welcoming, and the only thing I'm not fond of about atheists is their trust of government.

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