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Religion not required for morality

Ian Bushfield - August 9th, 2008 in News 0 votes Vote Up! Vote Down!

Evolutionary psychology has made further advances at demonstrating that morality requires no supernatural agent. Writes one Christian journalist:

Recent research suggests that we have been wrong, that morality can emerge and persist without religion. Evidence now points to the conclusion that early humans and prehumans were, long before religion started, predisposed to practice empathy, fairness and loyalty. In fact, these qualities are commonly found in bands of chimpanzees, and the normal behavior of very young children also reflects these attributes.

Evolutionary psychologists propose that natural selection resulted in brains that instinctually encouraged Australopithecines and other early hominids to be concerned about the welfare of others in their group, to share resources and information with them and to be loyal members of that band.

Tags: atheism, god, morality, religion

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Factoista is an online freethought advocacy organization that relies on its users for content. Through international broad-based collaboration with its users, and other groups and organizations, it strives to provide timely and comprehensive news, views, reviews, and creative multimedia on issues at the forefront of everything under the umbrella of freethought:
1. Defending civil liberties like freedoms of speech, inquiry, information, religion or lack thereof, and association
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5. Contribute significantly to the expansion, coordination and social/political import and impact of humanism and freethought.
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