POLL: Are atheists more likely to commit crime?

[CKent]

Someone who only acts morally because of the perceived threat of retribution is a far greater danger than someone who does out of empathy. I'd love to see research on this matter. My guess, for a number of reasons, is that believers are proportionally more likely to commit crimes.

 

[iamaelephant]

Originally posted by: notfred
They're more likely to shoot you in the face for being an annyoing, bigoted, flamebaiting asshole.

Why the hell wouldn't an athiest have morals? Are you too fvcking stupid to even consider the possibility that some people's morals don't stem from what they read in a book that was *suppoedly* inspired by god, but maybe from somewhere else, like thier conscious or philosophy?

/thread

 

[notfred]

Originally posted by: FelixDeKat

Originally posted by: notfred

Originally posted by: FelixDeKat
I did not say that. I said "immoral" atheist, which means there can be both.

Oh, so you mean an immoral athiest would commit more crimes than an immoral christian, then, because they don't think anyone's watching? An immoral christian would think god was watching, and therefore not commit the crime?

Considering that christianity in the US teaches that you will be forgiven for absolutely *anything* that you do wrong, as long as you beleive in Jesus, then I don't see why that would make a difference.

You are only forgiven if God forgives you. Its not just for the asking. And you will know by your conscious the difference.

It's really irrelevant. Most people who commit crimes don't feel like they're doing anything wrong. They justify those crimes to themselves. If they couldn't, then they wouldn't do them.

Criminal mentality:
"I can take this guy's car, he's got insurance that will buy him a new one, and the insurance company has tons of money. He doesn't really need it, besides, if he really cared so much, he'd have locked it inside a garage or something. I'm broke, I need it more than he does"

 

[Mani]

Originally posted by: RBachman
omeone who only acts morally because of the perceived threat of retribution is a far greater danger than someone who does out of empathy.

Precisely.

 

[jjones]

Yes, it's been scientifically proven that athiests and any other unwashed, godless heathen lacks sufficient moral character and will stoop to crime given any opportunity.

 

[HardcoreRobot]

just remember that correlation != causation

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: virtualgames0
Nope, but the opposite is probably more true.
More people has been killed in the name of god than for any other reason.

"Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction." - Blaise Pascal

Take out "religious" and replace it with "moral", and that quote actually becomes true.

Example: Communism.

It's not about religion, it's about morality. The two are less connected than most people assume.

 

[FelixDeCat]

Originally posted by: RBachman
Someone who only acts morally because of the perceived threat of retribution is a far greater danger than someone who does out of empathy. I'd love to see research on this matter. My guess, for a number of reasons, is that believers are proportionally more likely to commit crimes.

I would love to know myself, but they probably will never collect the data. Someone could probably do some reasearch, but Ill bet it will be skewed as some will find religeon in prison.

But you mention a number of reasons why you think the opposite is true. What are they?

 

[Strk]

Originally posted by: virtualgames0
Nope, but the opposite is probably more true.
More people has been killed in the name of god than for any other reason.

"Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction." - Blaise Pascal

Commies have given them a good run for their money.

As for the OP, that's asinine. Having faith has nothing to do with your willingness to commit crimes.

 

[CKent]

Originally posted by: jjones
Yes, it's been scientifically proven that athiests and any other unwashed, godless heathen lacks sufficient moral character and will stoop to crime given any opportunity.

*mugs you*

 

[CKent]

Originally posted by: FelixDeKat

Originally posted by: RBachman
Someone who only acts morally because of the perceived threat of retribution is a far greater danger than someone who does out of empathy. I'd love to see research on this matter. My guess, for a number of reasons, is that believers are proportionally more likely to commit crimes.

I would love to know myself, but they probably will never collect the data. Someone could probably do some reasearch, but Ill bet it will be skewed as some will find religeon in prison.

But you mention a number of reasons why you think the opposite is true. What are they?

Nice try

 

[jjones]

Originally posted by: RBachman

Originally posted by: jjones
Yes, it's been scientifically proven that athiests and any other unwashed, godless heathen lacks sufficient moral character and will stoop to crime given any opportunity.

*mugs you*

 

[Baked]

Lots of criminals are religious due to some stupid thing called forgiveness. "Oh you killed and raped 10 women today? 10 hail marys and you're given."

 

[yhelothar]

Originally posted by: jagec

Originally posted by: virtualgames0
Nope, but the opposite is probably more true.
More people has been killed in the name of god than for any other reason.

"Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction." - Blaise Pascal

Take out "religious" and replace it with "moral", and that quote actually becomes true.

Example: Communism.

It's not about religion, it's about morality. The two are less connected than most people assume.

Communism kills not because of morals, but because you need a totalitarian government for it to work. And everyone knows how evil dictators are. Communism also kills because of famine. Communism makes everyone equally poor, thus many die from starvation(most people under stalin and mao ze dong died from starvation).

 

[SampSon]

Yes, 94% of convited felons are athiests. 5% of the remainder are agnostic. And the final 1% are religious.

 

[0roo0roo]

we are crime ridden in a country that claims to be mostly christian
certain crimes are bound to be worse with a religious person, their justification for killing comes from god hkmself, not themselves or other human beings or authorities, allowing them to justify anything.

 

[Special K]

Would an atheist contend that there is no absolute morality? So even if they chose to live a just life, they wouldn't fault someone for believing that killing is not morally wrong, since there is no such thing as absolute morality?

 

[Dirigible]

This is awfully close to P&N territory (especially because politics seem ever more entwined with religious view in the U.S.). Get this annoying crap outta here! Don't post drivel like this again. Or the inquisition will pay you a visit, and you'll see what sort of crimes christians can commit.

 

[0roo0roo]

through rational thinking/ethics one can come to a conclusion of what is right and wrong. cold blooded killing is wrong, you aren't going to find much of an arguement against that. but killing in war or self defence? not even religion considers all killing morally wrong. its better to use reason than blindly follow scripture. god could say torturing puppies is good. and to a religious person. they'd have to accept this as "good".

anyways i somehow doubt the enron scum are atheists.

 

[Deeko]

haha are you kidding? Have you ever been to an inner-city ghetto type area? Those tend to be very religious areas, I guess they don't have any crime?

 

[JDrake]

YES

 

[LtPage1]

Originally posted by: astrocase
Which further implies that non-religious people are more intelligent since they never get caught or found guilty.

I was about to say.

 

[TheSiege]

Ok i live in mormon country, utah, and god has nothing to do with crimes here.
Crimes of passion happened to everyone of any religion at anytime, god doesnt come into play.

now something that is thought out? that might be different. but the mormons can all repent for their sins, murder and blasphemy are the only unforgiveable sins, so believing in god is hardly a factor


p.s. i know i cant spell.

 

[FelixDeCat]

Originally posted by: Deeko
haha are you kidding? Have you ever been to an inner-city ghetto type area? Those tend to be very religious areas, I guess they don't have any crime?

Yes, immoral Christians do exist. But how do you know who is commiting the crime or taking their teachings to heart? And crime penetrates corporate boardrooms such as Enron, to your local suburb, as well as inner city areas.

 

[FelixDeCat]

Originally posted by: SampSon
Yes, 94% of convited felons are athiests. 5% of the remainder are agnostic. And the final 1% are religious.

Interesting. Linky?