to all who don't believe in God, does that mean you don't live by God's laws? then what laws do you live by?

When holy books tell you to kill people for working on the wrong day (Exodus 31:15), or saying the wrong words (Leviticus 24:17) or because people are homosexual (Leviticus 20:13), and millions of people believe these are the words of God, is it possible that religions inherently breed violence, or do they only do so if people really take their religions seriously? And if people would condemn a man or woman who preached these things, why do they worship gods who say them?

No, not all societies carry out punishment the same. Like in America, if you are caught stealing you are either slapped on the wrist or indited, go to another country and you may have your hand cut off. I don't need the Bible or your God to tell me what is right and wrong. I have the law of the land that i live in, i abide by them and continue my life. Why live by the laws in the Bible, when most Christians break them everyday anyways

Let me ask you...where in the bible does it say you can't drive drunk?

See? Clearly, modern laws are not biblical in origin.

Moreover, it's also interesting to note that even nations where the bible is not widely read or known have laws against rape and murder and theft as examples. Why do you suppose that is?

The answer is that morals and laws (including those which ended up codified in the collection of disparret works called the Bible) are derived from necessity. Humans have evolved as a cooperative, social species, and murder, rape and theft are harmful to the ability of human communities to function smoothly together.

I love by natural laws, by my reason and by my sense of compassion and empathy. Generally, I recommend minding your own business unless someone else's activity is directly harming you, or carries significant risk of harming you.

The bible was written in the first three or four centuries, CE and put together into a single volume by the council of Niscea. There were laws against murder and rape, for example, in ancient Egypt (and remember, they worshiped Pagan Gods) and Sumeria, and in ancient China, as well. Sorry. Clearly, laws and morals do not derive from the bible.

There were laws before the bible, you know. And most of the laws of men - this country, anyway - don't come from the bible but from common law and various legislatures. I live by the law of the society I live in and by the rules of conduct instilled in my by my parents - don't steal, don't lie, don't hurt anyone else, do your best, etc.

The laws of the State of Alabama and the federal laws of the United States Government. Of which there are thousands and thousands that have nothing to with the Bible. And many of the laws in the Bible are no longer enforced by man (shellfish and such).

Every religion and government judicial system has some sort of set of "laws" that generally distinguish between "right and wrong". For instance, it is generally agreed that lying and stealing are wrong, whereas kindness and patience and love are things that are good.

Everyone has those sort of morals instilled in their spirit.

Question is, where did it come from, if not from the God that created us in His image? Of goodness and truth and sacrificial love?

We all have the same chance to accept the free gift of the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ. Some people, I guess, would rather not accept it and keep giving into the originally sinful spirit of man (wealth, fame, power, sexually immorality, etc).

But to indulge in the things of this life is to lose infinitely more precious things in the next.

Just my two cents as a fellow Christian! Take care and God Bless!

Laws of men may have been here before the laws of God was made known because of his communal or societal experiences with nature and with his fellowmen.

Man's stubbornness is always proven great even if those laws were said to be from God later.

So, wherever it may come from it is always the word "Obedience" that we should know how to live by.

You need to specify the definition of God in your question.

I do not understand if you are asking if I believe in the bible's God, or if I just simply believe in a higher power.

Personally, I believe that there is some force governing everything, although I don't necessarily believe his/her/its name is God. I am definitely more spiritual than religious, because religion divides man.

Anyway, my morals are pray to your higher power in the morning and night, before you eat meals and when anything good happens in your life and always do the best you can. Don't steal, envy, lie, kill (unless through self-defense), rape, smoke, do drugs, over drink alcohol, neglect children when you have them or start a relationship with one's significant other. However, if victimized by someone, try to forgive them, but if they persist, fight with all you've got.

Additionally, the motto of someone who believes in a God is to live life as morally clean as possible, as to inherit the joys of the afterlife. An atheist's motto in life is to do whatever I want and try to get away with it, because as long as I'm not caught, there will be no consequences.

NEVER FORGET THIS, and remember, alot of laws are designed to protect the evil.

If God is the only reason you don't murder or steal, something is wrong with you.

People have this idea that religion creates morality, and that is just, quite simply, false.

A toddler who cannot speak pushes another toddler and the pushed toddler cries. Oftentimes, so will the one who did the pushing. Seeing that he has done something that caused pain to another, he feels guilt.

Animals who live in some form of society all have similar laws to humans. If a chimpanzee murders another chimpanzee, he is often banished or killed himself. If a chimpanzee steals from another chimpanzee, other chimpanzees return the object to its owner and shun the thief.

Basic morality is 100% natural for higher-thinking animals. Humans are no different.

No, the laws of the bible came from men.

But before there were laws, there were still morals. We evolved morals and team building instincts (avoid murder and conflict) when we developed our social habits and our family systems grew larger. It allowed our species to survive and conquer the environment by working together and therefore providing a natural advantage over other animals.

I don't believe in gods.

I don't live by any god's laws.

I live by the laws of the society in which I live.

Society's laws do not come from the bible. There are many societies that are not Judeo-christian, and they have laws that are not based on any bible.

We need to think critically.