The 3 Kinds of Morality (And Why It's Wrong to Assume Atheists Are Immoral)

What Is Morality, Anyway?

Morality, as a concept, is often severely misconstrued. Sometimes people assume morality and religion are the same thing. Others assume morality is obsolete, something we left behind in the 50s alongside sock hops and coonskin caps. Still others think it's a deeply personal, individual thing--even going so far as to insist that the government has no business "legislating morality." This last one always gets me laughing. Because, truly, if the government didn't legislate morality, it wouldn't do anything at all! (Which reminds me of another joke, but I digress.) Legislating morality is precisely the government's purpose. (Try to think of a law--any law--that isn't, at base, about how people treat one another or the environment.)

Morality is about relationship. These relationships may be individual (between a person and his/her pet or between an individual and his/her friend) or they may be societal (between an individual and society or between groups of people) or they may be spiritual (between an individual or group and a deity.) Outside of relationship, the concept of morality makes no sense at all. So, on that grounds, it certainly can't be a merely "personal thing." Morality is about how one person or group interacts with someone or something else. 

Morality is, by definition, about how we respond to the other occupants of this universe/reality, with respect or without it. So, to behave morally toward someone, is to behave in a way that shows respect toward and preserves that person's value. 

The Three Kinds of Morality

So here are the three levels of morality (in order of importance, with the first being the most important):

Religious Morality: how we respond to God.
Interpersonal Morality: how we respond to one another.
Environmental Morality: how we respond to nature (the animals and the world around us.)

Of course, an argument could be made that the way we treat the environment isn't about relationship, therefore, it's not a moral issue. However, such a view could be argued against on at least three grounds. One, since we all share the world, the way we treat the world also affects other people, thus making environmental morality just a form of interpersonal morality. Two, many animals are capable of forming complex relationships with humans, demanding that we treat, at least these animals, in a moral way. Three, since morality is about relationship, and healthy relationships require humility and compassion, to treat animals and/or the natural environment with complete disregard belies a lack of the basic qualities that make our behavior moral. So, one could argue that, if we are incapable of appreciating the natural world, we're also likely incapable of fully appreciating the other sentient beings that inhabit it, making such behavior a display of immorality. 

Can Atheists Be Moral?

Of course, a lot more could be said about these different types of moralities, but I want this to be a relatively short post. I'll just go on to point out that many Christians like to argue that, without God, morality itself wouldn't make sense. They insist that, for morality to be binding, God must exist. They also make the reciprocal argument that, since we observe morality, God must exist.

Now, you already know I believe in God. However, I must point out that, to the atheist or agnostic or those who don't believe in the same type of God Christians do, the above arguments sound quite insulting. Clearly, if someone doesn't believe God exists, they can still exhibit interpersonal and environmental morality. It's NOT the case that atheists are completely immoral people. That's ludicrous. Surely, we all know atheists who are excellent parents, dependable workers, loyal friends, etc. That is MORAL behavior and they are MORAL beings. 

As a Christian, I believe God not only exists but that He made ALL PEOPLE in His image--yes, the atheists, too. Part of what it means to be made in God's image is our deeply complex ability to form relationships. Since atheists are just as capable of entering into relationship as anyone else, that makes them moral beings--making their attitudes and behaviors either moral or immoral. (And when Christians are nasty to somebody, we are behaving immorally.) 

Now, I guess the bigger question is, if we don't believe in God and so ignore religious morality, but are absolutely stellar in the areas of interpersonal and environmental morality... is that enough? Well, if you're right, and God doesn't exist, then yeah, you're good. (Pun intended.) But if God does exist and you do not have a positive relationship with Him, then, no. You've got problems. Thankfully, Jesus (aka: God) is perfectly willing to help you rectify that situation whenever you're ready. He's already paved that road. Just let me know if you want directions on where to find it.