Human spiritual life is diverse, manifesting in various realms such as religion, morality, art, philosophy, science, and more. These areas, though distinct, often intersect, supporting each other—such as religion with art, or religion with science. In our case, it’s religion, which shares a close and essential connection with morality, an inseparable component of every religious form. However, not all religious forms are the same, and therefore, we cannot speak of an elevated and pure morality in all religions. For instance, among Hindus, there is a cult of the goddess Shakti, whose female sect performs lascivious and lewd dances in honor of their deity.
Morality depends on religion in two ways: as an ethical system and as ethical practice. Every religion has its own moral teachings. For example, Christ, our Savior, and the morality of perfect love, forgiveness, and the Heavenly Father who is Merciful, can only be connected with the Gospel and with the faith in the existence of the Heavenly Father who saves us, who is filled with love and mercy—not with the strange Zeus, the malicious Shiva, the drunken Bacchus, the adulteress Venus, or even with Buddhism, which in its essence is pure atheism, since Buddha never positively affirmed the existence of God. His response was that there are no greater gods than himself, and that he does not believe in “what people talk about.”
However, atheist philosophers argue that morality also thrives on atheistic grounds, and thus, has no direct connection with religion. As evidence, they cite several facts, including that general moral principles are embedded in human nature and are common to all, regardless of religious affiliation; that a more moral person is one who performs good deeds out of pure duty rather than for the expectation of eternal reward or fear of eternal punishment; and that there are atheists who are very honest people, in contrast to religious believers of all faiths who are often immoral and dishonest.
All of this is true, but let’s elaborate:
Firstly, it is true that general moral principles are embedded in the soul of every person, regardless of their religious affiliation. However, considering the sin-loving nature of humanity, various philosophical and religious views can certainly influence a person to obscure their crystal-clear moral principles by adopting a particular religious form and following its rituals. Moreover, if among all these philosophical views, we encounter an atheistic philosophy that starts from the premise that God does not exist, it consequently denies the concept of sin, because sin, by definition, is opposition to God’s will, and for atheists, His will does not exist. Therefore, if His will does not exist, then sin does not exist either. If sin does not exist, then a person can do whatever they want as long as it does not conflict with state laws. This is the psychological essence of atheism, which frees a person from all duties to God and His commandments. But sin has always existed, and humanity today is at a level of hatred toward God, which proves that it is not entirely indifferent to Him because no one can hate something that doesn’t exist. No one can claim to be a true atheist; rather, they are anti-theists. Atheism, in a sense, is a form of revenge directed against God. But why do they hate God? They hate Him not only because their deeds are deeds of darkness but also because they see Him as a danger, as their enemy, as a judge, a persecutor. The devil has succeeded in convincing humanity that God does not love us, that He only loves Himself, or that He only loves those who behave as He wishes. They have lost the sense that He is the almighty healer of both soul and body, for He became incarnate to save humanity from the infection of sin and death, while leaving humanity—as free beings—the complete freedom to decide whether to live with Him or not.
Atheists argue that a person should avoid not only what the state laws prohibit but also what degrades their moral dignity. But before whom will my dignity be degraded if I commit a sin in the utmost secrecy and if that sin brings me some material benefit? We are all aware that today we are surrounded by people who have become wealthy in dubious ways, who commit adultery, destroy innocent lives, and perform acts that testify they are children of darkness—and much more. Yet, if someone attempts to do to them what they do to others, they know well how to oppose the “immoral” act. Today, it is the person who determines what is moral and what is in accordance with their own nature and personality. This is the only logical conclusion of the atheist philosophy of morality, which only subjectively and fictitiously frees a person from the “slavery” of religious sentiment.
It is also true that a person who follows the moral law out of a sense of duty, without expecting any reward or fearing any punishment, is more moral. But this is a morality for angels and the sinless—how many of those exist in the world? Or what can atheism offer to inspire people to adhere to moral duties that they themselves do not recognize or find pleasing?
Religion ignites in the human heart a love for God and thus provides a motive far more exalted and effective than a mere sense of duty.
Finally, it is true that not all atheists are bad people, nor are all religious people saints. There are honest atheists, as mentioned earlier. As for the religious, they know that all people are sinful, and “if we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8). A Christian knows that they are engaged in a struggle against sin and that God is the one who helps them in that struggle, illuminating them with His gracious powers and energies. A Christian knows how to bow their head before their Savior, Comforter, and Teacher in virtue. A Christian knows how to place their hope in the One who would never shut the door on them and who actually stands at the door of the human heart, waiting to be opened. Their morality is the fruit of faith in God, while sin is the fruit of the sin-loving nature present in every human being, which wars against God’s law in the human mind.
In human nature, there are elements of goodness that draw one toward fulfilling the moral law, and when this is the case, it is not at all surprising that there are so many honest atheists and dishonest believers. The difference is that the morality of an atheist is not in the least the fruit of their atheism, that is, their disbelief in God, because today, we often hear: “I don’t believe in God, yet I do good deeds.” Their morality is the fruit of something entirely different, of other causes and conditions. Here, above all, come those natural elements of goodness that, to some extent, exist in every person, followed by upbringing from childhood, and even the influence of other people on them. Sometimes it can also be the fear of some disciplinary punishment if it is important for them to be a correct member of the institution to which they belong and which dictates how they should behave.
In any case, in the realm of moral activity, a person is not subject to any mechanical necessity, and even if they commit sin, no one forces them; they decide on it of their own free will. A person always faces their own free choice, which atheists say, once made, is no longer free. But is that so? And can we distinguish between obedience to God and obedience to man? If a person has chosen a principle to which they submit as a slave and which they declare as an authority, then freedom is a choice that limits and eventually abolishes itself. Thus, the atheist perceives God as an enemy of their freedom. But the Christian, choosing to live with Him and according to His will, is freed from the sin that held them captive and to which they were a slave. They choose to live in peace of soul, with a clear conscience, with the Truth that truly sets them free, with the gift of Gospel love, which is incomparably more beautiful than hatred.
But which is more practical? Atheism or Christianity?
Practical atheism actually manifests as a rebellion against God, and the reasons for its emergence vary. Sometimes it is an unconscious desire, nurtured by man’s inherent inclination toward sin, a striving to free oneself from the moral tutelage and “preaching” imposed by religion. However, atheism, no matter how morally rich, suffocates a person and leads them into pure pessimism. The world as it is, without God, without religious ideals and values, cannot provide sufficient joy and happiness to a thinking person. Happiness and joy, burdened by transience and fickleness, do not equate to bliss. And the world without God is exactly like that. Sooner or later, the atheist, no matter how unwilling, will begin to believe; in fact, they already believe simply by behaving toward God as a concrete opposing Being, not as something nonexistent. Then they stand before the existential question, “What next?” Inevitably, they will acknowledge that everything in this world is transient. But even if they do not acknowledge it, they only deprive themselves of the boundless joy in the eternal bliss of the Kingdom of God, to which the Christian freely chooses and hopes to attain.
