I beleive that my christian upbringing has had some effect on my morals. I had a childrens bible in the seventies and i can remember the illustrations, things like john the baptists head on a plate and the romans smashing nails through jesus's hands. It had a profound effect on me which was ...YUK.
From a early age I remember thinking that things like angels and parted seas and arks were ...just not right....something a bit funny going on. However, you can screw kids heads up easily and I still to this day feel a odd twinge of "OOh no! Dont say THAT! God will get upset", Like when my son said he hated god for making him Autistic.
Illogical I know, but thats how it gets ya.
I accept that some of my values today are influenced by the better teachings of jesus and a fear of hell. I feel the majority of my morals however come from my life experiences, parents and my own development of self.
All in all I think i would be not much richer and not much poorer for religion existing.Still, It gives me something to obsessivly spam forums about as i glide through my mid-life crisis. |