Morality - a thread

Recently, I’ve seen Ahmadis and Ex-Ahmadis engage in a discussion about morality. Any person - believer or non-believer usually begins their journey by asking the v. Important question - can you be good without God/Religion?

The answer to this question, in my experience, begins to be a building block of all if not most of the future beliefs and practises an individual holds.

First, let’s take a definition of morality that I think we can all agree on. I like the one proposed by Johnathan Haidt:

Morality [what is good]is an interlocking sets of values, virtues, norms, practices, identities, institutions, technologies, and evolved psychological mechanisms that work together to suppress or regulate self-interest and make cooperative societies possible.

I also like the one proposed by Emile Durkheim: “What is moral/[what is good] is everything that is a source of solidarity, everything that forces man to … regulate his actions by something other than … his own egoism”

Second, let’s expand on the question what do we do when we argue whether something is good or bad.

Studies across culture and time show that we argue based on 6 moral modules/foundations: Care/harm, Fairness/cheating, Loyalty/betrayal, Authority/subversion, Sanctity/degradation, and Liberty/oppression.

A detailed chart explaining these modules/foundations

Observing Ahmadis and Ex-Ahmadis Haidt et al would probably say that Ex-Ahmadi (like most liberals/libertarians) are either arguing using the module/foundations of care/harm, fairness/cheating and liberty/oppression.

On the flip side, Ahmadis would argue using all 6 moral modules/foundations.

So can you be good without religion/God? Yes but only if you believe that good should not include loyalty/betrayal, sanctity/degradation, or authority/subversion. And no, if you believe otherwise.

Here is a picture to describe what is happening:

Put differently, can you be a foodie if you only eat/accept what is sweet, salty, and sour but leave out/reject what is bitter, and umami?

Hit me up for references /end