Reasons for and against the view that morality is independent of religion.

The first 200 words of this essay...

Reasons for and against the view that morality is independent of religion

Cupitt's starting point for ethics today begins with what he considers to be the cultural condition of our time and that is the rejection of the old 'realist' notion of God.

* With the advent of non-realism notions of absolute truths have been rejected to be replaced by a solely human understanding of the world and God.

* In terms of ethics this means there is no longer any God giving us a moral code and as such no moral absolutes independent of human experience.

* Morality is now decided by humans with the context of different human communities.

Cupitt argues that the traditional Christian view of God is repressive. Such a God has set out 'in the heavens' what is considered to be right and wrong behaviour in the world.

For Cupitt, an objective God implies submission (or lack of freedom).

Cupitt believes society has now embraced non-realism as such he believes it is no longer bound to follow realist forms of religious belief and ethics. In light of this Cupitt argues that:

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