Co-operation and helping others is a successful way of behaviour for humans and other animals.

A succinct example of this can be found at the following website, where a herd of buffalo return to rescue a young calf captured by lions. I often watch this video when I despair at the behaviour of humans, knowing that there are others out there who display great courage and compassion gives me hope for my own species.

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=LU8DDYz68kM

Dr BOAZ,

"But if people in both groups are under the Kingdom of God.."

As I recall, the biggest wars in the last 100 years were fought BETWEEN peoples of the same religion.

While the religions may not have been the direct cause of the conflicts, they certainly were not effective in stopping hostilities.

Actually, I don't know of any war that was stopped due to religious belief.

Yabby, “Nothing significant about us”. That’s what concerns me. Seems we either survive or we don’t, and it doesn’t really matter. So, it doesn't help me see that loving humans, or protecting the human community, is "good".

It matters for God and God makes us matter (no pun), but of course I’m not trying to convince you of this.

Fractelle, If you think “good” can be explained in the absence of God, I need to hear something about why it’s good that we humans be “successful”. What’s so special about us, that our success is considered “good”? I say it’s the divine spark – ie the fact (I still believe) that we are made in God’s image and that God loves us dearly. What’s the no-God explanation of why we should succeed, rather than simply want to?

Wobbles, I know there have been and are many dreadful religious wars. On the other hand, Northern Ireland seemed as much nationalistic as religious: wouldn't have been a "religious war" without a resented occupation. "Yugoslavia" seemed as much ethnic as religious. The tribal wars in Africa seem ethnic to me. And doesn’t Communism show us not so much that atheism itself starts wars, but that removing God and religion doesn’t stop them (which is really the point)? It also reminds us that atheism never exists on its own: a person, or nation, is never merely atheist.

Pax,

Goodthief

Could you please watch the video before passing comment - my claim is that it makes sense for people to cooperate with each other and that it is inherent in all sentient creatures.

Morality is necessary for the survival of the species. And doing good makes you feel good as well - don't need a patriarchal god to tell me how to behave and if you do - well perhaps you should learn to take responsibility for yourself.

To anyone who wants to be enlightened please check out the Utube link - it is utterly enthralling. And much more real than an old book written by various men for various agendas.

'evil' and 'good' is irrelevant unless its integrally referred with 'act' in that 'specified' moment of the situation's history...hence most religious text discussing evil-good use story telling approach to aid reader...

'origin of morality'...I think it exists in all animals who form groups...has to or 'group behavior for benefit' wont work...albeit much higher in humans...further it exists in established society like law for order and peace(though law arose from 'morality' ie 'law of equity' it has since further specialized eg contract/administrative/tort)...and at higher level exists in religion and origin to is the interesting one...there are some truly ancient texts which can assist with this...

using 'bhagvad_gita' which hindu text and hope all people will approach it as a study...what makes it interesting is its a discussion on 'highest of morality' on the battle field between 'god whom come to earth to vanquish evil(krishna)' and a 'good' human whose duty was to destroy the human body of evil souls(arujuna)...who couldnt because his cousins and teachers and friends among the evil he had to kill...imagine that...on 'morality' ones act or 'duty' requires removing those who form the fabric of ones immediate society...some 3000years old

http://www.indiasite.com/scriptures/bhagwadgita.html is summary
http://www.bhagavad-gita.org/index-english.html is real deal for those who have the patience and interest...

Sam
Ps~some further assistance...hindu philosophy divides past human history into 'eras'...each era is complete cycle of human society from 'balanced' goes 'imbalanced' ie evil predominates good...needing 'god' taking human form to assist good to bring 'balance'...eg noah and ark...three eras before humans no more...first era 'ramayanam', second 'mahabharata' of which bhagvad_gita one section...and we are in third era...

to my previous post...to clarify...krishna use the word 'yoga'...and which is the original meaning (not current corrupted one of body positions)...as 'acting in balance at all times'...and supposedly when one does then they cannot 'sin'...as the balance in all things continued to be maintained...and i think these old words have such wisdom to assist us now in these times when motherearth is struggling...

Sam
Ps~for those interested...another issue of morality exemplified as a sub_story in mahabharata is that of 'karuna'...an soul who never committed a evil act in his life...and so selfless he was that he never refused anything to anyone...example as an old poor villager in a storm came to his house asking for firewood to warm his hut...karuna didnt have any so he chopped his own roof and gave the wood...what interesting is that he was 'imbalanced' as well...not by evil but good...and it exemplified by his last moments...in the battle field he could not die because all the good he had done in his life prevented his soul from leaving his body...so so many arrows had struck him that when he fell that arrows became his mattress...and the battle stopped and both sides came around him...he was loved by all...and finally it took god as krishna to take another human form and asked karuna if he could give something...karuna laughed and said to effect I dont know if I have anything to give but ask...and krishna asked for 'all the good he has done' and to which karuna pulled out one of his arrows and with the blood and flesh gave it to krishna...at which moment he died and soul released...nice story huh...