Does religion make you moral? Divine Command Theory The Euthyphro Dilemma Challenges from atheism Before we start, quick homework check – let’s see your completed tables of strengths and weaknesses

Discuss with your neighbour: what are the similarities between these two statements? What do you think of them?

Feedback from Flipped Learning Take out your sheet of notes. Compare with your neighbour. Do you agree on your understanding of DCT? Using green pen, add anything you have missed to your notes. Compare on your table which resources you used. How easy/difficult was it to find relevant information? Anything you would do differently next time you do research for RS?

Summarise Divine Command Theory…

DCT problem 1: The Euthyphro Dilemma The Euthyphro Dilemma comes from the philosopher Plato. He asks whether things are good because God commands them, or does God command them because they are good?

Euthyphro Dilemma: the two horns This is a DILEMMA because religious believers have to accept one of the two horns. But each one is problematic. Horn 1: “good” means “whatever God commands”. So we should follow his commandments because he commanded them. Horn 2: “good” exists independently of God. God commands these things because he knows that they are good. But it isn’t him who makes them good. Problems? God could command anything (random murder, Justin Bieber to be played in all classrooms…) and that would make it morally good. Morality seems arbitrary. Problems? Morality comes from somewhere else, not from God. He is just the messenger. God seems impotent.

Abraham

DCT problem 2: the challenge of atheism/ anti-theism Firstly, what is the difference between these two positions?

DCT problem 2: the challenge of atheism/ anti-theism Richard Dawkins, an evolutionary biologist and famous anti-theist. He agrees that morality does not come from religion, but goes further to say that religion is actually immoral.

Dawkins’ first point – God is not actually good “The very idea that we get a moral compass from religion is horrible. Not only should we not get our moral compass from religion, as a matter of fact we don’t. We shouldn’t, because if you actually look at the bible or the Koran, and get your moral compass from there, it’s horrible – stoning people to death, stoning people for breaking the Sabbath.” “The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.”

Dawkins’ second point - following commandments doesn’t make you moral Morality based on religion is just “sucking up”. It would be more moral to be good because it is good, not because God told you to, or you are scared of punishment. “morality in the absence of policing is more truly moral”

God is not actually good Following commandments doesn’t make you good Responses:

God is not actually good Following commandments doesn’t make you good Responses: He only chooses a few examples which fit his opinion (something he criticises religious believers for!) Religious morality is not necessarily absolutist. Only approaches like DCT. Many religious people don’t follow God’s commandments because they fear. They do so out of love and respect for him, and as an acknowledgement that he is in control and he knows best.

Have we met today’s objectives? What is Divine Command Theory? How does the Euthyphro Dilemma cause a problem for DCT? Can DCT survive this problem? How do atheists and anti-theists cause a problem for DCT?