Religion and Morality
RELIGION AND MORALITY
(i)Examine the views of scholars concerning the idea that religion and morality are linked. In this essay I am going to be looking at all the different view points on why some people may think religion and morality are linked. I will talk about a few things that link them such as conscience, divine command ethics, Kant 's view and Aquinas ' view. Many people believe that morality is based upon religion and the rules written in the Bible and other holy books, although some say that religion is completely opposed to morality and it is wrong to mix the two.
Some scholars believe there are three views on the relationship between religion and morality, one of them being that morality depends on religion. Religious leaders are expected to have extremely high standards of morality, R.B Braithwaite believes so, he states that 'to be religious and to make religious claims is to be committed to a set of moral values '. Much religious language is the language of morality, and as we have seen religious believers have committed themselves to particular ways of behaving.
Aquinas ' believed that if God exists morality exists and that God made humans only his image, 'when we are good, we are reflecting God 's image '.
He also believed that goodness on earth reflects on God 's morally good perfection, so because God made us based on his image, when we are good we are reflecting on his 'perfect ' image. However Kant 's view is the opposite to this, he believed that if morality exists God must exist and that the highest of good is perfection, although no one is perfect, which means no one can be as good or great as God because he has this perfect image, and no one is perfect therefore cannot live up to those expectations.
Kant 's argument was that for the existence of God based on the existence of morality: There must be a holy author of the world who makes possible the highest goods.
Some people believe in Divine Command Ethics because they
(i)Examine the views of scholars concerning the idea that religion and morality are linked. In this essay I am going to be looking at all the different view points on why some people may think religion and morality are linked. I will talk about a few things that link them such as conscience, divine command ethics, Kant 's view and Aquinas ' view. Many people believe that morality is based upon religion and the rules written in the Bible and other holy books, although some say that religion is completely opposed to morality and it is wrong to mix the two.
Some scholars believe there are three views on the relationship between religion and morality, one of them being that morality depends on religion. Religious leaders are expected to have extremely high standards of morality, R.B Braithwaite believes so, he states that 'to be religious and to make religious claims is to be committed to a set of moral values '. Much religious language is the language of morality, and as we have seen religious believers have committed themselves to particular ways of behaving.
Aquinas ' believed that if God exists morality exists and that God made humans only his image, 'when we are good, we are reflecting God 's image '.
He also believed that goodness on earth reflects on God 's morally good perfection, so because God made us based on his image, when we are good we are reflecting on his 'perfect ' image. However Kant 's view is the opposite to this, he believed that if morality exists God must exist and that the highest of good is perfection, although no one is perfect, which means no one can be as good or great as God because he has this perfect image, and no one is perfect therefore cannot live up to those expectations.
Kant 's argument was that for the existence of God based on the existence of morality: There must be a holy author of the world who makes possible the highest goods.
Some people believe in Divine Command Ethics because they