Does religion really enhance morality?
Or does religion actually take innate morality and just mix it with additional rules.
For example:
"Thou shalt have no other God before me."
"Thou shalt make no graven image."
"Thou shalt keep the Sabbath holy."
"Thou shalt not speak ill of the Lord's annointed, even if it is true." (DH Oaks really did say this.)
"Thou shalt not give women the priesthood unless the prophet says it's OK."
"Thou shalt not allow gays to marry and still be members of the church in full standing."
What do any of these things have to do with morality? Quite the contrary, I would argue. I think religion is actually a mix of good, innate morality and additional, sometimes immoral rules meant exert influence and to control people.
People buy into the whole package because they feel like rejecting these commandments would mean complete rejection of all morality, when this is not the case at all.
It's kind of like Huck Finn, when he feels like he is committing a sin for helping a runaway slave, when in fact he is actually doing the moral thing. Religion is best at turning morality on its head, even if it also promotes some genuine morality.
Or does religion actually take innate morality and just mix it with additional rules.
For example:
"Thou shalt have no other God before me."
"Thou shalt make no graven image."
"Thou shalt keep the Sabbath holy."
"Thou shalt not speak ill of the Lord's annointed, even if it is true." (DH Oaks really did say this.)
"Thou shalt not give women the priesthood unless the prophet says it's OK."
"Thou shalt not allow gays to marry and still be members of the church in full standing."
What do any of these things have to do with morality? Quite the contrary, I would argue. I think religion is actually a mix of good, innate morality and additional, sometimes immoral rules meant exert influence and to control people.
People buy into the whole package because they feel like rejecting these commandments would mean complete rejection of all morality, when this is not the case at all.
It's kind of like Huck Finn, when he feels like he is committing a sin for helping a runaway slave, when in fact he is actually doing the moral thing. Religion is best at turning morality on its head, even if it also promotes some genuine morality.