The Red and Black

Religion not everyone’s moral guide

After saying “it is sad that so few people understand where morality comes from” in her letter to the editor (Aug. 26), I challenge Jenni Leavelle to question her beliefs.

Just because religious law is older does not make it right. What if I believed in the ancient Babylonian religions that are older than yours? Not everyone believes in God and not everyone gets all their morals from the bible.

So where do they find reasons for what they believe? The answer is philosophy.

Through philosophy we can get to the same “Do not steal” and “Do not murder” that your possibly fictional God said.

In fact, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were based in philosophy and written by non-Christian deists.

— MICHAEL DIFIORE

Senior, Marietta

Telecommunications

Christianity not sole foundation of our morality

In response to Leavelle’s letter to the editor (Aug. 26), if you find your religious faith to be the source of your morality — or the one true morality — I suppose that is fine.

But with your positive statements about morality in general, you’ve put yourself in a rather laughable position.

All cultures have developed systems of ethical behavior. And many of these systems are developed independently of theology.

A wealth of historical and even anthropological evidence about how morality develops in human beings stands against you.

Even in the context of our culture, which you weakly invoked, morality is influenced by a plethora of origins. Some are religious, some aren’t. There are a lot of foundations underlying ethics.

From an empirical perspective, your statement does not reflect the thinking and behaviour of actually-existing people.

— ALEX BALASHOV

Sophomore, Athens

Philosophy

University students good at studying as well as partying

I think what those of you admonishing students (administration included) for “donning togas and slurping beers on Thursday night,” (Aug, 26 letter to the editor)are failing to realize, is that while we are the No.12 ranked party school in the nation according to the Princeton Review, we were ranked 19th best public university by U.S. News and World Report as well.

While we should strive to get that ranking even higher, 19 isn’t too shabby especially when you take into account how many public colleges and universities there are in the U.S.

Students here may make fools of themselves on weeknights. But come Friday, they get up, head to class and perform.

Give it a rest.

If someone is bright enough to do both, let them.

— CHRISITAN COTTER

Junior, Atlanta

Speech Communication

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