Republic of the Philippines

PALAWAN STATE UNIVERSITY

Puerto Princesa City

Name: Bacani, Jomar V. Date: April 06, 2022

Course/yr: FM 1-1 Instructor: Mr. Noel G. Frondozo
Subject: GE-Ethics. Score:_________

Importance of the concept of God in Morality

Morality and religion are two closely linked but distinct concepts in many people's views.

Morality is regarded to be concerned with the conduct of human affairs and human relationships,

whereas religion is concerned with the link between humans and a transcendent world. Many

people believe that religion may influence morality because they believe that God or a supreme

being created the world, but it is still up to us to decide what we should do. Hence, how important

is the concept of God in human morality?

The arguments for and against God's existence have been debated for thousands of years. Many

theologian scholars , philosophers and scientists have all projected their ideas. For their own

gratification, they try to prove or disprove the presence of a Divine God. One main theory among

various religions is the Divine Command Theory. According to this theory, morality is defined

only by God's commandments and prohibitions, and disobedience to God's commands is morally

wrong.
It simply means that God, as the creator of the world, determines what is right and wrong. This

idea appeals to individuals because it addresses the issue of objectivity in ethics. Morality is

defined as a way for individuals to understand the difference between right and wrong, good and

evil, respect for the appropriate conduct standards, and the mental traits of an individual to behave

in a morally good manner. The moral rightness or wrongness of something is not determined by a

person's feelings. It is instead correct if God directs it and incorrect if God forbids it. It also

explains why individuals should be moral, stating that if they are not moral and thus do not obey

God's will, they would have to deal with the consequences.

God, I believe, is vital for human morality because without God, there would be no virtue in the

first place. For virtue to exist at all, God is essential. Human beings have moral value because,

according to the existence of God, their nature resembles that of God. Furthermore, our belief in a

supreme deity or God is crucial to our notion that humans should be directed by a moral

framework that considers the interests of others. We obey God because there is a distinction

between what we consider good and evil, right and wrong. Because we love God and have moral

responsibilities, we do the right thing.

In Immanuel Kant Critique of Practical Reason, who has traditionally not been seen as an advocate of

Divine Command Theory claims that morality requires faith in God and an afterlife. According to Kant, we

must believe that God exists because the requirements of morality are too much for us to bear. We must

believe that there is a God who will help us satisfy the demands of the moral law. With such a belief, we

have the hope that we will be able to live moral lives. Moreover, Kant argues that “there is not the slightest

ground in the moral law for a necessary connection between the morality and proportionate happiness of a

being who belongs to the world as one of its parts and is thus dependent on it.” However, if there is a God

and an afterlife where the righteous are rewarded with happiness and justice obtains, this problem goes

away. That is, being moral does not guarantee happiness, so we must believe in a God who will reward the

morally righteous with happiness. Kant does not employ the concept of moral faith as an argument for

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Divine Command Theory, but a contemporary advocate could argue along Kantian lines that these

advantages do accrue to this view of morality.

For one thing, as Immanuel Kant pointed out, we need an omnipotent God to enforce moral

standards, to make sure that everyone is properly rewarded and punished. It simply means that

God's presence ensures that ultimate justice exists. In order for morality to be meaningful, the

ultimate good must be achievable and justice must exist. If there is no justice, morality is

meaningless. Therefore, God's existence gives us faith that good will finally triumph over evil.

Religion acts as a vital motivator for the moral behavior of humans. The world is home to

numerous religions and they are all unique in their own way, yet they all share the belief in a

supreme being. They refer to Him in their own terms and have their own set of values and

organization. The fear of eternal punishment and the desire for an eternal life of happiness,

together with the existence of a perfectly just God and an immortal soul, give a powerful drive to

be moral. Religion also provides behavior and structures that reinforce the values it supports.

Usually, there is a church of some kind and a community of worshippers who assist one another.

In addition, People also follow moral commands, but whether it's a command from God or a moral

command, a command is a command. You may consider yourself an agent, but commanding

yourself to act immorally, such as assaulting someone, does not seem reasonable. It doesn't just

then become right because you know it is wrong. Moral commandments clearly have an external

agent; people are highly impacted by them, and these commands have an impact on practically

everyone, believer or nonbeliever. The only difference is some people may give this agent a name

and call it "God".

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Thus, As best said by Ivan in the book of “The Brothers Karamazov" if God doesn't exist then

anything is permitted. There will be no society where religion is completely removed; it will

always be a driving force behind why morality is so vital. When it comes to making sense of

morality and inspiring us to live a noble moral life, critical thinking is necessary. However, it

seems best to conclude that God has a strong impact on humans when it comes to making sense of

morality and inspiring us to live a noble moral life.

References:

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