If morals come from religion--does this mean that monkeys have religion?

[laconicsax]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article5733638.ece

Monkeys have a sense of morality, say scientists
Jonathan Leake, Science Editor

MONKEYS and apes have a sense of morality and the rudimentary ability to tell right from wrong, according to new research.

In a series of studies scientists have found that monkeys and apes can make judgments about fairness, offer altruistic help and empathise when a fellow animal is ill or in difficulties. They even appear to have consciences and the ability to remember obligations.

The research implies that morality is not a uniquely human quality and suggests it arose through evolution. That could mean the strength of our consciences is partly determined by our genes.

[SteppingRazor]

1. Morals don't come from religion. ... well, that was an easy one to fix!

I would say it's accurate to say that morals CAN come from religion, but not that they necessarily do. Leaving aside the possibility of monkey morality, it's obvious that one can be a moral atheist, so clearly, one need not be religious to be moral. A moral code can be based purely on human experience.

[laconicsax]

5. I see one problem with what you put forward.

If you ask someone who believes that morals come from religion specific questions about the 'morals' in their holy book, they pick and choose which ones are meant to be followed, indicating that they're getting their morality from another source and applying it to their religious views. In other words, a religion may contain messages of morality, but it's the followers of the religion who decide which messages are moral.

Morals must come entirely from a non-religious source. Religious teachings only reinforce existing morals.

[leftstreet]

2. Monkeys can't be trusted

[MineralMan]

3. Religions came from societies. It got its morality

from those societies, too. For pete's sake...that's so obvious...

[laconicsax]

You'd think so.

The sheer number of people who don't understand that however, is breathtaking.

[Believing Is Art]

4. Whoa . . .

I wrote an entry on my not-so-frequently updated blog not that long ago. Weird timing.

http://starprojectors.blogspot.com/2009/01/of-apples-and-darwin.html

[SPedigrees]

6. Morality is not unique to primates.

Apes and monkeys are not even remotely the only animals who "can make judgments about fairness, offer altruistic help and empathise when a fellow animal is ill or in difficulties. (and) even appear to have consciences and the ability to remember obligations."  These researchers need to do more work in the field.

Morality is not unique to primates, nor does it have anything to do with religion.

[laconicsax]

7. Welcome to DU

You'd think that the evidence that morality doesn't come to religion would have put the issue to rest long ago.

[Strong Atheist]

8. Actually, SPedigrees has been here a while. I will have to add her

to my "quiet types" in my MILESTONES thread in the lounge next weekend...

[rug]

9. Anthropomorphic claptrap.

[david13]

10. If you are a good person, what

do you need religion for?
If you are an evil person, religion will only help you to do more evil.
Morality has more to do with free will than religion.
You can be religious and sanctimonious and make the free and voluntary decision to do any particular evil that you desire.
Many animals have a concept of sympathy, or a pack mentality.
Religion is a superstition, based, I think on fear of the dark. That in death we will be in the dark forever, and some people can't accept that. They have to invent things, and try to get others to go along with their invention.
dc

[Occam Bandage]

11. Religions arise, in part, from morals. nt

[Why Syzygy]

12. They also commit

group murder. So, maybe they are human after all.

[SidneyCarton]

13. Ask a monkey.

Maybe poo-flinging is their form of proselyting.